Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

1966 TV show type Bat-Items found on eBay, Collectibles, etc.

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bat-rss
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Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by bat-rss »

We would like to do a TO THE BATPOLES podcast episode about the tie-in bat-merchandise that came out in 1966 (or, I know, it was more like Batman comics merchandise that came out to take advantage of the show's popularity!). We're going to need to have a guest on who knows way more on this topic than we do. Who would you recommend we invite?
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Lou Szabo
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by Lou Szabo »

Ed Kelly is probably #1 or in the top 5
There are a couple of books, one by Ed 3-4 volumes) and another by Chip Kidd.
Beyond that, there are a number here and on Social media. I would make sure to include a list of licenses issued to various companies, then like a solar system, start with a top 10, 25, 50, etc. most people will know the top 10 (or 13 according to Dan Green). There is so much that was available, it might be a short series/episodes. Maybe one episode on wonkiest (little if any resemblance to the show/comic), and another on unlicensed toys. Are you limiting the items licensed for the show, show +comics, etc. Also, are you limiting it to Vintage, or the modern resurgence.

Other names: John A. H. Pennyworth for his photo archives. You could do an episode on Batmobiles, then use the list credited on the Jazzinc Batmobile packaging. Sorry if I left anyone out (Ralph, Scott, etc) but I’m thinking Toys. The DVD realease hase a couple of other names of collectors that have a big collection. Each has their own segment, including Ralph.
Some days you just can't get rid of a ... SHARK!
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bat-rss
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by bat-rss »

Thanks Lou! I'm not sure what you mean by a "solar system"...?

We're definitely limiting it to vintage. Stuff that came out while the show was in production. But it may be that even that could be too big of a topic!
Lou Szabo wrote: Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:11 am Ed Kelly is probably #1 or in the top 5
There are a couple of books, one by Ed 3-4 volumes) and another by Chip Kidd.
Beyond that, there are a number here and on Social media. I would make sure to include a list of licenses issued to various companies, then like a solar system, start with a top 10, 25, 50, etc. most people will know the top 10 (or 13 according to Dan Green). There is so much that was available, it might be a short series/episodes. Maybe one episode on wonkiest (little if any resemblance to the show/comic), and another on unlicensed toys. Are you limiting the items licensed for the show, show +comics, etc. Also, are you limiting it to Vintage, or the modern resurgence.

Other names: John A. H. Pennyworth for his photo archives. You could do an episode on Batmobiles, then use the list credited on the Jazzinc Batmobile packaging. Sorry if I left anyone out (Ralph, Scott, etc) but I’m thinking Toys. The DVD realease hase a couple of other names of collectors that have a big collection. Each has their own segment, including Ralph.
"I'm half-demented with whimsical outrage!"
-- The Joker, in a line cut from "The Joker's Epitaph"
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P “Junior Batman” Y
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by P “Junior Batman” Y »

I’m guessing Lou means that as many companies were licensed to release Bat-merch (whether quality stuff or Crimes Against Batmanity) as there are stars in the sky…or would that be a galaxy? :x
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Lou Szabo
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by Lou Szabo »

Eggzactly...

The solar system with planets, the inner most being the most popular and readily available merchandise, I.e. Corgi Batmobile, Aurora models, while outer most would be Batman handgrenade or some silly non Batman related item, but they put a bat on it and schlepped it to the public. If you study it enough, you’ll find they fall into specific orbits.

Fun project and I look forward to listening to it..
Some days you just can't get rid of a ... SHARK!
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BatToys
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by BatToys »

Definitely Craig Warren.

No one has everything so you need at least three or four experts. Craig Warren, Ed Kelly, Art Cloos, Pennyworth, Chip Kidd, Eric Seltzer. There's another expert that might top them all but he doesn't participate.
BiffPow
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by BiffPow »

There is a toy museum in Singapore where about 1/10 of the collection is on display (the rest is stored in a warehouse), and it is the most incredibly awesome pop-culture toy museum I have ever witnessed in my life. If anyone has everything that was ever made in the line of 1960s Batman toys, it would be the collector who put together that museum (the curator told me that it was all one collector’s items - and a quick check on the internet states that the 50,000 toys now displayed belong to a former electrical engineer named Chang Yang Fa). I saw things that were literally the only known made or extant (or even believed to have never been made). Almost every TV show and pop-culture toy you could imagine, and many you couldn’t.
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by BiffPow »

There were several floors with walls lined with showcases and large displays from just about every toy period in America.

I will attach a few photos to show just a “sprinkle” of some of the collection. He must’ve been a Batman fan as he even had an original 1966 Batman movie poster framed on the wall.

It was very difficult to take photos of the items in the showcases, so photos were limited as to what could be captured.
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Lou Szabo
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by Lou Szabo »

:o
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Ben Bentley
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by Ben Bentley »

BiffPow wrote: Wed Dec 14, 2022 11:27 pm There were several floors with walls lined with showcases and large displays from just about every toy period in America.

I will attach a few photos to show just a “sprinkle” of some of the collection. He must’ve been a Batman fan as he even had an original 1966 Batman movie poster framed on the wall.

It was very difficult to take photos of the items in the showcases, so photos were limited as to what could be captured.
Thanks for sharing! What an amazing place. I don't think i've ever seen that larger scale Black Beauty before!
BiffPow
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by BiffPow »

You’re welcome. Really these pics represent just a fraction of the guy’s collection. He had a lot of other GH toys and memorabilia.

Everything from the Beatles to James Bond to Captain Scarlet, Thunderbirds, Fireball XL-5 and the other Gerry Anderson shows, plus thousands of early toys from wooden to wind up. Floor after floor lined with showcases and large display cases filled from top to bottom. Lunch boxes of just about every important type and show. There was an entire area dedicated to hundreds, if not thousands, of Popeye toys and memorabilia alone.
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BiffPow
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by BiffPow »

More pics
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BiffPow
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by BiffPow »

More Batman. I tried to load these earlier, but I guess it was too much too bad.
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BiffPow
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by BiffPow »

It’s called the MINT (Moment of Imagination and Nostalgia in Toys) Museum of Toys. Extra cool attraction, it is just catercorner to the Raffles Hotel where the “Singapore Sling”cocktail was invented in 1913 (and they still serve it, in case anyone was interested).

Singapore is a beautiful country. Very clean, interesting and fun. They have a zero tolerance for drugs. They stamp right on your passport that bringing drugs into the country can result in the death penalty.
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AndyFish
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Re: Who is THE expert on '66 bat-merch?

Post by AndyFish »

Suprised no one mentioned Joe Desris. When I think expert on Bat stuff I think Joe.
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