TO THE BATPOLES podcast #64: Bat-Manga!

[bat-rss]

This time we're talking about the Japanese Batman comics made by Jiro Kuwata (under license from DC Comics) in 1966-67, during Japan's 12 months of Bat-mania! Manga translator Kumar Sivasubramanian joins us to dig into the series — its influences, how it compares to the show and to the source-material comics, and a comparison of the 2008 Chip Kidd art book on the topic vs. the subsequent full publication of the ‘60s series in English — which is more worth your time?

http://tothebatpoles.libsyn.com/064-bat-manga

Have you read it? What are your impressions of it?

[Dan E Kool]

We're not worthy!

I always dig these special episodes.

[bat-rss]

Thanks!

Interesting you happened to include a GIF of the exact thing Paul is always referring to when I mention the "all-seeing, all-knowing" 66 Batman message board on our show, and he says "AAAAA-aa"!

[Dan E Kool]

Thanks!

Interesting you happened to include a GIF of the exact thing Paul is always referring to when I mention the "all-seeing, all-knowing" 66 Batman message board on our show, and he says "AAAAA-aa"!

I like to imagine that your brother is, in fact, a highly evolved, Batman-obsessed Ewok. Or at the very least an "Ewok" in quotation marks. Anything less would be a disappointment.

Back on topic, I read this Bat Manga book many years back. Around 2008 I spent a lot of my free time in my local bookstore, hiding between shelves and reading what I liked so I wouldn't have to pay for them. Judge me if you must.

The art was nice to look at and the history was neat, but these stories have more in common with Batman's Silver Ave comics than they do with Adam West's TV series. Which is fine. Out of the many '66 cash-ins, this is one of the cooler ones. I wouldn't hunt after the complete set, though.

[AndyFish]

While I'm not a fan of what most Americans consider "Manga" today-- I do love the stuff from the 60s like Gee Gee No Kitaro and Mach Go Go Go (known here in the states as Speed Racer) and on my annual trips to Japan I'm often found hunting down copies of this Kuwata version of Batman.

Kuwata took Batman and extracted the best parts of the 60s comic version of the character and reworked it much like his popular Eight Man strip-- it has stunning artwork and quick solid pacing. I highly recommend the three volumes DC Comics put out in trade paperback for anyone interested in seeing the full series. The Chip Kidd book is great, but those are scanned pretty much from the original Manga with all of the flaws of age, while this new set is restored to it's original glory.

I really had hoped the Batman '66 comic would embrace Kuwata's take on Batman, which is very close in spirit to what Shelly Moldoff was doing in America at the time but with so much more energy. The Lord Death Man arc is my favorite of the whole run, with the Clayface stories a close second.

Really terrific stuff.

[Lord Death Man]

Tim and Paul, I wish I had included this earlier. The recent "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" American anime series included an episode of "Batman's Strangest Cases" hosted by Bat-Mite. The middle portion is an incredible adaptation of the Lord Death Man arc from the Japanese manga series done in the style of 1960's Japanese anime dubbed into English, with an awesome theme song and opening. Here is the opening, an official video from Cartoon Network.

Bat-Manga Anime Introduction

[bat-rss]

Cool! Thank!

[Dan E Kool]

The whole episode:

[YouTube]https://youtu.be/vx4xpzvwRzo[/YouTube]

There's a Mad Magazine spoof and I like the Scooby Doo part, too.

[bat-rss]

Actually, since we're on the topic, I need a little explanation of this Batmite show, especially the Scooby Doo segment. Is this an Adult Swim thing or something? How old is it? It's not Mystery Incorporated, but clearly wasn't made in the '70s either -- they're just pretending it was! (although that makes Weird Al an anachronism!)

[Ben Bentley]

Actually, since we're on the topic, I need a little explanation of this Batmite show, especially the Scooby Doo segment. Is this an Adult Swim thing or something? How old is it? It's not Mystery Incorporated, but clearly wasn't made in the '70s either -- they're just pretending it was! (although that makes Weird Al an anachronism!)

"Batmite Presents: Batman's Strangest Cases" is from S2 E25 of Batman: The Brave and the Bold animated series. This episode originally aired April 1st 2011.

It's worth noting that Brave and Bold producer James Tucker went on to produce both of Return of the Caped Crusaders and the upcoming Batman vs Two Face.

[Dan E Kool]

It's worth noting that Brave and Bold producer James Tucker went on to produce both of Return of the Caped Crusaders and the upcoming Batman vs Two Face.

No kidding! Nice bit of trivia there.

[bat-rss]

Thanks Ben!