Batman's Origin

I recall what a shock it was to see ther last season of this show. It couldn't have been more different from the 1st season. Such a huge improvement, the art, animation, writing, everything.

Actually seeing Batman's origin retold-- and on a Saturday morning cartoon-- who'd a thunk it? And having Adam West do the voice of Batman-- wow. This proved to me he could have been a "serious" Batman, if it hadn't been for the attitude of the producers and writers of the 60's series.

Incidentally, Batman's origin was actually referenced 3 times on the Adam West series-- but if you blinked you'd miss it.


1 - In the pre-credit sequence of the very 1st episode, Bruce Wayne mentions "If only there'd been an organization like the Wayne Foundation to help victims of violent crime at the time my parents were killed by dasterdly criminals..." And that was it-- they mentioned it, got it out of the way, and moved on. No need to dwell. THAT Batman spent his life helping others because he could, not dwelling on revenge.

2 - A 2nd-season Joker story has Bruce Wayne "undercover" pretending he's embezzled money to get the goods on the baddie. When Robin is captured, Joker tries to force Wayne to MURDER the Boy Wonder! But Wayne tells him, "Ever since the murder of my parents, violence has been anathema to me." (This of course, sickens The Joker.)

3 - The 3rd-season Shame story has Batman, having escaped being bushwhacked, beat the CRAP out of the gun-toting cowboy, while telling him, "I'm going to make the streets safe for little children to play on!" It sounded unbearably corny-- until I realized what he was referring to!