Alyas Batman en Robin

In 1989 Regal Entertainment, based in the Philippines, produced a musical comedy spoof of the Batman 66 series.  At that time, Michael Keaton's Batman was about to hit the screens.  DC Comics and Warner Bros. halted the release of the film for two years over copyright infringement.  It should have been held back for the crime of being an awful film.

​John and Robert Long sit down in the Batcave to discuss this film that is much more an homage to Batman than some of the other films we've discussed in the past.  That doesn't make it a better film though.  Despite this, they do find some points of interest to talk about such as how the costuming seems to mimic those of the Mego action figures of the 70s, how the music in the film are all plays on other popular songs, and how meta this film really is.

​Warning:  Just before posting the episode, John found a copy of the film with subtitles.  He and Robert were fairly accurate with their interpretation.

​Take a listen and let us know what you think by commenting here or writing us at thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com.

1943 - Episode Three 

"The Mark of the Zombies"

We continue our look at the 1943 Batman serial with the third episode, "The Mark of the Zombies".  In it, we see the process by which Dr. Daka converts humans into his living zombies and we watch as Batman foils another attempt at stealing the badly needed uranium.  Plus, we wonder how Daka ever came to being the diabolical leader he's supposed to be; we discuss the colorful career of J. Carrol Naish (Daka); and we comment on how Alfred may be the most interesting character in this serial.

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

"Queen Bee"

September 11, 1976

Monster Squad was a one season NBC Saturday morning live action show for kids in 1976.  In it, Walt, who worked in his uncle's wax museum, discovered that he could bring the figures of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and the Wolfman to life.  Wanting to atone for the sins of their past, the trio, with Walt's crime computer set our on a mission to stop evil wherever they found it.

​And in our first episode review of this Stanley Ralph Ross-helmed series, the Squad take on Queen Bee (Alice Beasley) and her bee drones, Spelling Bee and Bumble Bee as she tries to take over the world.  John is joined in the Batcave by Revolution SF host and DragonCon American Sci-Fi Classics Track co-moderator Joe Crowe to discuss the parallels with this series and Batman 66.  And there are quite a few.

​They discuss the henchmen, the merchandise for this series, and attempts at layering the humor as was done in the 60s Batman series.

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

Batman 66 #9

"Zelda's Great Escape" &

"Showdown with Shame"

Published: March 19, 2014

Zelda the Great is free and back to her scheme of coming up with inescapable traps that she needs the unwilling help of Batman and Robin to solve.  Plus, Shame and Batman have a showdown on top of a moving train. 

​John and Dan talk about John's disappoint with Zelda returning to crime, the "poor deluded girl" lured into a life of crime and adventure, and how the Shame story could easily be a third season episode.

1943 - Episode Two 

"The Bat's Cave"

We pick up our look at the 1943 Batman serial with the second episode, "The Bat's Cave".  In it, the Dynamic Duo bring a prisoner back to their secret base to interrogate and we see the grandfather clock entrance to the Bat's Cave.  Plus, we learn that Bruce can be a little sadistic as he fires an unknown energy weapon near his butler, Alfred; we discuss the career and wig of Douglas Croft (Robin); and we comment on the duplicate cliffhanger so early in the series.

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

1943 - Episode One 

"The Electrical Brain"

It's the start of a new series of podcast reviews looking at the serials of the 1940s.  The serials are often cited as the inspiration for the 1966 TV series.  John and writer Jim Beard sit down in the "Bat's Cave" to discuss just how true this really is.  In the first episode, they discuss the racism of the time, the fighting style of the Dynamic Duo, the career of Lewis Wilson (Batman), and how Robin looks more like a Brady than a Greyson.  Take a listen and let us know what you think.

"Glitter Rock"

​Aired: September 25/October  2, 1976

Glitter Rock has a plan to take over the world with his hypnotizing music.  But how can his music reach our to the entire world?   John and Kevin Eldridge of The Flopcast are back in Electra-Base and talking about the "Electra-Chicks" and their latest adventure.

​

This time around, they take a look at Electra Woman star Deirdre Hall, they talk about the potential backstory that was hinted at in this episode, and John clearly sees more hints not only of the Batman 66 series, but of the relationship between Adam West and Burt Ward compared to Deirdre Hall and Judy Strangis.  Take a listen and let us know what you think by writing us here or at thebatcavepodcast@gmail.com

James Batman 1966

Our next look at those movies from around the world inspired by the 66 Batman TV series takes us to the Philippines.  Mere months after the premiere of the television series, James Batman burst on to Filipino screens.  In fact, the movie came out before the American theatrical one did.  That in itself is impressive, but then there is the added wrinkle of Batman teaming up with James Bond.​

That's right, two of the "Three Bs of the 60s" as Adam West once stated are featured in this film.  It's a shame that the boys from Liverpool are not represented in this film.  It might have made it more interesting.

John and Robert Long sit down once again in the Batcave and break down this film and it's not as pretty as the last one, even with the help of subtitles.

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