Batman '66
{{Short description|DC comic book series}}
{{about|the comic book|the 2016 pinball machine|Batman (TV series)#Pinball machine}}
{{Italic title}}{{Infobox comic book title
|image = Batman66issue1.jpg
|caption = Cover of Batman '66 #1
|schedule = Monthly
|publisher = DC Comics
|date = July 2013 – February 2016
|startmo = July
|startyr = 2013
|endmo = February
|endyr = 2016
|issues = 30
|main_char_team = Batman and Robin
|writers = Jeff Parker
|artists = Mike Allred (cover)
Various (interior)
|pencillers =
|inkers =
|letterers =
|colorists =
|creative_team_month =
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|subcat=DC Comics
|sort=Batman '66
}}
Batman '66 is an American superhero comic book series published by DC Comics featuring Batman as a continuation of the 1966–1968 television series starring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin. The series was written primarily by Jeff Parker and Tom Peyer, with cover art by Mike Allred. It published 30 issues from 2013 to 2016, although the setting has been used in occasional crossovers since 2016.
Publication history
In 2013, DC began publication of Batman '66, which tells all-new stories set in the world of the 1966–1968 TV series. It was written by Jeff Parker, and featured cover art by Mike Allred while interior art was done by different artists each issue.{{cite web|url=http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/03/22/dc-comics-to-publish-a-batman-sixties-tv-show-comic-as-well-as-a-batusi-exclusive-toy-for-san-diego-comic-con/|title=DC Comics To Publish A Batman Sixties TV Show Comic, As Well As A Batusi Exclusive Toy For San Diego Comic Con|work=Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movie, TV News|date=22 March 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/batman-1966-digital-comic-jeff-parker.html|title=DC Comics To Publish A Batman JEFF PARKER Writes BATMAN 1966, Digital-First Comic|work=Newsarama.com}}{{cite web |url=http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-%E2%80%9866-2013 |title=BATMAN '66 2013 |publisher=DC Comics |access-date=2016-02-07 |archive-date=2018-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731153650/https://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-%E2%80%9866-2013 |url-status=dead}} Original characters from the television series such as the Bookworm, the Minstrel, the Sandman, Olga, Queen of the Cossacks, Zelda the Great, Shame, King Tut, and Marsha, Queen of Diamonds all made their first comic book appearances in the series. The Joker, The Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman and Mr. Freeze also appeared in the series. Characters who were not featured in the television series (some of them were created after the series ended) also appeared in Batman '66, with Red Hood and Dr. Quinn appearing in issue #3, Poison Ivy in issue #26, Bane in issue #27, The Scarecrow and Killer Croc in issue #28, Kobra in issue #72, Copperhead in Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 issue #5, Professor Hugo Strange in Batman '66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Ra's al Ghul and Talia al Ghul in Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77.{{cite web|last=Beedle |first=Tim |url=http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2015/06/09/exclusive-get-your-first-look-at-batman-66s-harley-quinn-in-action |title=EXCLUSIVE: Get Your First Look at Batman '66's Harley Quinn in Action |publisher=DC Comics |date=2015-06-09 |access-date=2016-02-07}}{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/injustice-ends-killer-croc-debuts-in-batman-66-and-more-from-dc-in-october |title="Injustice" Ends, Killer Croc Debuts in "Batman '66" and More from DC in October |publisher=Comic Book Resources |date=2014-07-14 |access-date=2016-02-07 |archive-date=2015-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108034936/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/injustice-ends-killer-croc-debuts-in-batman-66-and-more-from-dc-in-october |url-status=dead}} Also, new characters and vehicles were created for the series such as the Bat-Jet, used to follow False-Face to Mount Rushmore, as well as a new villainess named Cleopatra.{{cite web|url=http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-%E2%80%9866-2013/batman-%E2%80%9866-10 |title=BATMAN '66 #10 |publisher=DC Comics |date=2014-04-30 |access-date=2016-02-07}}
The series was released both physically and digitally. The series was cancelled in 2015, with physical issue #30, cover-dated February 2016, and digital issue #73.{{cite web|last1=Sava|first1=Oliver|title=Exclusive DC preview: The Allreds end Batman '66 by going back to the beginning|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/exclusive-dc-preview-allreds-end-batman-66-going-b-228196|website=A.V. Club|date=10 November 2015 |publisher=The Onion|access-date=1 November 2016}}{{cite web|title=Batman '66|url=http://comicvine.gamespot.com/batman-66-30-main-title/4000-508478/|website=Comic Vine|access-date=1 November 2016}}
In April 2014, the first five issues were compiled into the Batman '66 Vol. 1 trade paperback. Additional volumes collecting the rest of the issues have since been released. Len Wein and José Luis García-López produced a comics adaptation of a Two-Face story written by Harlan Ellison originally intended for the Batman television series in the 1960s.{{cite web |url= http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/20/batman-66-the-lost-episode-1-review|title= Batman '66: The Lost Episode #1 Review|first= Jesse|last= Schedeen|date= November 20, 2014|publisher= IGN|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141123031251/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/20/batman-66-the-lost-episode-1-review|archive-date= November 23, 2014|url-status=live|df=mdy-all|quote= Writer Harlan Ellison got as far as pitching a Two-Face-themed episode before the combination of the villain's gruesome appearance and Ellison's conflicts with ABC executives killed the idea. Decades later, that pitch has become the inspiration for this oversized Batman '66 comic.}} In June 2014, Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman's six-issue Batman and the Green Hornet crossover miniseries, Batman '66 Meets The Green Hornet, began publication.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igRaLciDl1I|title=Kevin Smith & Ralph Garman Announce New Batman/Green Hornet Project – (DCAA 206)|work=YouTube|date=11 March 2014}} There are also three other crossover miniseries with fellow 1960s and 1970s TV shows; The Man from U.N.C.L.E. with Batman '66 Meets the Man From U.N.C.L.E., TV's The Avengers with Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel, and Wonder Woman, as played by Lynda Carter, in Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77. In July 2017, a new crossover one-shot issue called Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super Heroes shows Batman and Robin teaming up with the Legion of Super Heroes. In July 2018, the Batman archvillains attempted to take over Riverdale in the crossover miniseries Archie Meets Batman '66.{{cite web|url=http://archiecomics.com/archie-meets-batman-66-1/|title=Archie Meets Batman '66 #1|work=website|access-date=10 November 2018}}
Batman '66 has been designated Earth-66 in the post-Dark Crisis multiverse.Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1 (February 2023)
Collected editions
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Title | Material collected | Publication dates | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batman '66 Vol. 1
| Batman '66 #1–5 | April 8, 2014 | {{ISBNT|978-1401247218}} | |||
| Batman '66 Vol. 2
| Batman '66 #6–10 | April 28, 2014 | {{ISBNT|978-1401254612}} | |||
| Batman '66 Vol. 3
| Batman '66 #11–16 | December 8, 2015 | {{ISBNT|978-1401257507}} | |||
| Batman '66 Vol. 4
| Batman '66: The Lost Episode #1 and Batman '66 #17–22 | May 17, 2016 | {{ISBNT|978-1401261047}} | |||
| Batman '66 Vol. 5
| Batman '66 #23–30 | December 13, 2016 | {{ISBNT|978-1401264833}} | |||
| Batman '66 Meets the Green Hornet
| Batman '66 Meets the Green Hornet #1–6 | March 24, 2015 | {{ISBNT|978-1401252281}} | |||
| Batman '66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E.
| Batman '66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E. #1–6 | September 13, 2016 | {{ISBNT|978-1401264475}} | |||
| Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel
| Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel #1–6 | September 27, 2017 | {{ISBNT|978-1401268206}} | |||
| Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77
| Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 #1–6 | October 3, 2017 | {{ISBNT|978-1401273859}} | |||
| Batman '66 Omnibus
| Batman '66 #1–30, Batman '66: The Lost Episode #1 and Solo #7's "Batman A-Go-Go!" | August 8, 2018 | {{ISBNT|978-1401283285}} | |||
| Archie Meets Batman '66
| Archie Meets Batman '66 #1–6 | April 18, 2019 | {{ISBNT|978-1682558478}} |
Reception
Response to the series was positive. Benjamin Bailey of IGN gave the first issue a 9.8 out of 10, calling it "nothing short of brilliant", saying that "even if you aren't a fan of the classic TV show, you'll have a good time here. It's a blast from start to finish".{{cite web|first=Benjamin |last=Bailey |url=http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/07/04/batman-66-1-review |title=Batman '66 #1 Review |publisher=IGN |date=2013-07-03 |access-date=2016-02-07}} Meanwhile, Den of Geek gave the first issue an 8 out of 10, saying that "Batman '66 looks like it might just fit right in with the spirit of the show's better episodes".{{cite web |first=Mike |last=Cecchini |url=http://www.denofgeek.us/books-comics/batman/147713/batman-66-1-dc-comics-review |title=Batman 66 #1 (DC Comics) Review |publisher=Den of Geek |date=2013-07-05 |access-date=2016-02-07 |archive-date=2015-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151008093614/http://www.denofgeek.us/books-comics/batman/147713/batman-66-1-dc-comics-review |url-status=dead}} The A.V. Club{{'}}s Oliver Sava, in reviewing the second issue, called it "a delightfully silly look at a bygone era of Batman, (and) also one of the year's finest superhero comics".{{cite web|last1=Sava|first1=Oliver|title=The deliciously retro Batman '66 is a huge step forward for DC digital comics|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/the-deliciously-retro-ibatman-66-iis-a-huge-step-f-100040|website=A.V. Club|date=12 July 2013|publisher=The Onion|access-date=21 November 2016}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Batman (TV series)}}
{{Batman}}
Category:Adaptations of works by Harlan Ellison
Category:Comics based on television series