BATMAN 120-MINERVA, MAYHEM, AND MILLIONAIRES

 

BATMAN 120-MINERVA, MAYHEM, AND MILLIONAIRES

 

Sadly, we’ve come to the end. I wish there were more seasons as I thoroughly enjoyed this romp through the entire series.

 

Okay, the producers play rich men who are robbed by Minerva after her treatments. I thought I recognized some of the other names as well. Dozier (bonds from his grandfather clock---can someone cash someone else’s bonds?), Horowitz (money from his TV set), Shubert’s pearls out of her tea urn,  Camille Caron’s emeralds from her cookie jar,  and Mr. Converse’s bonds out of his sleeping bag.

 

The only episode where West is shirtless is this last one.

 

When Minerva mistakes Robin for Batman’s son, he says, “Although I’d be proud if he were, this is not my son, this is Robin the boy wonder.”

 

AND…when Minerva asks them to disrobe, Robin says, “…and if we disrobe, we’d reveal our…” he glances down at himself (!), “…secret, true identities.”

 

O’Hara sprained his ankle playing ping pong and walks with a cane?

 

Zsa Zsa Gabor was a credible threat and an underrated actress IMO. She’s very good here. William Smith, always good, is Adonis and there are four other muscle men (including Apollo and Atlas). I don’t understand why when five men put Batman and Robin in the last bat trap, the Steam Pressure Cooker, Robin later explains it as three muscle men doing it? And the duo can’t fight these guys? We also do not see them escape it.

 

Freddie the Fence also reappears!

 

There is also a strong Greek presence felt at Minerva’s and I must say the sets are once again strong ones. Though a wall does wobble when she closes a door.

 

I’m happy to report the bat fight is extremely good. BUT they put Alfred in jeopardy and then have to rescue him after knowing Minerva’s men put them in a death trap? Huh? In any case, the fight is great one. BUT once more Batgirl can’t fight Minerva alone and is overpowered by the muscle men! Robin frees Batgirl and Alfred from the pressure cooker. Oh and while the fight is great, nothing is gayer than Batman lifting Robin from behind so he can kick some guys. I also never got the idea of Batman throwing Robin at guys or them throwing each other’s fists at hench men. Either way this is a good episode.

 

Affectionately, during the Batfight, just after releasing her, Robin shakes Batgirl’s arm or hand. Batman, also, alone, proves he can punch out at least four or five of the muscle men.   

 

During the fight, a man attacks Batgirl from behind but we cut to Batman and Robin.

 

Additionally, Gordon is quite taken by Minerva and feels they must all be ashamed for accusing her of crimes. In the end, even when he knows she is guilty, he escorts her out to the paddy wagon with a smile and taken with her. She plans to make a spa at the prison.

 

Alfred and Batgirl’s rapport continues to be fun as she impersonates Minerva and he laughs at it.

 

“Where’s Batgirl?”

 

“Who knows, Robin. Who ever knows?”

 

It is said that NBC was interested in the series for another season or so but the sets had already been destroyed and they weren’t interested in footing the bill to rebuild them. Shame, really, as maybe it would have worked without the Batcave until they could find someone to build it or not.

 

The show certainly had more …uhm, steam in it.

 

In 2013, DC began publication of Batman '66, which tells all-new stories set in the world of the 1966–68 TV series. Characters from the television series such as the Bookworm, the Minstrel, the Sandman, Olga, Queen of the Cossacks, Zelda the Great, Shame, and Marsha, Queen of Diamonds all made their first comic book appearances in the series. The Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, the Catwoman and Mr. Freeze also appeared in the series. Characters who were not featured in the television series (some of them were created after the series ended) also appeared in Batman '66, with the Red Hood and Dr. Quinn appearing in issue #3, Poison Ivy in issue #26, Bane in issue #27, the Scarecrow and Killer Croc in issue #28, Kobra in issue #72, the Copperhead in Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 issue #5, Professor Hugo Strange in Batman '66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E., and Ra's al Ghul and Talia al Ghul in Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77. Also, new characters and vehicles were created for the series such as the Bat-Jet, used to follow False Face to Mount Rushmore, as well as a new villainess named Cleopatra.

 

Len Wein and José Luis García-López produced a comics adaptation of a Two-Face story written by Harlan Ellison originally intended for the Batman television series in the 1960s. In June 2014, Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman's six-issue Batman and the Green Hornet crossover miniseries, Batman '66 Meets The Green Hornet, began publication. There are also three other crossover miniseries with fellow 1960s and 1970s TV shows; The Man From U.N.C.L.E. with Batman '66 Meets the Man From U.N.C.L.E., TV's The Avengers with Batman '66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel, and Wonder Woman, as played by Lynda Carter, in Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77. In July 2017, a new crossover one-shot issue called Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super Heroes shows Batman and Robin teaming up with the Legion of Super Heroes. In July 2018, the Batman archvillains attempted to take over Riverdale in the crossover miniseries Archie Meets Batman '66.

 

 

There were also two animated features: BATMAN: RETURN OF THE CAPED CRUSADERS and BATMAN VS TWO FACE, both done in the style of BATMAN, the tv series.