Quick to the Batpoles: Over 50 Years of the Dynamic Duo-Thank you Adam and Burt!
From Titan Books
A sunny afternoon in downtown Gotham, people are hustling here and there, on their merry way to the bank or taking a lengthy stroll looking at the sites and on the other side of town at this very moment good citizens are lining up, waiting for the doors to open at the Gotham City Museum of Art, just another ordinary day. But what’s this? -on such an extremely sunny day? billowing green fog- rolling over the very sidewalk they are standing on? a shape in the form of a giant question mark in the sky with a taunting message hanging over the Gotham City Museum of Art? It can mean only one thing, the king of quandary, the master of befuddlement, the twister of sanity is at large. Meanwhile at police headquarters, as calls come in, Commissioner Gordon knowing only too well what he has to do, he reaches for that red colored phone under the dome glass in his office as he has done on many other occasions. And on the other end of that line as a familiar voice answers- the Commissioner belays the information “I’m afraid the Riddler is at it again”. The voice assures the Commissioner “we’ll be right there!” and turns to his young ward. “Come on Dick there is not a moment to lose. To the Bat poles” And so another adventure begins as the Caped Crusaders rush off to Police Headquarters.
Holy question mark! It sounds like the Riddler is up to his old tricks.
The above opening passage(it took me a couple of days to produce the intro above) is an example of how this book is so well constructed and it is very hard to stay in the narrative for even a paragraph let alone 80 pages. But Y.Y.Flurch who provided the text accomplishes this with ease. The design by Rian Hughes is nothing short of spectacular. So hats off to both for creating a book that feels like and places the reader right in the heart of the 1960’s Batman TV series. At times as you peruse through the eye popping images and as the words and pictures seem to leap right off the page it is evident that this book is just as special as the subject matter that is covered within the pages themselves. Batman the book is beaming with all the colors that made the series a standout in television history with the ZWAPS! and POWS! Gosh Batman, Holy Nostalgia! I have a hard time not hearing that great Neal Hefti theme song playing in my head as I submerse myself deep into the subterranean lair called the Batcave to learn that we are just 14 miles to Gotham City. There is even a short note on what happened when Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara attempted to trace the Bat-Phone, basically triggering the Automatic Batalarm which sent the trace on a diversionary location… well better luck next time guys.
- **Even crime fighters need to keep up their strength….
The facts and stats that are displayed in Batman cover trusted allies (Alfred the faithful butler, Gotham City P.D), adversaries, crime fighting gadgets, Wayne Manor, the Batmobile, Batgirl’s Pad and when it comes to a particular villain includes how many times they have appeared on the series along with a page or two devoted to him or her and for some if they had an idea who was under the Caped Crusaders mask and cowl-a secret that only a trusted butler and us the viewers may only ever know. Other stats include the first time a celebrity appeared looking out a window during a Batclimb and greeted the Dynamic Duo as they made their way up the side of a building with the Batrope. Comedian Jerry Lewis was the first. To reveal anymore would be spoiling your experience so I will not divulge any more tidbits of trivia. It stops here.
Above: Don’t be alarmed good citizen!
A big thank you to the entire cast including Gotham City’s stand up citizens-Adam(Batman)West, Burt(Robin) Ward, Alan(Alfred) Napier,Yvonne(Batgirl)Craig-
the Villains, Ceasar(Joker)Romero, Frank(Riddler)Gorshin, Julie(Catwoman)Newmar and George Barris for giving us the Batmobile.
Nothing personifies the image of a character leaping off the page/panel of a comic book and into reel life.This is the show by which most of the renditions and incarnations of The Batman have been compared to, even the animated ones. And so I say tune in next time to witness the fate of Gotham City’s 2 most revered citizens…same Bat channel, same BAT time.
Time for one last Bat-Turn before we go!
From Reviews on the Edge this Doc saying that when you look up and happen to see the Bat signal shining in the night sky -you can feel safe in knowing that our Caped Crusaders are out, doing what they do best-protecting us from the likes of the Cool, Cruel Mr. Freeze or some other dastardly villain…so goodnight Gotham and sleep tight.
A side note:This book was the first Christmas present for a previous past holiday season I had purchased for my grandson who was 8 years old at the time. He and myself are big fans and watch the 60’s series as often as we can. It was an instant favorite of his. And every time we would get together he would regale of a new fact or stat that he had discovered while reading this book. Always with an excited tone in his voice… so when that happens you know it’s a good choice, especially for any Batman fan and as they say “children of all ages” -that includes me…! For an extra reward check out Fun.com where all comic book fans hang out.
Thanks to Titan Books for making this review possible and Batman Facts and Stats can be found at Titan Books website and Amazon.
