How much did you love the Batman TV show? That’s the question you have to ponder when thinking about buying Batman ’66. Did you love it? Did you run around pretending to hit bad guys while yelling “SPLATTT” or “BIFFF”? If so, then this might be right up your alley. If not, you’ll find it fun to look out, and that’s about it. This is no reflection on writer Jeff Parker. He pens this exactly like the original series. If you don’t like it, then you probably had little use for Adam West or Burt Ward.
Batman ’66 #1 is all about little moments. Overall, there is no real plot here. The Riddler steals a gold statue, then leaves wacky clues to try and thwart Batman and Robin. Toss in an appearance by Julie Newmar era Catwoman and a fistfight. There you have it, the whole issue in a nutshell. What makes Batman ’66 worth reading is how Parker nails the nostalgic humor. For instance, when the Riddler’s plane first appears, Bruce Wayne says “That pilot is flying below the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulated altitude.” If you know the show, you’ll hear Adam West’s voice and laugh.
Later, Batman and Robin are pursing Riddler’s plane. Batman manages to hook a batarang rope to the tail. When he goes to climb up, Robin reminds Batman that he can climb the rope faster. Batman retorts, “I’ve studied aerial physics boy wonder. Besides, don’t you want to make use of that daytime driver’s license?” The boy wonder is quick to fire back, “I sure do!” You get the idea, it’s snappy one-liners and funny moments that step way outside of Batman’s normal arena.
Jeff Parker does miss a few milestones. First is Egghead. Why pick the Riddler when you can spend time with Vincent Price’s sinister fiend? The man who puts “eggs” before anything. As in, “It was eggzactly what I wanted,” or “I have no eggsplination Batman.” Second, there’s no cliffhanger ending. The best thing about the old show was the ridiculous death traps the villains used to try and kill the dynamic duo. Outside of those two things, which I’m sure will appear in later issues, this was a fine read.
Jonathan Case’s art is another reason to tune in. It’s vibrant, fun, and full of movement. Case gets the whole pop-art aspect of the show, and runs with it. Everything here is brightly colored, there’s no darkness in this Dark Knight. The combination of Silver Age style from the series’ era, and the complete unleashing of colors, makes the art jump off the page. Nothing here is exceptional, but it is a lot of fun.
Batman ’66 may not hold up over the long haul, but issue #1 is a lot of fun.
(3 Story, 3.5 Art)
