Gotham City reborn… — In celebration of Detective Comics #1000 and Batman’s 80th anniversary this month, we’re counting down the 13 GREATEST BATMAN STORIES EVER — from all media — as selected by a panel of 16 experts, including such luminaries as former DC publisher Paul Levitz, legendary Batman artist Neal Adams and Batman: The Brave and the Bold producer James Tucker. For a complete rundown of how the vote was conducted and the full list of panelists, click here. The countdown will run daily across 13 days and culminate in THE ULTIMATE BATMAN READING AND VIEWING GUIDE, which will feature every single Batman story cited by our panel. — PICK #10 was Batman ’66: “Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack in the Middle.” Next up on the countdown: 9. BATMAN (1989) Written by Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren. Directed by Tim Burton One of the things we’re trying to convey in the TOP 13 BATMAN COUNTDOWN — beyond just how great these stories are — is how much the selections influenced Batman’s larger universe. With Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman, the impact has been immeasurable even if the movie itself doesn’t quite hold up as well as other screen adaptations. (It’s fun to watch, sure, but the film’s not exactly the most tightly plotted narrative.) Most importantly, Burton and screenwriters Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren — not to mention stars Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson — proved that a darker version of Batman could work on the big screen and that audiences would eat it up. “One of the most stunning achievements in the history of the Batman character,” wrote panelist Mark Reinhart, author of The Batman Filmography. “Batman’s release will forever stand as the first time a worldwide audience appreciated Batman in the way Kane and Finger had intended him to be appreciated. For the first time, millions upon millions of people around the world saw Batman as the dark hero we serious fans loved.” Fellow panelist Christy Blanch, added: “Michael Keaton is my favorite live-action Batman. Simple enough. It was, and is, a wonderful movie,” Yet there’s something else that stands tall amid the wonderful toys, great Danny Elfman score and dramatic climax – Gotham City itself. Before Burton and production designer Anton Furst got their hands on Batman’s hometown, Gotham City was consistently shown to be a New York City...
The birth of Batmania — and the Batusi! — In celebration of Detective Comics #1000 and Batman’s 80th anniversary this month, we’re counting down the 13 GREATEST BATMAN STORIES EVER — from all media — as selected by a panel of 16 experts, including such luminaries as former DC publisher Paul Levitz, legendary Batman artist Neal Adams and Batman: The Brave and the Bold producer James Tucker. For a complete rundown of how the vote was conducted and the full list of panelists, click here. The countdown will run daily across 13 days and culminate in THE ULTIMATE BATMAN READING AND VIEWING GUIDE, which will feature every single Batman story cited by our panel. — PICK #11 was Batman: The Animated Series — “Heart of Ice.” Next up on the countdown is another episode from Batman ’66 (PICK #13 was The Purr-fect Crime): 10. HI DIDDLE RIDDLE/SMACK IN THE MIDDLE Written by Lorenzo Semple Jr. Directed by Robert Butler. The debut two-parter of the classic Batman TV show is frequently considered the best episode of the series — an entry that established the series’ tone when it was at its best: campy without being too broad, with healthy helpings of stylish action and adventure. Adam West and Burt Ward immediately conveyed an easy rapport and brought to the small screen an enduring vision of the Dynamic Duo. Much has been written and said — both here and elsewhere — about the world created by producer William Dozier and top scripter Lorenzo Semple Jr. But it’s always worth pointing out the enormous impact made by the show’s first Special Guest Villain: Frank Gorshin as the Riddler. Before Jan. 12, 1966, the Riddler was a relatively obscure bad guy who had only recently returned to comics. (He was resurrected in 1965’s Batman #171 after a mere two appearances in 1948.) But Gorshin’s performance was so electrifying, the Prince of Puzzlers vaulted to the Rogues Gallery A-List, making him not just a comic-book mainstay but a popular villain in merchandising, video games and the modern screen. Panelist Michael Eury notes: “This Batman pilot/premiere was the gold standard for Lorenzo Semple Jr.’s campy scripts, and torch-lit the Batmania that changed the world.” Fellow panelist Chris Franklin adds: “The pilot episodes of the ’60s Batman TV series achieve that precarious balance between parody and sincerity better than...
The birth of Batmania — and the Batusi!
13 days, the 13 best Batman stories. It all starts with some Batman ’66…
“Chosen from among all others by the immortal elders — Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, Mercury…”
