1966 Batman DVD Coming! See Post 649 (1 Viewer)

[DeWilson]

DC Comics is putting out a digital comic of the '66 Batman series starting this summer.

Worst Idea Ever - I'd rather they reprint the 1960's Newspaper comic strip.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Worst Idea Ever - I'd rather they reprint the 1960's Newspaper comic strip.

Actually, they are being reprinted...

http://www.comicvine.com/articles/idw-to-reprint-superman-batman-and-wonder-woman-ne/1100-146223/

Not by DC, but by a smaller company called IDW.

Also, the Batman '66 book isn't going to be reprints of 1960s Batman comics, but a lame-ass modern comic using the likenesses of the actors and trying most likely to be campy while being hipper-than-thou and sneering down at the whole thing.

 

[TravisR]

Also, the Batman '66 book isn't going to be reprints of 1960s Batman comics, but a lame-ass modern comic using the likenesses of the actors and trying most likely to be campy while being hipper-than-thou and sneering down at the whole thing.

What are you basing that on? Almost no one but existing fans are going to buy that comic so I can't imagine them not trying to do a comic book that is in the same spirit of fun as the TV series rather than trying to be ironic or mocking to their only audience.

 

[Jack P]

I've seen too many comic book projects of the last few years that never understood the source material. Dynamite's disgraceful version of an original Battlestar Galactica comic book was the ultimate case of something put out by writers and editors who had a sneering condescension for the material and its fanbase. I'll see what comes of this Batman idea, but hearing they want to use rejected villain concepts like "Killer Croc" is not IMO a good sign.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

What are you basing that on? Almost no one but existing fans are going to buy that comic so I can't imagine them not trying to do a comic book that is in the same spirit of fun as the TV series rather than trying to be ironic or mocking to their only audience.

First off, Jack P. summed up part of my feelings very well.

Since DC has spent the better part of 30 years trying to sweep Batman '66 under the rug and make Batman into the standardbearer for grim and gritty excess, I don't have much faith in the current regime to do a book that isn't condescending and mocking in tone.

 

[TravisR]

If that's what they do then they're idiots. I've never read the BSG comic book but I'm willing to bet that they tried to make it more grim and dark since that's what sells today and that would also probably help sell it to fans of the remake series. In the case of Batman, nearly every Batbook of the last 25 years has been copying and attempting to out outdo Frank Miller in terms of grittiness. The dark and spooky Batman tales can be found EVERYWHERE so they're out of their minds if they don't take the opportunity to have some fun with the charcaters and stick to the tone of the TV series.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

First off, Jack P. summed up part of my feelings very well.

Since DC has spent the better part of 30 years trying to sweep Batman '66 under the rug and make Batman into the standardbearer for grim and gritty excess, I don't have much faith in the current regime to do a book that isn't condescending and mocking in tone.

Well, why don't we wait to pass judgement on this comic until we've actually seen an issue first.

 

[Greg Chenoweth]

Well, why don't we wait to pass judgement on this comic until we've actually seen an issue first.

Thanks, Andy. Once the comic is released then that is the time to judge and critique.

 

[Jack P]

With the BSG comic what they did was condescend to the fanbase by treating the original series as mindless kiddie-fare in which concern for continuity with the episodes of the series could be blithely ignored given their belief that original series fans (in contrast to Star Trek and Star Wars fans) don't care about this kind of thing. Their first story was a ridiculous one taking place *during* the original pilot episode that couldn't be squared with the continuity of the series (let alone the rest of the pilot episode!) in a million years. Then they did one story taking place after the series devoid of character development or concern for the plot threads left by the end of the series. It was in short, the product of people who had no concept of what the fanbase wanted to see.

I am hoping we see no such similar condescension toward the fanbase in the new Batman comic.

 

[JamesSmith]

I am still hoping for the best with this comic book. I for one, am thrilled. I am so tired of all the darkness, grimness of current comics. I really am hoping they can get it right. Perhaps the comic book writers can check with Adam West for input, or check with Stanley Ralph Ross' estate to see if he has any unpublished Batman stories for back when. I'd love to see the comic book to an alternate ending to one episode that the studio made him pull back on.

I recall Neal Gaiman did some sort of "tribute" story to the 60's series with the Riddle being the narrator, and asking when "did things become so dark?" Maybe he would like to do a story.

Granted, the new comic book series might have it setbacks, but many want to see it succeed.James

 

[JoeDoakes]

I am still hoping for the best with this comic book. I for one, am thrilled. I am so tired of all the darkness, grimness of current comics. I really am hoping they can get it right. Perhaps the comic book writers can check with Adam West for input, or check with Stanley Ralph Ross' estate to see if he has any unpublished Batman stories for back when. I'd love to see the comic book to an alternate ending to one episode that the studio made him pull back on.

I recall Neal Gaiman did some sort of "tribute" story to the 60's series with the Riddle being the narrator, and asking when "did things become so dark?" Maybe he would like to do a story.

Granted, the new comic book series might have it setbacks, but many want to see it succeed.James

I'd like to have hopes for the comic, but the fact that it is digital only means I won't be seeing for a while at least. I wish comic book makers would aim their material more at children and go back to using traditional illustration. I find the whole graphic novel look of most comics today to be ugly.

 

[Sam Favate]

Does anyone think we'll hear anything about this next week at SDCC? Seems the most likely place, if there is going to be any word.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Does anyone think we'll hear anything about this next week at SDCC? Seems the most likely place, if there is going to be any word.

Hope that happens. If something is on the horizon that would be the logical place to hear an update on a possible release.

 

[Richard V]

Seriously doubt it will ever happen.

 

[John DeAngelis]

It doesn't cost anything to be optimistic, so I'll remain hopeful. Plus, the longer it takes them to release a complete Batman set, the more time I have to get through my backlog of TV series DVDs.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I'm with the majority in that I'd love for there to be an announcement, but I'm 99.9% positive there won't be one.

If there is going to be one, they're doing a pretty good job of keeping it top secret.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I am probably repeating a story that I have told before...

I believe I am correct in saying that one of the gentleman
who came to Fox a few years ago could not understand why
Batman was not out on DVD. He was a huge fan of the show.
He was going to make it his legacy to get that show released.

I talked to that gentleman a year thereafter, and was essentially
told that it would probably never happen. I spoke with him and
another individual tied with Fox marketing that gave me a laundry
list of reasons why they could not get that show released -- most
of which involved all kinds of legal red tape with estates and so forth.

Most of that has already been reported in this forum.

Point is, I still believe that we still have time to go until we see Batman
released to DVD/Blu-ray....if ever.

However, it is hard to ignore some of the *rumors* circulating as of
late and the fact that Adam West recorded commentary -- either for
his personal use or intended as a project with Fox.

I would just caution any optimism, but will gladly keep an open mind
as to what possibly could be announced.

Personally, as interested as I am in seeing this series released, I have
strayed away from asking the studio about it. I am hopefully attending
a Fox function in the next few weeks. I will make it a point to see if there
is any new information about the series to be had.

 

[GMBurns]

It doesn't cost anything to be optimistic, so I'll remain hopeful.

Optimism is half the fun of this hobby (the other half being that I actually get to watch the shows that I enjoy). So to encourage the optimists among us, I have inside info on what has been taking place over the last 12 months. Somewhere in tornado alley, far far underground, there is a secret studio where 10 technicians have been working night and day, with the appropriate breaks for sleeping and eating. Their mission? Remaster old tapes, identify and negotiate music clearances from the living and the dead, as well as noting the royalties needed for all those fun cameos while Batman and Robin “climbed” up buildings in Gotham. The only access to this secret studio is by sliding down two poles that look oddly enough just like the ones the dynamic duo used to slide down. Even the technicians’ families don’t know where they are or what they are doing. But I digress. Once the rights issues have been identified, there is a separate office where a lonely accountant mans the checkbook. His mission? Write the needed royalty checks. He writes them for twice the negotiated amount so as to ensure that every second of every episode can be presented to the viewing public. When this complete series release is announced next week in San Diego it will be for all 120 episodes in pristine condition. Meanwhile, just off the main room in this underground lair, there is an interview room where Adam and Burt have been filming more reminisces and commentary for this deluxe set. How has this all been possible? Through the largess of Warren Buffet, a secret Batman fan. He has privately created a 2 Billion dollar trust fund, appropriately named the Bruce Wayne Trust. No expense has been spared to make this all possible. If the announcement doesn’t happen next week, it’s only because they haven’t yet figured out how to go up the bat poles.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I've said it again and I'll say it before, I think with the the settlement of the Dozier estate lawsuit and the fact that Fox and Warner could come to terms on a merchandizing deal, I don't see why it couldn't be released. The legal issues that really made Batman different than other 1960s shows were Dozier's ownership interest and the fact that DC owned the rights to the character and maybe some of the stories used in the episodes. That said, even if Fox and Warner reached a deal last year, I have not idea how long it would take to prep the show for a commercial release. Finally, it's worth noting that Mezco had an enormous response when they unveiled their Batman 1966 items in New York at the end of June (http://news.toyark.com/2013/06/26/mezco-classic-batman-mez-itz-event-91084). There's a lot of interest in this show.

 

[JoeDoakes]

However, it is hard to ignore some of the *rumors* circulating as of
late and the fact that Adam West recorded commentary -- either for
his personal use or intended as a project with Fox.

When you mention rumors, do you mean rumors of an Adam West commentary separate from what he put into his own Adam West Naked DVD a few years back?