We take a look at another William Dozier pilot for another comic related property.  This time, it's Dick Tracy - He's a Good Cop.  This time though, Dozier went all out with a full length half-hour episode featuring Victor Buono as the villain, Mr. Memory - which starts the batter of questions about where this show was going.  

In "The Plot to Kill NATO", Mr. Memory kidnaps three NATO ambassadors at the request of Major Powers.  His method of operation seems interesting enough, but there is still something lacking in his character.  And yet, despite this, the pilot is an enjoyable viewing experience with a lot of recommend including Jan Shulman as Liz and the well choreographed fight scenes.

John is joined by his The Hornet's Sting co-host, Jim Beard, to pitch these questions.  Just how committed was Dozier to this property? What would a relationship with Chester Gould have been like had the show gone forward? Why wasn't one of the established villains used in the pilot?  And why did Dozier still build in little nods to Batman and The Green Hornet when both shows were on their last legs?

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Any comments or questions on this episode, please post them here or by writing thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

A native of Toledo, Ohio, Jim Beard was introduced to comic books at an early age by his father, who passed on to him a love for the medium and the pulp characters who preceded it. After decades of reading, collecting and dissecting comics, Jim became a published writer when he sold a story to DC Comics in 2002. Since that time he's written official Star Wars and Ghostbusters comic stories and contributed articles and essays to several volumes of comic book history.

His prose work includes GOTHAM CITY 14 MILES, a book of essays on the 1966 Batman TV series; SGT. JANUS, SPIRIT-BREAKER, a collection of pulp ghost stories featuring an Edwardian occult detective; MONSTER EARTH, a giant monster anthology; and CAPTAIN ACTION: RIDDLE OF THE GLOWING MEN, the first pulp prose novel based on the classic 1960s action figure.

Currently, Jim provides regular content for Marvel.com, the official Marvel Comics website, and is a regular columnist for Toledo Free Press.

Websites

http://www.facebook.com/thebeardjimbeard

http://www.sgtjanus.blogspot.com

We move into the post-review era with the first in a series of episodes looking at the Batman related works of the producers and stars of the show and at the pop culture influences from the series.  First up, a look at William Dozier's attempt at adapting another DC property - Wonder Woman.  In this curious short, "Wonder Woman: Who's Afraid of Diana Prince?" we are only given a taste of the potential of the series.  Which begs the question, why wasn't a full pilot produced, especially in light of the fact that a full script was commissioned, co-written by Batman scribe Stanley Ralph Ross?  This question and possibly a few more will be asked by John and his guest, Chris Franklin of the Super Mates Podcast.

Any comments or questions on this episode, please post them here or by writing thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

Chris Franklin is a mild-mannered graphic designer by day, but at night, he retreats to his secret headquarters festooned with action figures, and podcasts with his long-suffering wife Cindy on the Super Mates podcast, a proud part of The Fire and Water Podcast Network. Together they take a look at all things geeky, such as comics, TV, movies, and toys, from a couple’s perspective.

District Attorney Scanlon is running for re-election and it looks like it's going to be a rough one as his life is threatened.  The Hornet has to step in to investigate, but how does he do it without connecting himself to the DA?  This is an interesting episode of the series as it addresses a number of questions, the least of which is why should one elect someone who has failed time and again to catch public enemy number one, The Green Hornet?  

The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television by Martin Grams and Terry Salomonson is a reference work we're consulting as we move through the series.  Pick up your copy by clicking on the link and getting it today.

 Take a listen and then let us know what you think of the episode by writing us here or at thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

"FREEWAY TO DEATH"

AIRED: DECEMBER 16, 1966

The Hornet and Mike Axford teaming up?  How is this possible?  When Britt orders Mike to work with the Hornet in order to bring down a construction racket, Mike has his own ideas that could threaten his life.  John and Jim are in agreement that this is a "Must Watch" episode, but they're not entirely sure why.  Is it the appearance of Jeffrey Hunter?  Is it the Black Beauty versus three bulldozers?  Is it the Hornet Mortars?  Is it the Hornet and Mike working together?  Take a listen and maybe you can help them figure it out.  Also, the two take a moment to talk about the late Van William and his legacy of The Green Hornet.

The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television by Martin Grams and Terry Salomonson is a reference work we're consulting as we move through the series.  Pick up your copy by clicking on the link and getting it today.

 Take a listen and then let us know what you think of the episode by writing us here or at thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.