LATE REVIEW EDITION
I didn’t have a chance to review this before I headed to Comic-Con, but I certainly hope many of you gave this new Digital First Series a chance last Wednesday. Wow! Talk about standing out from the crowd. If you feel like every bat-book is the same then you need to pick this up immediately.
This new comic by Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case is based on the 1960’s Batman TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward and I’m pleased to say that these talented creators have come up with a comic that perfectly captures the voice and look of the classic TV show. I remember watching it as a little kid and looking at it all so seriously. It wasn’t a joke to me as a kid, when Robin was getting crushed inside a giant clam shell or whatever I was on the edge of my seat. Only now do I view the series and see how funny it really was (or at least I would if it would finally come to Blu-Ray/DVD). Whether you’re looking for nostalgia, just a good laugh, or you’re a lover of great comic artwork then this is an absolute must-buy. Here are some quick points about issue #1 “The Riddler’s Ruse”:
- I’m not sure a better artist could have been chosen for this. The illustrations and the colors are jaw-dropping. This is pop-art at its finest right down to the dotted colors (and the colors really are stunning).
- It was great to see Frank Gorshin’s Riddler again. He really was the best villain on the show.
- You’ll hear Adam West’s voice when you read these speech bubbles.
- I forgot how much I loved Chief O’Hara.
- You’ll also hear the trumpets with every Bang! Pow! sound-effect.
- Hits several beats that every fan of the TV show will be looking for.
- It really does have a number of lines that made me laugh out loud.
- Seeing Burt Ward drive his fist into his own palm totally reminded me of how Damian always did that… or I should say that Damian should have reminded me of Burt Ward.
- This might actually be better in digital form. I read the first installment online and the layered DC2 effects are a lot of fun and the format of breaking a single issue into three parts fits the TV shows original format beautifully. Remember how episodes would close out in a freeze-frame followed by the narrator asking you questions about what will happen next? That’s how the digital installments work.
- Terrific stand-alone story that’s worth your $3.99. I can see this being a book that you won’t want to trade-wait for. It’s just too much fun and a great way to break up the doom and gloom of regular Bat-titles.
Overall
I loved it. Does the Nostalgia aspect have a chance of wearing off? Sure. But for right now this was an amazing comic that recaptures the look and feel of the Adam West show and that’s exactly what I wanted. If you’re a fan of the original series then I can’t see how you could possibly be disappointed by this. Batman ’66 is definitely worth every Batman fan’s time. One of the funniest and well-illustrated books I’ve read this year. Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case did an amazing job.
SCORE: 10/10
