What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

General goings on in the 1966 Batman World

Moderators: Scott Sebring, Ben Bentley

elmrgraham
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 4:25 am

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by elmrgraham »

More Villains:The Bookworm,The Archer,Egghead,Zelda The Great,and Qlga,Queen Of The Cossacks.
User avatar
Jim Akin
Posts: 0
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:24 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by Jim Akin »

Great topic!

I think one of most interesting examples of the show adding stuff that wasn't in the comics concerns the Mad Hatter. The David Wayne character was a very close match to the version of the Hatter featured in comics of the 1950s and early 60s, right down to the red hair and black eyebrows. The TV version had one key element that his comics counterpart lacked -- the Super Instant Mesmerizer.

I've never seen any direct evidence, but it seems highly likely to me that the Hatter's use of hypnotic technology on the 1966 show contributed to the villain's 1990s revamp, in which his M.O. was expanded to include the use of hats containing electronic mind-control circuitry. The revamp began on "Batman: The Animated Series" and was later reflected and elaborated in the comics. It restored the Hatter to his original, gnome-like appearance (based on John Tenniel's classic illustrations for Alice in Wonderland), and explained away the red-headed/black-browed version of the character as an "impostor" who took on the Hatter identity while the real Jervis Tetch was locked away in Arkham Asylum.

Cheers,

QQ
Gleeps, it's Batman
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:18 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by Gleeps, it's Batman »

Thanks for the replies, everyone. :)
User avatar
Therin of Andor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:46 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by Therin of Andor »

Gleeps, it's Batman wrote: Sat Apr 12, 2014 5:27 am I was wondering if anyone can name anything that the show invented on its own that hadn't been in the comics. Anything original to the show. I know some of the villains were created for the show, and you can name them also, but I was thinking more of objects. Was it 14 miles to Gotham City in the comics also, as we saw on the sign near the Batcave? Were there Batpoles behind a bookcase in Bruce's study? Was there a Shakespeare bust that opened it? Was there a magical costume change lever? LOL.
Image
Bruce Wayne from Mattel by Ian McLean, on Flickr

Until the unmasked Mattel Batman figure came out, I didn't really pay much attention to the mounted fish trophy above the Batpoles in (only some) episodes of the TV series, long before those novelty "Billy Bass the singing fish" novelties became popular.

But I did notice this modern-day LED nightlight in a shop window recently...

Image
Fish LED nightlight by Ian McLean, on Flickr
"Holy nostalgia, Batman!"
Therin of Andor

(aka Ian McLean, from Sydney, Australia)
User avatar
Keith Mayo
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:52 am

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by Keith Mayo »

The Batcave and the stairway entrance to it through the grandfather clock didn't originate in the comic books. Those were first seen in the 1943 Columbia serial starring Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft as Batman and Robin. Also of note is that although Alfred did originate in the comic books, he was a short, fat man played for laughs. In the aforementioned serial the character of Alfred was played by a tall, lean man with a British accent. Later in the comics Alfred was sent to a fat farm and came back tall and lean.
"It's the very essence of our democracy". - Batman, S1 Ep 11
User avatar
TP-6597
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 1:46 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by TP-6597 »

I can’t believe this hasn’t been mentioned already, so I’ll assume I’ve missed it. The TV show invented Barbara Gordon. The previous Bat-Girl was a short lived character and not Barbara, very few issues before being discarded.

Barbara Gordon/Commissioner Gordon’s daughter/librarian/Batgirl is wholly a creation of the show. Barbara Gordon/Batgirl as we grew up with her is still how the character exists today. Far from being a few issue failure, she has long had her own comic book and is a major part of the franchise for the past 50 years.

Image

Little has changed since her introduction. These days she’s still a red headed librarian and Batgirl still wears the purple and yellow outfit. That is quite a testament to her impact and importance as a television and literary creation.

Image
“What's important is that the world know that all visitors to these teeming shores are safe, be they peasant or king.”
User avatar
Therin of Andor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:46 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by Therin of Andor »

TP-6597 wrote: Sun Nov 18, 2018 10:11 am I can’t believe this hasn’t been mentioned already, so I’ll assume I’ve missed it. The TV show invented Barbara Gordon.
The show invented the need for a Batgirl, but there was some deliberation with DC Comics about introducing the character in the comics to prepare the way for Season Three.

Wiki says, "The character was created by William Dozier, Julius Schwartz, and Carmine Infantino. At the request of the producers of the 1960s Batman television series, DC editor Schwartz called for a new female counterpart to the superhero Batman that could be introduced into publication and the third season of the show simultaneously. The character subsequently made her first comic book appearance as Batgirl in 'Detective Comics' #359, titled 'The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!' (January 1967)."

She also turned up in the serialised newspaper comic strip of the day.

The Yvonne Craig presentation reel incorporated many elements of that comic book origin tale, including Killer Moth as the villain, Barbara's scalloped skirt (which becomes her cape) and reversible hat (which becomes her cowl).
The previous Bat-Girl was a short lived character and not Barbara, very few issues before being discarded.
Image
Bat-Girl with Batgirl and Robin by Ian McLean, on Flickr

But Betty Kane/Bat-Girl did make appearances as the head of "Titans West"...

Image
Titans West by Ian McLean, on Flickr

... and was revamped after the events of "Crisis on Infinite Earths" as Bette Kane/Flamebird to Dick Grayson's Nightwing (the two names were originally Kryptonian heroes, and also adopted by Superman and Jimmy Olsen in a bottled city of Kandor story)...

Image
Bat-Girl with Robin and Flamebird and Nightwing by Ian McLean, on Flickr
"Holy nostalgia, Batman!"
Therin of Andor

(aka Ian McLean, from Sydney, Australia)
User avatar
AndyFish
Posts: 0
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:42 am

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by AndyFish »

Boy that 50s Batmobile really was something.

Image

I love the '66 car but I think the 50s Batmobile takes it by a hair. Sometimes it was done as all black with a red stripe, sometimes no stripe, sometimes in blue. It was an evolution from the 1940s Batmobile which itself is pretty cool;

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/im ... 6y9jpg.jpg

The Barris Batmobile was completely original, but by the time Batman got his new look in 1964 he was driving a Porsche Two Seater with the dual batwings

Image

As for the serial, it not only changed Alfred from a big fat Arthur Treacher type of character
ALFRED.jpg
to the more thin and cultured version of Alfred that would be known in the comics up to the current day.

Image

The serial introduced possibly the biggest change in Batman lore...

Image

The Bat Cave itself-- yup hidden behind a grandfather's clock which lead to a secret staircase that took you down into its shadowy depths. Before this, in the comics, Bruce Wayne stored his Batmobile in a barn around the back of the mansion.
User avatar
Progress Pigment
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:12 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by Progress Pigment »

Aside from Batgirl, I think Mr. Freeze, an update of Mr. Zero was probably the show's greatest influence on the comics. Except for the fact that the show basically saved the Batman character from sinking to to level of say, Aquaman.

Image

Image

Image
Next week, the Dynamic Duo meets the Clock King!
User avatar
TP-6597
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 1:46 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by TP-6597 »

Therin of Andor wrote: Sun Nov 18, 2018 4:49 pm
TP-6597 wrote: Sun Nov 18, 2018 10:11 am I can’t believe this hasn’t been mentioned already, so I’ll assume I’ve missed it. The TV show invented Barbara Gordon.
The show invented the need for a Batgirl, but there was some deliberation with DC Comics...
“Invented the need” ? (Whatever that means).

The show wanted a Batgirl, so they worked with DC to introduce her into the comic book world at the same time. The end result is the same: the TV show wanted a Batgirl, they came up with Barbara Gordon, and she’s been part of the Batman world ever since.

The short lived previous versions are unrelated to the question asked by the thread creator. What did the TV show give us that wasn’t there before? Barbara Gordon, the commissioner’s daughter, librarian by day, Batgirl by night.
“What's important is that the world know that all visitors to these teeming shores are safe, be they peasant or king.”
User avatar
Therin of Andor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:46 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by Therin of Andor »

TP-6597 wrote: Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:05 pm “Invented the need” ? (Whatever that means).
The post I was answering seemed to suggest that Barbara was solely invented by the TV series. The show wanted a female character and consultation with DC produced one. Had the show not wanted a Batgirl, DC may have simply reintroduced the one they already had. (And later, they did.)
... previous versions are unrelated to the question asked by the thread creator.
Is it not permitted to ever discuss unrelated aspects in a thread? I thought people might be curious about Bat-Girl/Flamebird and Betty/Bette.
"Holy nostalgia, Batman!"
Therin of Andor

(aka Ian McLean, from Sydney, Australia)
User avatar
TP-6597
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 1:46 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by TP-6597 »

My mention of a previous Bat-Girl wasn’t referencing your post about her. It was to point out that the first Bat-Girl was a different character than Batgirl created by the 1966 TV show. Bette has made a few appearances Post-Crisis and Rebirth, but I don’t read her so I can’t speak to how she’s portrayed the way you can.
“What's important is that the world know that all visitors to these teeming shores are safe, be they peasant or king.”
User avatar
Therin of Andor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:46 pm

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by Therin of Andor »

[quote="Therin of Andor" post_id=65176 time=1542584978 user_id=1721]
"The character was created by William Dozier, Julius Schwartz, and Carmine Infantino. At the request of the producers of the 1960s Batman television series, DC editor Schwartz called for a new female counterpart to the superhero Batman that could be introduced into publication and the third season of the show simultaneously. The character subsequently made her first comic book appearance as Batgirl in 'Detective Comics' #359, titled 'The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!' (January 1967)."

DC Comics has just released a facsimile edition of "Detective Comics" issue #359, "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl!" It comes complete with readers' letters, vintage ads and a backup story with The Elongated Man.

Image
Detective Comics Batgirl issue by Ian McLean, on Flickr
"Holy nostalgia, Batman!"
Therin of Andor

(aka Ian McLean, from Sydney, Australia)
cbikle
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Dec 28, 2014 11:26 am

Re: What did the show invent that wasn't in the comics?

Post by cbikle »

The Batusi.
Post Reply