Batman is the Message AND the Medium!: The Many Takes of the Dark Knight on TV
Okay, so many of you probably already know that I, James F.W. Thompson, am obsessed with some pretty nerdy things. Star Wars, Nintendo, and of course, Batman. Some of my earliest TV memories are of the Batman cartoon (the original one, not the good one). This, however would not be the first or last adventure the Caped Crusader would have in the world of television. Here now is a look at all the series (pluralized somehow) that made Batman more of a household name than he already was, just from being so overly cool. Let’s begin where so much else has begun, with Adam West.
Batman 1966-68: Adam West
As much as I hate what this show did to the good name of Batman (taking him from the Dark Avenger to what is now the definition of “campy”), it DID give Batman a much needed push into the mainstream that many other superheroes had already had (ie: Spiderman, Superman, etc). Let’s take a look at the man behind the mask first:
There he is as Bruce Wayne, a man who is supposed to be tortured by far too many demons to count, Adam West pretty much just made him the “loveable dad” type to Burt Wards incessant childlike idiocy. Holy screw-up Batman! Yer not supposed to like people!
And here he is as Batman himself. Why is Batman wearing purple-blue and grey? It’s supposed to be dark people! DARK knight... ugh... Never has Batman looked worse, really. Holy flab Batman! Head to the Bat-gym, and lift some bat-weights. Or play some sports. How bout Bat-Baseball? Can you even swing a Bat-Bat? Enough of that - my point has been made... there were a LOT of “Bat-things” in that show... we all get it, he’s Batman... yes.
Sadly, in as much as Adam West made Batman a name player in the world or superherodom, he did it a little too well. Thus we are led to the next incarnation of the cowled-one...
Batman 70's and 80's style
The first animated version of Batman came about sometime in the 70's (though I’m not exactly sure when... I could look it up, but really... we’re more so looking for quantity than quality here, right people?) The main problem with this one was that it was NOT based on the Batman of the comics either. It was taken directly from Adam West. From cheesy lines to a still not-great physique:
I know you can’t really tell too well from that picture, but he still wasn’t all that fit. I mean - why draw a guy if yer just gonna make him look like the original real guy? Make him bigger, god dammit!
However, this Batman DID have a few tricks up his baby-blue (ugh... DARK people!) sleeves. This guy was everywhere. A branch out was needed to make the Batman audience even bigger from the few devout children who watched his boring tv show - they needed audiences from the A shows. Thus: he did guest slots on Scooby-Doo. That’s just crazy! One week it was the Harlem Globetrotters, the next it was Batman, the week after that, the Addams Family AND Don Knotts. Man... that was a good series for special guests. But it wouldn’t just stop with a talking dog (or at least, not just at that talking dog) cuz there was also a talking-dog on “The Superfriends”! A new, lighthearted approach to the amazing Justice League. Now Batman had it made, being in a series with Superman. Now, while I’ve never really been too big a fan of the man of steel, I know he’s got the real draw power of the series. It was just good to see Batman leveling up to guys with actual powers. Which leads me to an important, not really related, but sorta related topic:
Why Batman is Awesome:
1. Despite his lack of powers, he still kicks major villain ass.
2. He’s a truly witty character.
3. He’s smart/deductive. He doesn’t just use his “x-ray vision” to see crimes. He’s gotta figure them out.
4. He LOOKS like a bad-guy. As a evil-super-genius myself, I must respect that. And now back to the article!
Batman 90's: Jaded
“Batman the Animated Series” which came out in the mid 90's is, by far, the best Batman series ever made - at least when it first came out. When it became “Batman, Superman Adventures” it got stupid, but up until that point - pure genius. For one - the Dark Knight finally looked the way he was supposed to:
He’s dark, he’s built, and he’s finally wearing black! There’s the guy from the comics! Plus - this Batman is cynical! His Bruce Wayne is downright depressing, though somehow, still the lady killer (which is exactly the way Bruce is supposed to be!). One of my favorite lines to show his downward look at the world caem from the Christmas episode, where he said, “I’ve tried to watch ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ every year - but I can never get past the title.” Ouch. Take that... life. This guys twisted.
Probably the best thing about this series was it’s consistency. They kept story lines open for later possibilities, much like the comic series does. AND it had WAY better done villains than any other series has ever had! The Joker (played surprising well by Mark Hamill) was just crazy, but in the evil kind of way. Two-face finally got the ‘leading-villain’ role he always deserved, etc. All true to the original dark story. S’all good. Then, the true darkness came.
For a period after that series, and up til around 2000 or so, Batman was made into a joke, yet again with the terrible “Batman Superman Adventures” as well as many other bastardizations of the great animated series. The WB milked him til he could be milked no more, and then hung up the cape and cowl for quits... for about a year or so anyways...
Batman for the new millenium: Batman Beyond
When I first heard of this series, I was very set for disappointment. I mean, it’s set years into the future, Batman is no longer Bruce Wayne, there’s no Robin, no Commissioner, no Det. Bullock (he was great) no nothing. It was some new guy, in a new suit, with no cape at all:
I mean, he’s not even big anymore... oh but he’s cynical! ANd he's wearing black! Yup - he’s still the Dark Knight through and through, despite being a different guy. Plus, his mentor... BRUCE WAYNE! That’s right! He’s not dead yet, despite being well over 100! It’s all part of that ‘consistency’ that I mentioned earlier. You see, in an episode of ‘Batman the Animated Series’, Batman fell into a Lazarus pit, thus making him relatively ageless (at least he could grow to be quite old anyways). He’s all frail and old in Beyond, but he still kicks some serious ass with his cane and big dog. It’s fun. So, all in all, Beyond is pretty good. It’s no “Animated Series” but then, what is? Still... I wish I could see THAT Batman one more time... but, how could that happen?
The Legend Reborn: Justice League!
Christmas came early this year folks! With the remake of the great Justice League came another incarnation of our favorite flying-mammal-based hero. ‘Cept here, it’s not all that “new” an incarnation... kinda just a throw back...
Recognize that guy? It’s “Animated Series” Batman! Yes! He’s back, and to his old self again! Nothing really funny, and very, very dark. He hates everything. Plus, now the League has even more heroes with even more powers, so Batman just has to prove himself even more. Which of course he does. With ease. He’s Batman people! You just can’t stop him! He’s defeated Superman on more than one occasion! Have you done that?! No! No you haven’t! Thus, he is to be worshiped! I... sorry... I’ll settle down now.
There you have it. Batman is easily now one of the most popular superheroes of all time. And why? Because he offers something a little different to the table that none of the other heroes have. Is it his humour? No. Is it his compassion? No, he has little. Is it his humanity? Well, sorta, but that’s not what I’m getting it. It’s the Batmobile. It’s awesome. And only he has one. Take that Green Lantern!
