DC Comics has teamed-up with Taco Bell Restaurants to celebrate their 75th anniversary. There's a brand-new "DC Comics 75" Taco Bell Kid's Meal where you get an HUGE 3-D Color Poster, 3D Glasses, and a 3D Punch-Out Superhero Scene featuring Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, or Green Lantern! Down below are some examples of the Batman Premium ( which is the character we all care the most about, ha ha! ). Thanks to MATT for giving us the heads-up about this new fast food promo & also for sending the cool photos!
Just in case you've been worried about how much money Batman ( Bruce Wayne ) has, then worry no more. He made the "Fictional 15 List" at Forbes this year, whew! Forbes Magazine is known as "the Bible of Capitalism" & they're usually pretty serious about business & financial news. But every year they like to do this very cute thing where they analyze "how much money fictional characters have" & create a list of the top 15. I don't know why Bruce Wayne is on the list because he's real, ha! Well, it looks like he is among some of the wealthiest including Montgomery Burns ( The Simpsons ), Richie Rich, Uncle Scrooge, Jed Clampett ( The Beverly Hillbillies ), Tony Stark ( Ironman ), & others. To read the entire article, and for more information, click HERE!
The big piece of Batman News over the weekend was C2E2 where Kevin Conroy sort of kinda dissed Christian Bale's Batman Voice ! Yeah, at the Chicago Comic Book Convention event there was a panel of animation voice actors where somebody asked Kevin Conroy ( Batman: The Animated Series TV Cartoon & Batman: Arkham Asylum Video Game ) what he thought about Bale's version of Batman...check it out!!
Batman, The Caped Crusader, kicks off a new series of statues capturing the original depictions of some of DC Comics' most beloved characters. This statue is a modern sculptural interpretation of the early "Golden Age" comic book appearances of Batman. This new DC Chronicles statue line will have a consistent base, and the retro-style lettering / logo on the base further gives the piece a sense of the period from which it originated. This limited-edition, hand-painted, cold-cast porcelain statue measures approximately 6 3/4' high x 5' 1/2 wide x 4' deep. It goes on sale April 21, 2010 at a retail price of $99.99, or you pre-order the item before it hits retail & save 20% off by clicking the button down below.
Fans of Original Batman Comic Book Artwork are gonna totally love this! Up above is the Cover Art done by Mike Parobeck for issue #35 of THE BATMAN ADVENTURES. This was basically a tie-in for the Animated Series Cartoon & done in the exact same style. Personally, I have always loved the TV Show so the comics they made were great too because you got the same great graphics. (( Please be sure to click on the pic up above for a way larger, more sharp, picture )) The minimal-clean artwork is totally beautiful! Also, the cover features both Batman & Catwoman so that's kind of cool too.
Alright, I thought I'd share some news on a few brand-new unusual BATMAN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD products that are out there now. The 1st one is an EASTER EGG DECORATING KIT that was sold at Toys-R-Us. Now, how did this piece of merchandise get by me? I never knew they made it until later. I'm not sure if they're still out there ( maybe on clearance? ) but I hope they release them again next year. It's not really a big deal but the graphics are kinda cool. Now speaking of graphics, the next product is loaded with great images from the TV cartoon! It's a "Provo Craft Cricut Batman Activity Shape Cartridge". This cartridge contains images of Batman, Green Arrow, the Blue Beetle, Aquaman, Red Tornado, and The Joker, along with an action-style font that would be ideal for your child's room, homemade comics, or scrapbook pages. You can also cut out an exciting assortment of party supplies, such as costume pieces, party favors, gift boxes, cards, envelopes, and 3D gadgets that will make your birthday kid feel like a Hero. I gotta say that I totally love those 2 Batman & Joker Paper Toy Figures in the pic, they're very cool! But I don't think I'll be buying this because to use the cartridge ( which is around 50 bucks ) you gotta have a special Cricut Machine. It's basically a "printer & shape-cutter" all built into one. They have different models & the cheapest one is around $120.00. Now on eBay you can buy a used one for around 60 dollars, but the whole package is sort of too expensive for me. But if you're an Arts & Crafts person who already has this machine then the cartridge is pretty cool. I've supplied a link down below for where to buy one.
The other night Nicolas Cage was on the Tonight Show promoting his new movie KICK ASS. He was bragging about what a total Batman expert he is so Jay Leno brought out Adam West ( 1966 TV Batman ) for them to have a mini-game show-type contest. It was really really great!! Do you know who won? Well, to find that out you have to watch, ha ha!
The next new BATMAN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD episode will be titled "Gorillas in our Midst". It airs this Friday, April 16th at 7:30 p.m. on the Cartoon Network! Written By Todd Casey.
SYNOPSIS: Gorilla Grodd and his Super Secret Ape Alliance replace Gotham City's entire human population with gorillas. Yes! Gorillas! Batman teams up with the Detective Chimp, B'Wana Beast, and Vixen to thwart the mad Gorilla Grodd's plans!!
CAST: Diedrich Bader - Batman / Gorilla Boss Mark Hamill - The Spectre John DiMaggio - Gorilla Grodd Kevin M Richardson - B'wana Beast / Mrs. Mallah Dee Bradley Baker - Dr. Milo / Detective Chimp / Bat-Griffin Cree Summer - Vixen
A Good Citizen named Perry sent this wonderful photo with some very interesting information. The TRADER JOE'S store in Culver City, California, had a mural on its wall that pays homage to the 1966 Batman TV series ( click on the above photo for a larger, more readable version ). It reads, "Commissoner, The prices at Trader Joes are so low, it's GOT to be a crime!", ha ha! The underneath the mural there's a painted plaque that says, "BATMAN The Television Series was filmed in Culver City from 1966-1968." Awesome!! Thank You Perry, this is in deed a great piece of Bat-History!
Hey everybody, a Punk Rock group called "Adam West: The Bat" will be playing in North Hollywood, CA on April 23rd, 2010 from 8PM - 2AM. They will be playing at the CIA - The California Institute of Abnormal Arts. The group is made up from a group of cosplayers who like to dress-up as Batman, The Flash, & 2 Jokers! ( Thanks for the info Aaron ). In case you're interested, here's a link to their music page on MySpace, click ::HERE::
Whew! I almost forgot that today is "Wacky Wallpaper Wednesday", ha ha! OK, to make up for being a tiny bit late I thought I would post 3 free wallpapers instead of the regular 2. I recently asked some people at random what kind of backgrounds they would like & the most popular answer was Batman: The Brave and The Bold. So, here are some that feature Batman, Aquaman, & the super-awesome Batmobile car from the show! The photo of the car is actually a photo of the action figure toy vehicle made by Mattel. I don't know, I thought it was a cool pic. I hope you guys enjoy them all!!
OK, I have been meaning to write about this for awhile but keep getting sidetracked. So, here we GO, finally! There are these 2 young guys named Steve & Andy and they just recently discovered the 1966 Batman TV Series! Yeah, I guess they're kind of young & missed it when they were children. Today, they do a very excellent podcast about their experiences watching the 1960's classic & they review each episode. It's kinda funny how much they totally love the show. But, that's cool! If you're a fan of the TV show too then you might wanna check out their page sometime, just click HERE!
Right now there's an Art Show titled "New Idols" at the Don Gallery in Milano, Italy. The show features 1980's Pop Icon Sculptures by Francesco De Molfetta. He's done a few that are a parody of E.T., Transformers, Barbie Doll, Superman, etc... Most of them are sort of political & all of them have a lot of humor. This is the one he did of Batman, or I should say, "Fatman", ha! For more info on the event, click HERE!
A friend of mine over at a Message Board I belong to found these POP ART Wall Hangings the other night at a Target Store. They're in their "Decorating Interior Design" area where they have a bunch of Clocks, Lamps, Framed Pictures & other Home Accessories. They're designed to look a lot like the 1966 Batman TV Show where they had POW! & BANG! appear on the screen. OK, how fun is that?! Now while they are not exactly "Batman merchandise" they are still kind of cool! If anything these would be great for a little kid's bedroom or baby nursery room. Let me know if you get any. In fact, if any Bat-Blog fans come across new Caped Crusader items while they're shopping then please let us know, thanks.
OK, as both a Toy Collector & Dealer for many years I have totally been in love with a toy company named FUNKO. They make those really cool "Wacky Wobblers" or Bobble Head Nodders. The company has been around a few years now & there are literally hundreds of these nodders that they have made. They're really great! In recent years they have expanded their line of toys with other items like Small Plastic Figures, Toy Banks, PC Computer Monitor "Sitters", & even Plush Toys. Well, awhile back, here at the Bat-Blog, we reported that Funko was coming out with Justice League Plush Dolls. As soon as I heard that news I knew that they finally got the "DC Comics" license. You see, they have been making Marvel Comics Nodders for a few years now. So, here's the great news! It looks like they will be coming out with a few brand-new Batman items!! The 1st picture is a "Wacky Wobbler" where Batman's head wobbles on a Batmobile Car Body ( instead of the standard "human body", like most nodders ). They have made a few of these with characters like Rat Fink, Betty Boop, & even Count Chocula, among others. The next picture, showing the Dark Knight perched on the edge of something, that's a "Computer Sitter". It's a small plastic figure designed & balanced to sit on the top edge of you PC Monitor. I'm showing one that they made of Spiderman, as an example. There is also a rumor that they will make some "Funko Force" Figures of Batman as well. That's what that picture of Ironman is there for, to show an example. They are very small figures that have a weird "sort-of cartoon" look. I think they're releasing these slower selling products with Batman 1st & will later come out with a ton of regular nodders...which, WILL BE AWESOME!! So, be sure to stay tuned to the Bat-Blog for all future news, photos, & release dates ( I'm excited! ).
Our good friend Reis, who writes the cool GEEK ORTHODOX blog, recently posted these 2 photos showing a BLAMMOIDS Batman Action Figure he bought. It's the 1st time I have ever seen what the packaging looks like so I thought I would share them here. Even though this line of DC Direct figures is extremely weird & even kinda ugly. Some of them are actually starting to grow on me a little bit. I might have to get a few of them, at least the Batman one....or maybe The Joker, ha! Now, mentioning Reis' website also makes me think that some of you need to visit sometime. If you're a toy collector geek then you'll totally love it! Just click HERE!
OK, here's some Batman news that's kinda strange. I really like ART and every now & then I'll check out a few Art Galleries or Art-Related Websites online to enjoy looking at some drawings, paintings, or just what's going on in the Art World. The other night I was reading the JUXTAPOZ Magazine website. They cover the "underground art scene" & have some really interesting stuff sometimes. Their main focus is what some call "Outsider Art". It's artwork that is outside the main stream. Bouncing around the site I came across this awesome Joker-inspired T-Shirt that they have on their STORE page. It's called "The Villain" & was designed by the Artist Anthony Lister. Looking at it, it's obviously the Joker, ha ha! Anyways, I knew some Bat-Blog Readers would really like it so that's the reason for the post. For more info, here's a link to check it out, click HERE!
Here's a graphic I came across the other day that was so beautiful I knew it HAD to be a special Batman and Robin Desktop Wallpaper Background here at the olde Bat-Blog! It's a wonderful pencil sketch done by Alex Ross of a "Flying Batmobile". I love the all the fine details put into this Retro-Style Vehicle, it's extremely cool! Now remember, we always post a few brand-new Batman Desktop Backgrounds every Wednesday so be sure to visit us then. In the mean time, please enjoy this one!
OK, all of us Vintage Batman Toy Collectors have seen these really cool 1966 Batman License Plate Bicycle Tags made by MARX. They did a few different ones & personally, I love them all. But this one ( the one on the right ) is very special. The one on the left is the cool vintage piece of 60's memorabilia we all might get to see at a Toy Show or Flea Market ( if we're having a very lucky day ). But the one on the right is an example of one that was "never punched or stamped at the factory". Go ahead & click on the photo up above for a large, crisp photo. Then, prepare to drool! This is extremely RARE to find something like this! I think it's pretty cool & is a great piece of Bat-History! I wanna thank our good friend THE BATFAN for sharing this photo. He said he recently came across it while unpacking some boxes. I've done that before, found something you forgot about buying. When it happens, it's almost like Christmas!
Batgirl is the latest superhero to join one of the most successful DC Direct statue lines of all time – the COVER GIRLS OF THE DC UNIVERSE! DC Direct had this specially designed by Batman fan-favorite artist Adam Hughes, this statue depicts a fun-loving Barbara Gordon as she untangles her bat-line. It's hand-painted, cold-cast in porcelain and is a Limited Edition. It goes on sale November 10th, 2010. Retail Price: $99.99. For a better deal, click below:
OK, this news scoop really belongs to my buddy Eric over at his TOYRIFFIC website. He discovered a brand-new Batman Batmobile Car in a special 2010 Series Hot Wheels Checklist Poster ( click on it for a larger version ) that will be produced by Mattel for their line of toy cars & I could not be more excited! Why? Well, the Die-Cast Car they're gonna make is going to be the TV Cartoon Batmobile from BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD!! Since I mentioned Eric's website, TOYRIFFIC, I gotta say that it's pretty cool & his main focus is really toy collecting in general. But he does cover fun Batman stuff from time to time. Here's a link if ya wanna check it out, just click HERE!
OK, the big deal with Batman right now is that everyone is totally excited about BATMAN: ODYSSEY coming out in July of 2010. I know that personally, I AM! Here's the artwork for the # 1 issue right here, done by Neal Adams! Remember, it will be a a 12-part mini-series & this is only the 1st one...oh yea!
Here's a really weird piece of Batman history I came across the other day. It's a picture of an advertisement that might have appeared in a vintage comic book. I'm pretty sure that it is from Argentina. It features Batman, Robin, & Jim Gordon. It looks like they are trying to sell Strawberry Yogurt??? It's made to look like a comic book page & it's titled "El Acertijo", which means, "The Riddler". But, the Riddler character is NOT in the ad...yes, very strange. If anybody can read this, or knows about its origin, then please let us know.
Over at the MEGO MUSEUM they recently thought about the idea of "What if the Mego Toy Company had NOT gone out of business & they had created a 1978 Toy Catalog?". What would it look like & what sort of products might they have come out with? Well, here's the answer! The Mego Museum has made an extremely cool "fake catalog" of "1978" Mego Dolls & Accessories titled "1978 REIMAGINED". It's loaded with a ton of beautiful color photos showing many Custom Mego Dolls of items we all wish they would have had the chance to make. What if they extended their line of Superhero Toys? What if they made some 8" KISS Dolls? How about if they made Cartoon Characters like Scooby Doo? What about the early SUPERMAN Movies? My favorite is the idea of making dolls based on the 1966 BATMAN TV Series. They also ask the question, what if Mego had got to do Star Wars figures back in the day? The list goes on & on. This looks like a pretty cool product & a great idea. If you would like more information on this then be sure to visit their website today by clicking HERE!
Here's a few photos showing a very nice assortment of Custom Munny Action Figures made by a Fan of the Bat-Blog named "MischiefUO". They're really great! He did one of Batman from the modern-day comic book & the rest look like they are toys inspired by The Dark Knight movie. There's a "Bank Robber Joker with Goon-Mask", a "Bruce Wayne" figure with the early bat-suit, & a few different Jokers! Thanks to MischiefUO for sending in these great pics, each & every custom figure is extremely well done, good job! As always I want to invite all Bat-Blog Readers to send us any kind of Batman-related pictures you might have, thanks.
