Word Balloon Comics Podcast Holy 60th Anniversary Batman !
Jan 14, 2026
20:21
This special episode commemorates the 60th anniversary of the groundbreaking ABC television series Batman, the pop-culture lightning bolt that turned comic books into primetime spectacle and permanently rewired how superheroes could be portrayed on screen. I share a couple of professional and personal encounters with "The Bright Knight"
But, at the heart of the episode is a rare 2016 interview with the late, great Adam West, recorded not long before his passing. West reflects candidly on stepping into the cape and cowl, navigating the razor-thin line between sincerity and satire, and why playing Batman seriously—even when the world was laughing—was the key to the show’s success. He discusses:
But, at the heart of the episode is a rare 2016 interview with the late, great Adam West, recorded not long before his passing. West reflects candidly on stepping into the cape and cowl, navigating the razor-thin line between sincerity and satire, and why playing Batman seriously—even when the world was laughing—was the key to the show’s success. He discusses:
- How the series embraced comic-book logic without mocking it
- The cultural shockwave of Batmania in the 1960s
- The unexpected responsibility of becoming Batman to generations of fans
- Why the role followed him for life—and why he ultimately embraced that legacy