I have been reading some golden age comics, back when comics were fun and super heroes weren't borderline psychopaths.
In Batman 57 Feb/March 1950 there is a story called "The Walking Mummy". It bears some marks of the future King Tut story on Batman 66 and I wonder if i could have been the inspiration.
In it archaeologists bring back treasures to the Gotham Museum of which Bruce Wayne is a trustee. At the examination of a mummy that was brought back the mummy apparently comes to life and flees the museum.
A series of Egyptian themed robberies are pulled. At one point the mummy demands the owner of a jewelry store give him diamonds as a gift. Batman explains this is because ancient Egyptians believed stealing diamonds was bad luck but getting them as a gift was good luck. I don't know if that is true but sounded like something from Batman 66.
It turns out that the mummy is one of the archaeologists in disguise and no he doesn't think he is a reincarnated mummy but the story seemed very similar to Tut. I wonder if one of he writers read it and thought it was a good story to adapt to the series.
The origin of King Tut?
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Re: The origin of King Tut?
That's an interesting find, no pun intended. It certainly makes one wonder. Robert C. Dennis and Earl Barret wrote the first two Tut arcs on the show. Stanley Ralph Ross didn't write the character until later in the run.
'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'
My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.
'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17
My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.
'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17
Re: The origin of King Tut?
An almost perfect recipe for King Tut's origin would be a mashup of "The Walking Mummy" with "The Caveman At Large," originally published in Batman #102 (1956) and reprinted in Batman #176 (cover-dated December 1965).
The "Caveman" story lacked Egyptian trappings, but it concerned delusional mayhem induced by a blow to the head. An actor starring in a caveman movie gets conked and starts running amok in Gotham, thinking he really is a caveman. Looking for suitable lodging, he discovers the Batcave and all of the Dynamic Duo's secrets, which he promptly forgets when another knock on the noggin restores his true personality.
The "Caveman" story lacked Egyptian trappings, but it concerned delusional mayhem induced by a blow to the head. An actor starring in a caveman movie gets conked and starts running amok in Gotham, thinking he really is a caveman. Looking for suitable lodging, he discovers the Batcave and all of the Dynamic Duo's secrets, which he promptly forgets when another knock on the noggin restores his true personality.
Re: The origin of King Tut?
That seems a likely coincidence and lucky for us. My favorite non comic book based villain on the show was King Tut. We could add the the exclamations on the show could be influence by Marvel’s Dr Strange and Thor comics too
Some days you just can't get rid of a ... SHARK!