Batman (New Look & television blog)

[Will Dockery]

The Batman TV show was a masterpiece of pop culture.

And according to Carmine Infantino, helped save Batman from
cancellation:

http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/204/

"...decades ago, the entire Batman family -- Batman, Robin, Alfred,
Batwoman, Batgirl, Bat-Mite, and Ace the Bat-Hound -- was in trouble.
Big trouble. Potentially FATAL trouble. It was late 1963. Sales of the
Batman titles were low, and getting lower. "It's this simple: Batman
is dying. We're giving you two guys six months to fix it. If not, it's
over." That's what DC publisher Irwin Donenfeld told editor Julie
Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino. Batman, an American
institution, faced cancellation. "The book was at 32 percent sales,"
Infantino recalls. "Which is a heavy loss. [Batman creator] Bob Kane
hadn't even been doing the work -- he was farming it out to others. He
hadn't touched the drawing for years. What he was turning in was too
old-fashioned." So, with just six issues to turn the tide, Editor
Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino developed the "New Look Batman."
To mark the change, a yellow oval was added to the Bat-ins ignia on
the Caped Crusader's chest..":

http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/205/

"...As mentioned in part one, it's been known for years that one of
the comics Dozier bought that day was Batman #171. This book is cover-
dated May 1965, but in those days comics were dated far in advance of
the month they actually went on sale. A book cover-dated May could go
on sale as early as March -- around the time when Dozier first met
with ABC. Newsstands never carried back issues, but sometimes they
still had issues from previous months, if only because they hadn't
sold yet. So, given all that, let's say you went "scurrying" around
Manhattan in early- to mid-1965, as Dozier did, trying to buy every
single Batman comic you could find. Using the issue we know Dozier
bought as a guide, these are the six comics Dozier probably bought on
that fateful day: JLA #34, Brave and Bold #59; JLA #35, Batman #171;
World's Finest #149; and Detective #339..."

--
"God's Toybox" by Dockery-Beck:
http://www.myspace.com/shadowvilleallstars

"Hasty Pudding" by Dockery-Conley:
http://www.myspace.com/willdockery

[Will Dockery]

The Batman TV show was a masterpiece of pop culture.  Fanboys need to
get over it and see the brilliance at work.  Still waiting on those
damn DVDs....
It's going to be a while.  The rights are still being sorted out in court.

I know.  Years ago, I was working for a company who was going to pay
for all the remastering, do the interviews, etc and both Fox and
Warner Brothers insisted the *other* had the rights. I'd heard word
that it had finally been sorted out, but I guess thats when they both
realized what a gold mine DVD was and now insist that they, in fact do
have the rights, and not the other.  Idiots.  Now there's no chance to
do a Frank Gorshin interview.

I just came across the Mp3 of Frank Gorshin's single of "The Riddler",
which is pretty cool:

http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/368/

"...Hello reader! We all know that impressionist/actor Frank Gorshin
popularized and immortalized one Edward Nigma a.k.a. The Riddler on
the Batman TV show -- but did you know that Gorshin once released a 45
rpm record where he sings an entire riddle-filled song as the Riddler?
He did! Titled "The Riddler," this 45's A-side song was composed and
arranged by the great Mel Torme. It's a charming little period piece,
and you can hear it as an MP3 by clicking on the link below...

http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/368/riddler.mp3

--
"God's Toybox" by Dockery-Beck:
http://www.myspace.com/shadowvilleallstars

"Hasty Pudding" by Dockery-Conley:
http://www.myspace.com/willdockery

[Wayne Garmil]

On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 10:23:09 -0800 (PST), Will Dockery

Post by Will Dockery
I just came across the Mp3 of Frank Gorshin's single of "The Riddler",
http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/368/

Oooo, great find!! I heard the song once before, on Dr Demento as a
tribute to Frank Gorshin when he died. Definitely downloading and
adding to my super-hero related song collection.

Wayne

[Brain Death]

On Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:52:38 -0800 (PST), Will Dockery

Post by Will Dockery

The Batman TV show was a masterpiece of pop culture.

And according to Carmine Infantino, helped save Batman from
http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/204/
"...decades ago, the entire Batman family -- Batman, Robin, Alfred,
Batwoman, Batgirl, Bat-Mite, and Ace the Bat-Hound -- was in trouble.
Big trouble. Potentially FATAL trouble. It was late 1963. Sales of the
Batman titles were low, and getting lower. "It's this simple: Batman
is dying. We're giving you two guys six months to fix it. If not, it's
over." That's what DC publisher Irwin Donenfeld told editor Julie
Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino. Batman, an American
institution, faced cancellation. "The book was at 32 percent sales,"
Infantino recalls. "Which is a heavy loss. [Batman creator] Bob Kane
hadn't even been doing the work -- he was farming it out to others. He
hadn't touched the drawing for years. What he was turning in was too
old-fashioned." So, with just six issues to turn the tide, Editor
Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino developed the "New Look Batman."
To mark the change, a yellow oval was added to the Bat-ins ignia on

Dial B for Blog is terrific, but I have always found this story to be
a little difficult to swallow. It is certainly true that Batman's
circulation dropped from 1960-62 by about 20%, but that still ranked
it as one of DC's higher selling mags. Of the DC comics that reported
circulation in 1961, Batman ranked third, behind only Superman and
Superboy. Of those reporting circulation in 1962, Batman ranked fifth
(Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane passed him). Of the DC comics reporting
circulation in 1963, Batman ranked 8th (Action, World's Finest and
Adventure moved up). While the trend was certainly disturbing, Batman
still ranked above 20 other magazines in the DC stable.

BD

[Will Dockery]

Post by Brain Death

Post by Will Dockery

The Batman TV show was a masterpiece of pop culture.

And according to Carmine Infantino, helped save Batman from
http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/204/
"...decades ago, the entire Batman family -- Batman, Robin, Alfred,
Batwoman, Batgirl, Bat-Mite, and Ace the Bat-Hound -- was in trouble.
Big trouble. Potentially FATAL trouble. It was late 1963. Sales of the
Batman titles were low, and getting lower. "It's this simple: Batman
is dying. We're giving you two guys six months to fix it. If not, it's
over." That's what DC publisher Irwin Donenfeld told editor Julie
Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino. Batman, an American
institution, faced cancellation. "The book was at 32 percent sales,"
Infantino recalls. "Which is a heavy loss. [Batman creator] Bob Kane
hadn't even been doing the work -- he was farming it out to others. He
hadn't touched the drawing for years. What he was turning in was too
old-fashioned." So, with just six issues to turn the tide, Editor
Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino developed the "New Look Batman."
To mark the change, a yellow oval was added to the Bat-ins ignia on

Dial B for Blog is terrific, but I have always found this story to be
a little difficult to swallow.  It is certainly true that Batman's
circulation dropped from 1960-62 by about 20%, but that still ranked
it as one of DC's higher selling mags.  Of the DC comics that reported
circulation in 1961, Batman ranked third, behind only Superman and
Superboy.  Of those reporting circulation in 1962, Batman ranked fifth
(Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane passed him).  Of the DC comics reporting
circulation in 1963, Batman ranked 8th (Action, World's Finest and
Adventure moved up).  While the trend was certainly disturbing, Batman
still ranked above 20 other magazines in the DC stable.

For one of the Big Two to drop to 8th place, though...

I really loved the odd art that "outside house" workers produced, like
the bubblegum card scans I just came across today, gorgeous paintings
by pulp master Norman Saunders:

http://www.normansaunders.com/BIO-TEXT.HTML

NORMAN BLAINE SAUNDERS by David Saunders

He was renowned for his luscious palette and exciting action scenes,
his sexy women and his ability to shoot from the hip when facing a
deadline! Norman Blaine Saunders' illustration career was as big and
successful as any artist could hope for, and no single genre could
contain his remarkable talent. He painted them all - aliens and
aviators, heroes and hunters, detectives and demons, quarterbacks and
comic books, sex kittens and serial killers, westerns and wacky
packs!

Some of the Batman pages:

http://www.normansaunders.com/Btmn-Blue%2C01.html

http://www.normansaunders.com/Btmn-Blue%2C03.html

http://www.normansaunders.com/Btmn-Blue%2C05.html

http://www.normansaunders.com/Btmn-Blue%2C07.html

--
"Toxin on Glass" by Maxwell-Woolfolk-Frankfurth-Dockery:

[Dave]

What gorgous stuff -- an incredible blast from the past. Somebody got
a great deal when my Mom sold my Batman cards at the yardsale!

dave

[Chuck Michael]

Post by Dave
What gorgous stuff -- an incredible blast from the past. Somebody got
a great deal when my Mom sold my Batman cards at the yardsale!
dave

I've still got mine, which is most of the set, around here somewhere.

Chuck

[Kent Allard]

Post by Chuck Michael

Post by Dave
What gorgous stuff -- an incredible blast from the past. Somebody got
a great deal when my Mom sold my Batman cards at the yardsale!
dave

I've still got mine, which is most of the set, around here somewhere.

They were all reprinted and sold as a boxed set a number of years ago. I bought
them for the nostalgia.

[Will Dockery]

Post by Kent Allard

Post by Chuck Michael

What gorgous stuff -- an incredible blast from the past.  Somebody got
a great deal when my Mom sold my Batman cards at the yardsale!
dave

I've still got mine, which is most of the set, around here somewhere.

They were all reprinted and sold as a boxed set a number of years ago. I bought
them for the nostalgia.

Jeeze, I hate to be reminded of that... I lost /that/ set in the
confusion of a divorce back in 1995, a lot of nice stuff just left
behind in the rush to get away from there.

--
"Mirror Twins" by Dockery-Fowler:
http://www.myspace.com/shadowvilleallstars

[w***@gmail.com]

Post by Will Dockery

The Batman TV show was a masterpiece of pop culture.

And according to Carmine Infantino, helped save Batman from
http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/204/
"...decades ago, the entire Batman family -- Batman, Robin, Alfred,
Batwoman, Batgirl, Bat-Mite, and Ace the Bat-Hound -- was in trouble.
Big trouble. Potentially FATAL trouble. It was late 1963. Sales of the
Batman titles were low, and getting lower. "It's this simple: Batman
is dying. We're giving you two guys six months to fix it. If not, it's
over." That's what DC publisher Irwin Donenfeld told editor Julie
Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino. Batman, an American
institution, faced cancellation. "The book was at 32 percent sales,"
Infantino recalls. "Which is a heavy loss. [Batman creator] Bob Kane
hadn't even been doing the work -- he was farming it out to others. He
hadn't touched the drawing for years. What he was turning in was too
old-fashioned." So, with just six issues to turn the tide, Editor
Schwartz and artist Carmine Infantino developed the "New Look Batman."
To mark the change, a yellow oval was added to the Bat-ins ignia on
http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/205/
"...As mentioned in part one, it's been known for years that one of
the comics Dozier bought that day was Batman #171. This book is cover-
dated May 1965, but in those days comics were dated far in advance of
the month they actually went on sale. A book cover-dated May could go
on sale as early as March -- around the time when Dozier first met
with ABC. Newsstands never carried back issues, but sometimes they
still had issues from previous months, if only because they hadn't
sold yet. So, given all that, let's say you went "scurrying" around
Manhattan in early- to mid-1965, as Dozier did, trying to buy every
single Batman comic you could find. Using the issue we know Dozier
bought as a guide, these are the six comics Dozier probably bought on
that fateful day: JLA #34, Brave and Bold #59; JLA #35, Batman #171;
World's Finest #149; and Detective #339..."
--
"God's Toybox" by Dockery-Beck:http://www.myspace.com/shadowvilleallstars
"Hasty Pudding" by Dockery-Conley:http://www.myspace.com/willdockery

thanks for posting this info