DC Announce '66 Batman Comic

[thecolorsblend]

On this, it's a tricky one I think. I am leaning in the direction of only using characters and villains that appeared in the TV show. Introducing 'new' faces that didn't appear back in the day may come off negatively, I feel. As if it's not a legitimate immersion into that world. So while seeing a 60s version of Ras or Bane may be interesting, I may give it a miss.

It's tricky because back in the day they regularly introduced new villains and characters week to week. But we're no longer back in the day, and the template has been set for all time. It's preserved on film.

Not sure about the legal stuff but on another level I just don't want to see a 1966 version of, I don't know, the Justice League of America. I like the show as it is and don't think it needs to be messed with. If the comic were to be a continuation only of characters and concepts introduced in the show and not even suggest the existence of anything else, that'd be my preference.

[The Dark Knight]

Exactly. As it is. I don't want it to become something it wasn't. The comics have the chance to enrich the whole experience. I'm hoping they give us some hint as to the chronology of the stories. If it takes place before or after a certain episode, etc.

[Catwoman]

maybe they could have proposed characters like the clint eastwood two face?

[riddler]

maybe they could have proposed characters like the clint eastwood two face?

Didn't they continue the series with a cartoon in the 70's? It's not discussed much around here but wondering if they brought him in?

It'll be nice to read about king tut again, he was a great villain that never caught on after West.

[Silver Nemesis]

If the comic were to be a continuation only of characters and concepts introduced in the show and not even suggest the existence of anything else, that'd be my preference.

I sympathise with this sentiment, but if the comic is restricted purely to characters from the TV show then it's going to be a very insular series with a short lifespan. That would be fine for a standalone graphic novel. But if their intention is for it to have any sort of longevity then it's going to need to build upon the TV show rather than simply rehash it. It's an opportunity to ask, "What would the show's creators have done in season 4?" They introduced Batgirl in season 3, so how would they have expanded the show further in the next season? If they're just going to tell the same stories with the same villains then we may as well just go and read the original comics those episodes were adapted from. The West series has such a distinctive style to it, and this new comic is a great opportunity to apply that style to characters and situations we didn't get to see on the TV show (just like the Smallville comic). Obviously I want it to remain faithful to the familiar format of the series, but I also want it to break some new ground. Otherwise it'll only be good for a couple of issues before the novelty wears off.

One of the things that killed the show during its third season was its overreliance on familiar characters and formulaic narratives. Granted, the repetitiveness was part of the show's campy appeal. But if this comic is going to last more than a few issues then it needs to find a way of keeping itself fresh. I would argue that the first season of the TV series was by far the best, and it was during that season the writers were drawing most heavily from the comics. From season 2 onwards they didn't bother adapting any more villains, instead relying on those they'd already established in the previous season. And when they did create a new villain they usually designed them to suit the personality of the celebrity guest star. Since celebrity guest stars are unlikely to be a factor in this comic, that'll leave the writers with a fairly limited number of villains at their disposal.

Off the top of my head I can only recall ten comic villains who appeared in the TV show:

•   Joker
•   Penguin
•   Catwoman
•   Riddler
•   Mr Freeze
•   Mad Hatter
•   Eivol Ekdal
•   Clock King
•   False Face
•   Puzzler

Of course Egghead and King Tut were later incorporated into the comics, and there are plenty of other memorable villains who made their first appearance in the TV series. But even so, I don't think it would do any harm to adapt some other characters from the comics. Obviously not someone like Victor Zsasz. But there are plenty of villains that predate the sixties TV show and that could easily be adapted in its distinctive style:

•   Cavalier
•   Scarecrow (they did a variation on Scarecrow's fear gas in the season 3 episode 'The Great Escape'. You can see Batman and Robin's less than heroic reaction here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voG67GXy5T4#t=17m47s)
•   Kite Man
•   Gentleman Ghost
•   Planet Master
•   Solomon Grundy (as I mentioned earlier, West and Ward already battled him in Legends of the Superheroes, so there's no reason why he shouldn't return)
•   Tweedledee and Tweedledum
•   Zodiac Master
•   Owlman

Then there are the villains who debuted in the comics round about the same time the show was on the air:

•   Eraser
•   Poison Ivy
•   Dr Tzin-Tzin
•   Spellbinder
•   Monarch of Menace
•   Death Man

With so many classic characters, it seems a pity not to delve deeper into Batman's gallery of rogues. But like I say, it all depends on how long this comic is intended to run for. If it's only going to be a six issue series, then fair enough; stick with the line up from the original show. But if it's going to run for many years than they could do with opening up the roster a bit.

Not sure about the legal stuff but on another level I just don't want to see a 1966 version of, I don't know, the Justice League of America.

Using other superheroes could be tricky and might be best avoided. But since the original TV show featured guest appearances from Batgirl, Kato and the Green Hornet, I wouldn't rule out the possibility altogether.

maybe they could have proposed characters like the clint eastwood two face?

Absolutely. It would be a wasted opportunity not to use Two-Face. Ideally they should adapt Harlan Ellison's unused script from 1965.

Didn't they continue the series with a cartoon in the 70's? It's not discussed much around here but wondering if they brought him in?

That would be The New Adventures of Batman (1977). It starred Adam West and Burt Ward and shared some tonal and stylistic similarities with the live action show, but I don't think it was an official continuation.

[DocLathropBrown]

What's funny is, me personally, I feel that Batman: The Brave and the Bold is a sequel series. In my feeling, it takes place 4-5 years after the live action show ended and Dick/Barbara/Mrs. Cooper have moved on. The characterization of Batman in the show fits perfectly, and (obviously as an homage) the classic villains look like they did on the '66 series, aside from The Joker. So much of the cartoon takes deliberate inspiration from the '66 series that I feel it fits in perfectly, as if a couple of years after the last season, Batman's world became a lot crazier.

So yeah, I pet-named that continuity "Earth-66," and I personally consider the two shows one and the same.

[Silver Nemesis]

I love Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It had more comic references per minute than any previous Batman movie or TV show. The tie-in comic and video game were awesome too.

As far as I'm concerned there have been three great Batman television shows: the live action sixties show, Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. I consider B:TB&TB to be the worthy successor to both of the two earlier shows. I'm still upset that they cancelled it. 

So yeah, I pet-named that continuity "Earth-66,"

Lol. I've always thought DC should officially name the West-verse Earth-66. To my knowledge there's never been another Earth with that designation in the Multiverse, so it makes perfect sense to use it for the new comic series.

[BatmanFanatic93]

Is it bad that I'm hoping for a continuation of the Schumacherverse?

:-\Well honestly i'm kinda hoping for the same thing really cause i wanna see a comic about the un-made batman triumphant movie

[BatmAngelus]

Writer Jeff Parker confirms that we'll be seeing villains who weren't in the show.  Example: Killer Croc
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2013/03/27/batman-1966-comic-jeff-parker-interview-adam-west-dc/

CA: So if you're going to leave the Archer on the table, which I'm telling you is a huge mistake, is there a desire to expand on the Special Guest Villains at all? You've mentioned Killer Croc's going to appear.

JP: Yes. I think there are some everyone wished had appeared on the show, and I want to get to that. It's one of the ways the book can expand and show how great these characters would be in 66 -- again, keeping away from the idea that everything is laid out by the show and can't be veered from. That would take away a lot of the potential for fun. Plus the way I want to bring in Croc is pretty freaking cool.

[Silver Nemesis]

This more or less confirms it's intended to be an ongoing series. I can't wait to hear which other villains will be appearing.