Batman Comic fans on TV Series?

[Lou Szabo]

With the passing of Adam, a large number of professionals have stated the TV series gave them the inspiration to go into comics and related areas. So if the 66 show influenced 80's and beyond artists, how did the original books or serials influence artists in the 60's, particularly those affiliated with the show.

We know the producer's thoughts on the comics and serials, but what about the behind the scenes folks.

Afterall the demo with Adam and Lyle clearly calls back to the 40's serials, and I think Wally and Chuck both worked with some of the costumers for their creations.

Did anyone ever interview the set designers, show prop makers and costuming people; how many were fans of the comic books or movie series in their youth. Batman comics would be less than 30 years old, and the serial less than 20 years old.

[The Boss]

I don't know of any interviews but in the 3rd season we can clearly see the comic influence on the set designers. The flatter, more angular style not to mention the darker settings and stylized holes created when our heroes would "break through" (usually off camera) a wall were all clearly influenced by the comics.

True it was done out of necessity because of a drastically slashed budget but the influence was clear.

[SprangFan]

I always took the screen test costumes as "placeholders," as if they thought, "we need something fast, let's start with the way the serials did it until we figure out the way we really want it."

If anything, copying the serial look suggests a *lack* of familiarity with the comics. It's like they said, "Batman...Batman...oh yeah, that old Columbia serial." After all, guys in Hollywood would logically be more attuned to the history of their own field than to comics, especially in those days.

I have to say I'm glad they did go to the comics and start from square one for the series proper, because 66 Batman is pretty much aa close to a live Sprang Batman as we'll ever see.

[eewdoc]

I believe the reason the screen test costume was designed the way it was is that the yellow oval surrounding the bat emblem on batman's chest wasn't introduced until 1964. so they probably weren't aware of it when they designed the costume. The pilot was filmed in 1965.

[SprangFan]

I was thinking more about the cowl with the longer, "devil horn" ears and general "bag over the head" look you get with no shell. However, considering they used the costume to test more than one actor, it makes sense there would be no shell, as that would have to be custom-formed.

Truth be told, I preferred the big old bat of the pre-"New Look" years. But the oval was added to make the logo easier to copyright, like Superman's "S." And that was a darned prescient decision in 1964, given what was about to happen two years later. As much trouble as they had with bootleg merchandise, it could have been much worse without that oval to help enforce copyright.

[elmrgraham]

I think that the original Batman TV Series was excellent.

[Lou Szabo]

I agree, the devil horned hears was right out of the serials. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1woTlLpIEqw

The utility belt was a compromise of the comics and serials, and some originality, particularly for the odd sized objects, Batarang, Batcuffs, Batradio.

The car is reminiscent of the 50's batmobile too - but with the stylized Batface (instead of the BATtering ram).
The difference is the open roof.

Another point about the screentest: It suggests they were Bruce and Dick in the Batcave, while in the series, when they were in the cave, they were Batman and Robin, but in the manor they were Bruce and Dick.
This Bruce in the Batcave was carried over to the 89 movie. I don't recall if they were Bruce and Dick in the Cave in the comics or serials.

[SprangFan]

In the Burton/Schumacher films, Batman was "Bruce" in the batcave, in the manor and any location he felt like getting the mask off, usually for a love interest.

This a recurring issue in the modern era of mega-budget superhero films: What star wants to spend all his screen time behind a mask?

[The Boss]

In the Burton/Schumacher films, Batman was "Bruce" in the batcave, in the manor and any location he felt like getting the mask off, usually for a love interest.

This a recurring issue in the modern era of mega-budget superhero films: What star wants to spend all his screen time behind a mask?

And THAT is why none of these big buget "movie stars" are capable of becoming a hero. They do not embrace the character as men like Adam West and Clayton Moore did.