Artist Sean Chen brings out the kid in all of us…
I love it when I’m merrily going along my way and I see something that comes completely out of left field and fills me with delight.
The latest example? These moving Batman ’66 paper puppets created by comics artist Sean Chen (Valiant, Marvel) that emulate the opening credits of the Adam West TV show:
Sean, who has also done style-guide and licensing art for Marvel, posted them on Instagram and in the clip there included a narration-free supercut showing how he did it.
But I had questions. And he had answers — including that he’s done a ton of other characters, even one of Adam West’s Batman running with a bomb.
Dig this:
Dan: Where did you get the idea to do this in the first place?
Sean: Projects like this one are done primarily for fun, but they also serve the purpose of attracting attention to myself as a freelance creative as well as creating a product to sell. Since I’m currently not drawing any comics for the Big Two, there is always a danger of fading into obscurity, which comes along with financial hardship. I noticed that an artist can hit a ceiling on social media if comic art is the only thing they produce. Projects like this are a great way to break out of the pack by showcasing something novel, funny, impressive, perhaps nostalgic or trending, and related to my field of comic or popular arts.
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Dan: Are you a trained engineer or just a genius?
Sean: I’ve always been fairly mechanically minded. I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in industrial design, and am a self identified “Maker.” My head is always buzzing with ideas and making connections, and once in a while, inspiration strikes. Previously as a comic book artist, I would have to resist going down that rabbit hole to develop a project because it would jeopardize my deadlines, being that comics take a lot of time to make. These days, I have more control over the pace and the focus of my output, making these whimsical projects more possible. With Instagram, these projects take on more of an importance because their success is directly tied to my visibility and relevance as well as reach outside of the regular comic art crowd.
These creative projects that incorporate my comic drawing abilities are usually inspired by children’s craft projects. Either something that I saw online or projects my daughter brings home from school. My idea is to take these projects and apply a professional level of artistry and engineering to them as if an adult is taking these kids’ crafts too seriously. I think that’s where the humor comes from.
Dan: What is it you love about the show?
Sean: As far as the 1966 Batman as a subject, while I do have very fond memories of the show, the characters I choose to make these running figures out of is more dependent on which characters fit the treatment best. The character needs to be known for a recognizable running moment. Previously, the limiting factor was that their arms and hands need to be occupied since they did not move. The Batman and Robin is the first one where I figured out how to have the arms move in concert with the legs. Other running figures I have made include: Indiana Jones, Tippi Hedren running from attacking birds, Luke Skywalker and Yoda, Superman, Deadpool, as well as some trending soccer and football players. I have a collaboration with the official Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre group for a licensed running figure.
Dan: Any plans on selling these on Etsy? Asking for a friend. Actually, many friends online.
Sean: I don’t sell these officially since they are primarily made for fun and for exhibition on social media. Usually if someone reaches out to me about getting one, I can make them to sell, but they are labor intensive and can get in the way of making comics, which is my focus, so they are limited to when I have downtime.
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MORE
— Celebrate BAT-MANGA’s 60th Anniversary With This Groovy MEGO-Style Action Figure. Click here.
— BATMANIA IN 1966: A Day in the Life — With 13 Groovy COLLECTIBLES. Click here.
June 13, 2026
Love it!