[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Just like the show, Batman ’66 meets Steed and Mrs. Peel issue 3 picks up where the cliffhanger of issue 2 left off. Julie Newmar’s Catwoman is at risk. Batman and Robin are trying to rescue her from the dastardly Cybernauts while Chief O’Hara, Commissioner Gordon, and the Avengers look on. Holy smokes, Batman! What will happen next?
The Good:
This is so fun. Writer Ian Edginton is clearly having a great time and the readers should be having fun too. Â The plot is not too complex, nor should it be. This is a classic, albeit campy tale that could have easily been filmed in 1966.
The vocabulary is spot on. There are plenty of “Holy blanks” exclaimed by The Boy Wonder. Batman pontificates and shares his internal monologue with the reader.
Artist Matthew Dow Smith uses the actors’ faces and (even more importantly) shapes to create this comic. That is a brilliant move. People who want to pick this up want it to see those faces. They are totally recognizable. Â They look real and that was the whole point of these original shows. You too could join the fight for justice. You just need some ill fitting costumes and you will be good to go.
The Negative:
The colorists Wendy Broome and Carrie Strachan seem to be using water colors which really makes the look unique. Because of this artistic choice, the shadows are massive and not as defined as a normal comic. Â While this writer likes it, one could see it as distracting.
The Verdict:
If the Adam West Batman turned and winked at the audience, this could not be more aware of itself. Â This is not going to win any awards, but it is fun. and with a price tag of only 99 cents. One can not go wrong.
