So I’ve lived in Los Angeles for almost twenty years now, and I had no idea the Batcycle was only 10 minutes away from my house.
Allow me to explain.
I had the pleasure last Sunday night of attending the premiere party for ’66 BATMAN MEETS THE GREEN HORNET, the new comic by Ralph Garman and Kevin Smith, with art by the amazing Ty Templeton. To celebrate the release of the first issue this week, Smith and Garman threw a bash at the Petersen Automobile Museum here in Los Angeles, California, which just happens to be the home of both the Batcycle driven by Adam West in both the 1966 BATMAN TV series and feature film, but also the original Black Beauty, the automobile driven by the Green Hornet and Kato in the short-lived 1967 GREEN HORNET television series (as well as Keaton’s Batmobile and the SPEED RACER MACH 5, just to name a few of the amazing things on display).
Black Beauty is enormous in real life.
Still as sweet-looking as in sixty-six.
Surrounded by Bat-vehicles and with some truly outstanding cosplayers of Batman (Scott Sebring), Robin (Sam McClellan), the Green Hornet (Brad Hansen) and Kato (Nicholas Johnson) in attendance, Ralph and Kevin settled in for a recording of Kevin’s Batman-centric podcast FATMAN ON BATMAN, during which they discussed the origins not only of the project, but also Ralph’s lifelong obsession with the 1966 BATMAN TV series, before kicking off a hilarious live performance of the first issue of BATMAN MEETS THE GREEN HORNET, with Ralph providing most of the voices, including his spot-on Adam West and Burt Ward impressions, and Kevin chiming in with his one celebrity impression, that of Bane from DARK KNIGHT RISES, voicing the series’ bad guy, General Gumm.
Evildoers beware!
Kevin and Ralph talk BATMAN.
So it was a great evening, but how is the comic, you ask?
Turns out, it’s really good. If anyone was born to write the further adventures of the 1966 Batman, it’s Garman, who channels the series effortlessly, capturing the pacing, the voice, and most important, the humor of the original series.
Combine that with Ty Templeton’s delightful art and spot-on likenesses, all under the astounding covers from Alex Ross, and you have what’s bound to be my most anticipated comic for the next five months.
Those of you in the Los Angeles area should come down to BLASTOFF in North Hollywood and pick up a copy. And for a taste of the fun that was had last weekend at the Petersen, make sure to listen to next week’s episode of FATMAN ON BATMAN.
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