Batman Kerb Drill Advert 1966

[Silver Nemesis]

Here's a recently unearthed 1966 British road safety advert offering further proof that West was the greatest Batman. Check out the awkward 10-second stare at the end.

This is completely in character for West's version of the Dark Knight. I imagine it's precisely how he'd spend his holiday in Londinium – teaching kids how to safely cross the road.

[Catwoman]

Love this! I know you said recently unearthed (not to mention British lol) but I feel like I have seen this before. Maybe it was something similar, I can't imagine this was the only safety PSA he did.

I'm not a mom but I'm gonna post like one, I wish stuff like this was more prevalent today with the superheroes teaching kids lessons beyond their movies. But I guess that's too corny. Someone should do a parody with Batffleck about kids not paying attention cause they're on their damned cell phones and at the end he's about to brand one dopey teenager to get his point across when it cuts away. Everytime I get stuck behind someone driving 20 miles per hour under the speed limit cause they're texting or get run into standing in a store cause they're looking at their phone as they walk and not paying attention, that's what I wish I could do. Break out the branding iron.

Ok, Kitty'll get off her soap box now lol.

[Silver Nemesis]

I'm sure West would have starred in similar PSAs in the US. I haven't been able to find an American road safety ad, but I did find the following on YouTube. Firstly this 1966 ad to promote US savings bonds.

 

And here's a 1973 ad for equal pay. Unfortunately this isn't actually West beneath the cowl, as he had a scheduling conflict when it was filmed. Still, it's nice to see Craig and Ward back in their old costumes.

[The Dark Knight]

Here's a recently unearthed 1966 British road safety advert offering further proof that West was the greatest Batman.

People know where I stand on this discussion at the moment. I think West is the best. And I'm not saying that in a mocking way. As if he's a parody to the 'real' Batman and should only be discussed in a point and laugh way. Your comic influences research shows time and time again just how FAITHFUL West was to the material. There is always an undercurrent of fun, but I also find his Batman to be incredibly balanced. He is:

The mentor.
The chemist.
The businessman.
The crime-fighter.
The tactician.
The optimist.

He really does have it all, and the fact we have a lot of content from him sweetens the deal. There's a lot to chew on in a way the other Batmen can't claim, sans Conroy...who of course only struts his stuff via his vocal chords.

Each Batman reflects the world they inhabit. Seriously, who wouldn't want to live in a city where bat boats can be left docked at the pier, safely idle and ready at your convenience? That's the definition of heaven. A different place and a different time.

[Silver Nemesis]

Great observations, TDK. Another thing I'd add is that West's was one of the few incarnations of Batman to conquer his inner demons and truly master himself. In the words of the Taoist philosopher Lao-Tzu: "He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty." West's Batman wasn't governed by trauma or pain the way Keaton or Bale's iterations were. Rather he'd transcended those torments and achieved a more stable and harmonious state of existence. He was arguably the most mentally and psychologically powerful Batman of all time, at least in so far as the live-action adaptations go. While some other versions of Batman were driven by compulsion, West maintained full agency over his crusade. I suppose you could argue Schumacher's Batman achieved a somewhat comparable level of peace at the end of Batman Forever, but he was still wrestling with a fair amount of insecurity in Batman & Robin (relative to West's version).

West's Batman is perhaps the only version of the character I would actually want to be in real life. He's mentally healthy, strong, happy and in full control of his own destiny. When he's not fighting crime, he enjoys a pleasant and productive life surrounded by a small but trusted group of friends and loved ones. West's interpretation of the Caped Crusader is pure wish fulfilment and appeals to people of all ages. Watching his adventures never fails to make me smile, and that's why he's still my favourite Batman.

[The Dark Knight]

Good points as usual, Silver. I especially like what you say about West mastering his trauma. The fact he's a man of adventure who keeps trucking no matter what is pretty amazing. He's a great example in terms of discipline and never giving up.

I do get the sense he has a 'quiet' side to his personality that he keeps to himself. Kind of like when Catwoman says her heart belongs to Batman, and we get a closeup of Bruce's face in pensive, bittersweet thought. Or reflecting on Molly's death.

He obviously has emotions like any human being, but he seems so excited and thankful for life and protecting it. He managed to embrace his mission in a way that he's happy and incredibly focused, despite the trauma he experienced. Especially with the responsibility of having Robin under his wing, which makes this incarnation feel more complete.

[The Joker]

And here's a 1973 ad for equal pay. Unfortunately this isn't actually West beneath the cowl, as he had a scheduling conflict when it was filmed. Still, it's nice to see Craig and Ward back in their old costumes.

Seeing stuff like this, I can't help but wonder just how long the Adam West Batman series would have continued if ratings hadn't continued to dip from Season to Season? 4, 5, 6 Seasons? What NEW villain guest-stars would we have seen? Poison Ivy? Scarecrow? Two-Face? Might, as the times were a changing back then, the show would have taken even more risks in content/allusions as the show drew closer to the 1970's? Marking a change in direction from the show's beginnings in 1966. Pretty much an alternate universe question, but kinda interesting to think about.

[Catwoman]

Poison Ivy, played by Ann-Margret, would have been a must.

[thecolorsblend]

Great observations, TDK. Another thing I'd add is that West's was one of the few incarnations of Batman to conquer his inner demons and truly master himself. In the words of the Taoist philosopher Lao-Tzu: "He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty." West's Batman wasn't governed by trauma or pain the way Keaton or Bale's iterations were. Rather he'd transcended those torments and achieved a more stable and harmonious state of existence. He was arguably the most mentally and psychologically powerful Batman of all time, at least in so far as the live-action adaptations go. While some other versions of Batman were driven by compulsion, West maintained full agency over his crusade. I suppose you could argue Schumacher's Batman achieved a somewhat comparable level of peace at the end of Batman Forever, but he was still wrestling with a fair amount of insecurity in Batman & Robin (relative to West's version).

West's Batman is perhaps the only version of the character I would actually want to be in real life. He's mentally healthy, strong, happy and in full control of his own destiny. When he's not fighting crime, he enjoys a pleasant and productive life surrounded by a small but trusted group of friends and loved ones. West's interpretation of the Caped Crusader is pure wish fulfilment and appeals to people of all ages. Watching his adventures never fails to make me smile, and that's why he's still my favourite Batman.

The "overcome trauma" bit is a good observation. West was born in 1928. If we surmise his version of Bruce Wayne shares the exact same birthday, Bruce would've watched his parents get shot to death (which was a canon event in the Dozierverse, btw) between 1936-1939.

By 1946-1948, West's Bruce would've gone off to college to study criminology, chemistry, etc, as prep for his future. It stands to reason that he was a helluva boxer too. He could've afford lessons from trainers of actual pro boxers as well.

He could've then returned to Gotham City and become an urban commando type of Batman beginning in 1950.

But running the gauntlet of the Gotham City underworld would've had an impact on him. His victories would, I think, give him a high degree of personal satisfaction. The world is becoming a better place because of him and he sees the evidence of that every day.

Speaking of the day, by about 1956, maybe he's not the angry, bitter, vengeful loner that he was back in 1950 and he's started doing his work during daylight hours. The people of Gotham City appreciated his efforts before but now that he's working relatively more transparently, they LOVE him. By around 1960, there's very serious talk of deputizing him. The mayor didn't suggest that to help with his reelection effort either. The mayor wants to deputize Batman because that's the right thing to do.

The criminals that Batman encounters beginning in 1962 are certainly criminals. But they're very different from the criminals of the 1950's. No more mobsters, no more guns and no more senseless violence. These costumed criminals all have gimmicks and they're a public nuisance as much as anything else. They break the law but Batman realizes he doesn't need to go as hard on them as the murderers and gangsters he used to face.

And then Robin enters the picture and Bruce's psychological health improves even more.

I pulled all of this out of my... hat. But I do like this timeline rather a lot. It presents Batman with an ever more hopeful picture such that it's easy to believe that he's a pretty well-adjusted guy by 1966, when the show begins.

[Silver Nemesis]

That's a great timeline, colors. Almost makes me wish they'd publish a prequel comic showing the origins of the West Batman. I like the idea of him having grittier adventures in his youth. The show got sillier and more outlandish as it went along, but the original screen test had a more serious tone.

Presumably the pre-Robin era preceding the screen test would have been even more serious.