An inspired selection by a big-time Batman ’66 fan… — UPDATED 10/4/24: Time to dig deep into the cavernous 13th Dimension vaults! Every so often I like to reprint a story that was popular the first time around, just for the hell of it. This is one of those, from October 2022. Dig it. — Dan — By KEN HOLTZHOUSER 1966’s Batman TV series has had an incalculable influence on my life. I discovered the series and Batman comics at the impressionable age of 5 and the mean streets of Gotham City became my playground. That fandom turned into a love of art and a deep appreciation of the delicate high wire act the show created between adventure and farce. As it was with most kids (of all ages), the villains ripped from the comics pages were my absolute favorite. Oh, sure, I liked a lot of the “invented” villains of Batman ’66, but for a comics nerd like me, there’s nothing like the real thing, baby. Like a lot of fans, I often wonder about what might have been with the series. What if there had been a fourth season? What if the ratings and popularity stayed at first-season levels for at least another few years? What if William Dozier stayed closer to the comics as a resource? With all that in mind, here’s my imagining of 13 BATMAN ’66 VILLAINS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. The rules? Characters had to be 1967 or earlier, matched with actors who would have been plausible at that time. I feature two “cheat” characters from the two Filmation animated series because, hey — it’s my list! Still, let’s get the cheats out of the way first… — 13. Sweet Tooth (Buddy Hackett). This character is a big cheat, as he appears in the 1977 New Adventures of Batman, but he could easily slip into this world. — 12. Simon the Pieman (Jonathan Winters). The “Simon Says” gimmick is tailor-made for the series and Simon’s tendency to dress in drag fits Jonathan Winters’ schtick. — 11. Catman (Ricardo Montalban). Athletic and virile, Montalban would be a worthy nemesis for Batman AND Catwoman. Imagine the catfight! — 10. The Cavalier (Guy Williams). This dashing desperado would fit easily into former Zorro star Guy Williams’ wheelhouse. Plus, it would alleviate the boredom of playing second fiddle to...