Holy Kitsch! 5 Campy Facts About TV's Batman

The live-action Superman had had a decent run on network television, so in 1966, ABC pondered the ratings potential of another comic book hero: Batman. The production techniques used for Batman were far different than those used on the Superman series; bright colors, stilted dialog, and the POW! BAM! graphics used during the fight scenes all combined to make the series look like a comic book brought to life. Immediately after the pilot episode was aired, Batman was the topic of discussion on American playgrounds. A double entendre here and there (not to mention Julie Newmar in a catsuit) also helped to keep adult viewers interested.

1. The Batmobile was originally a Bargainmobile

2. The Boy Wonder and the Problems with his "Boy Wonder"

3. The Riddler Gets a Promotion

The pilot episode of Batman featured a villain who had rarely appeared in the comic book series "“ The Riddler. Frank Gorshin portrayed the Prince of Puzzlers in that first two-part episode, and received an Emmy nomination for his effort. Of the many special guest villains that would infiltrate Gotham City, only Gorshin's maniacally laughing Riddler gave the impression that he was just unbalanced enough to be a bona fide threat to the Dynamic Duo. Interestingly enough, after Gorshin's appearance on the show, the Riddler became an A-list rogue in the DC comics universe and regularly rubbed elbows with such legendary criminals as Two-Face and The Penguin.

4. What Kept The Joker from Smiling

5. The Most Prolific Villain