"Minerva, Mayhem and Millionaires"

Aired March 14, 1968
 

Minerva has a plan to rob the richest men in Gotham City while using her spa as a front for her operations.  It seems almost like a plausible story for the third season.  In fact, John went into it dreading it and then found in watching it and then talking about it with guest host, longtime Batman 66 fan, Robert Long, that it wasn't all that bad.  Robert goes so far as to point out that the episode has the beats of a condensed two-part second season story.  They also discuss the relationship between Barbara Gordon/Batgirl and Alfred compared with his relationship with Batman and Robin.  It may be the final review of the original series, but it's not the end of the podcast as John explains towards the end.  Thank you so much for listening and thanks for your continuing comments here and to thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

Robert Long is a full time graphic designer and independent filmmaker.  As a first generation Batman syndication kid, he manages the 1966-68 Batman Television Series Group on Facebook.  He has had the pleasure to meet and work with Adam West and Julie Newmar with various projects in the past.  Visit Robert's production company - Smash or Trash Independent Filmmakingto learn more about it.

Direct download: The_Batcave_Podcast_Episode_69.mp3
Category:Podcast Episode -- posted at: 3:20pm EDT
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"THE HUNTERS AND THE HUNTED"

AIRED: NOVEMBER 25, 2016

John and Jim find themselves reaching for things to even talk about this episode.  A group of wealthy industrialists gather to hunt the most dangerous game and they've set their sights on the Hornet and Kato.  It sounds like a great plot, but the execution leaves much to be desired.  "The Hunters and the Hunted" Instead, the two spend more time talking about the salary disparities of the cast members of the show and those of Batman thanks to some trivia from The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television by Martin Grams and Terry Salomonson.  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.

Direct download: The_Hornets_Sting_010.mp3
Category:The Hornet's Sting -- posted at: 11:06am EDT
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"THE PREYING MANTIS"

AIRED: NOVEMBER 18, 2016

It's another challenge for The Green Hornet, but for John and Jim, there's not much of a challenge in reviewing this episode.  Both are excited by this story that gives Bruce Lee a chance to stretch a little as the Hornet and Kato investigate a protection racket by a tong in Chinatown.  The thing is, there's more to the tong than simply an extortion racket.  There's a great deal to like about this fan favorite as the two discuss. Plus, there's some trivia on this episode from The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television by Martin Grams and Terry Salomonson, including Green Hornet creator George Trendle's dislike for this episode.  Pick up your copy by clicking on the link and getting it today.

Direct download: The_Hornets_Sting_009.mp3
Category:The Hornet's Sting -- posted at: 6:17pm EDT
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"The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra"

Aired March 7, 1968
 

It's the penultimate episode of the series and it seems to lack any spark or energy to it despite featuring Ida Lupino and Howard Duff as alchemist Dr. Cassandra and her groovy husband Cabala.  That alone should make it exciting, but then add Batgirl in the Batcave and a prison break featuring six of the villains from Batman's Rogue's Gallery and you should have a classic - and yet, nothing.

Joining John to discuss an episode that's only thing that makes it stand out is the sexual innuendo is writer/editor Jim Beard of Gotham City 14 Miles.

 

NOTE: Thanks to listener Davis Maska for supplying us with the driving PSA that is featured at the start of the episode.

Comment on the episode here or write 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

 

Direct download: The_Batcave_Podcast_Episode_68.mp3
Category:Podcast Episode -- posted at: 5:00am EDT
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"THE RAY IS FOR KILLING"

AIRED: NOVEMBER 11, 2016

John and Jim are excited to be talking about this episode as it's another high concept episode that manages to work in the Hornet's usual angle of getting inside the criminal organization for a "piece of the action".  A group of thieves have stolen a cache of artwork which they wish to ransom.  They have everyone at bay though because they carry with them a powerful laser weapon.  While Britt negotiates for the release, the Hornet goes inside to learn about who is holding the artwork.  It's a tight, well-written adventure and has a great deal going for it as John and Jim discuss.  Plus, we've got listener mail.  We also introduce The Green Hornet: A History of Radio, Motion Pictures, Comics and Television by Martin Grams and Terry Salomonson.  We'll be referring to this extensive tome from time to time in our discussions.  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.

Direct download: The_Hornets_Sting_008.mp3
Category:The Hornet's Sting -- posted at: 9:07am EDT
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"The Return of the Caped Crusaders"

Released November 1, 2016

It's the movie 50 years in the making (well, in the waiting).  Adam West, Burt Ward, and Julie Newmar return to the Batman 66 universe in an all-new animated movie.  Joker, Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman have reunited to take control of Gotham City and the world once again with the theft of a duplicator ray.  But it wouldn't be Batman 66 if there wasn't more to the plot and there certainly is as Batman becomes more aggressive in his pursuit of the villainous quartet.  What is happening and will good triumph over evil in the end?

Joining John to breakdown this movie in a double-sized episode is Dan Greenfield of 13th Dimension, Billy Flynn of Geek Radio Daily, and Ben Bentley of the Batman 66 Message Board.

 

Comment on the episode here or write thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

 

 

Dan Greenfield is the editor and co-creator of 13thDimension.com, a website devoted primarily to comics and pop culture, past and present. To him, the basic food groups are Batman, Planet of the Apes, Star Trek (the Original Series), James Bond, the Beatles and the Stones. But if he had to he'd be able to subsist on Batman alone. Channel 11 in New York was his favorite syndicated channel as a kid -- you can guess why -- followed closely by Channel 5. Channel 9 didn't really enter into it unless he was home sick and there wasn't much else on. He's married to his remarkably patient wife Wendy and his best sidekick is his son, Sam. They have two cats,Lex and Zod.

 

Links

13th Dimension Website

Facebook page

Twitter

 

 

The Wonderful Billy Flynn brings the funny each week on Geek Radio Daily! His daytime alter ego is mild-mannered (well, that part is a stretch) radio station personality at WLEE in Virginia.   He actually gets paid to sit on his butt and run his mouth! His “edumacation” is from UNC-Wilmington, the Columbia School of Broadcasting, and University of Phoenix. When he is not gracing the podcasting airways with his comedic stylings, you can find Billy Flynn on Xbox Live (flynn71), rockin’ out on Guitar Hero or Rock Band, watching movies, reading comics, working out, or posting on the forums at geekradiodaily.com (ding!).

 

 

"Ben Bentley is an internationally published music photographer and Bat-Fan based in the United Kingdom. When Ben isn't behind the camera, you can find him sharing his lifelong love of Adam West's TV Batman as a co-moderator over at the 1966 Batman Message Board (66batman.com). Having traveled to California several times to attend conventions and hang out with Bat-friends, Ben has been lucky enough to try on one of Adam's original screen worn Cowls, meet several surviving cast members from the show and even run up and down the steps of Gotham City Police Headquarters in his own Adam West Batsuit. 

 

You can keep up to date with Ben's photographic work over on his blog... http://www.benbentleyphoto.tumblr.com or why not come and join Scott, Ben and the gang at the internet's longest standing 1966 TV Batman message board... http://www.66batman.com

 

Direct download: The_Batcave_Podcast_Episode_67.mp3
Category:Podcast Episode -- posted at: 5:50pm EDT
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