April 30, 2007

Two 1970's Batman Novelty Transistor Radios

"Play That Funky Music White Boy, Play That Funky Music Right!". During the Disco craze of the 1970's Transistor Radios were still quite popular. One of my favorite kind of radios are the novelty ones. Here are 2 Batman radios from that classic era. Both are shown with their original boxes...ROCK ON!

April 29, 2007

PLANET COMICON : KANSAS CITY, KS May 5th & 6th, Special Comic Book Convention Guest JIM LEE!

OK, a new function of the BAT-BLOG is to list upcoming comic book conventions so BAT-BLOG readers can stay current & check out shows in their area. This listing is for PLANET COMICON that will open Saturday, May 5th, 2007 in Kansas City, KS! The special guest will be none other the THE Batman Artist JIM LEE! Other Batman artists/writers appearing will be Jason Aaron, Rick Burchett ( Batman Adventures, Batman & Robin Adventures, Batman: Gotham Adventures and Batman: Beyond ), Jai Nitz ( Batman Strikes ), & Rich Buckler. More info can be found at their website: http://www.planetcomicon.com/ Hotwire is a great source for finding cheap airline tickets & car rentals. It's also good if you're looking for a cheap hotel too. Hotwire

Foreign Vintage Batman Memorabilia: Japan, Argentina, & France!

Now, people who know me know how I seriously LOVE the wacky "Foreign Batman Memorabilia"! It's really hard to find & very obscure. Here are a few examples: The 1st one is a set of Playing Cards from Japan that were play pieces for a bootleg Japanese Board Game. I love the weird artwork made just "wrong enough" to slip by copyright laws, ha ha! The 2nd pieces of memorabilia is a group of Batman Comic Books from Argentina! I love the golden age style artwork & the strange horizontal format. These are from the late 1950's so that's cool too. The last item is a Giant-Sized Original Vintage 60's Movie Poster from France made for the 1966 Batman Movie starring Adam West & Burt Ward...sweet! Be sure to check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for mant more examples of Vintage Foreign Batman Memorabilia!!

Vintage 1966 Batman PICTURE PISTOL By MARX TOYS

Here's a great set of photos sent in by a loyal BAT-BLOG reader & it kind of tortures me! I mean, I have been seriously collecting Vintage Batman Memorabilia for 20+ years & have NEVER found this!! It's the Batman PICTURE PISTOL by Marx Toys. Now you can find one on eBay but it will cost $200+, something I can't afford right now. It's a large toy gun that has a projector built inside. You get these film strips you can load & then project large pictures on the wall. I also LOVE the graphics on the box...sweet! You can click on the small picture upabove for a larger, more detailed, photo. Also, Remember to check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for much much more Vintage Batman Memorabilia!

April 28, 2007

CHALLENGE OF THE SUPERFRIENDS Model Sheets

Here's the original model sheets for CATWOMAN & RIDDLER done by Alex Toth for the CHALLENGE OF THE SUPERFRIENDS Cartoon ©1978 Hanna Barbera. As a little kid going to comic book conventions I met Alex Toth & he was really nice to me. I regret that I was too young to think about getting a sketch or autograph but we had a nice long talk. He was really impressed with how I was totally familuar with alot of his "Golden Age" artwork & comics. He asked what comics I was reading at the time & he said he read some of those too, it was cool. This was around the same time these drawings were done.

BATMAN & ROBIN Join The Crusade For Children's Rights!

In 1979 Bob Kane was commissioned to do the artwork for a UNICEF Poster. It has Batman & Robin with children of different races. Here's what it looked like, it's pretty cool!

April 26, 2007

CAPE 3, COMIC and POP CULTURE EXPO: May 5th, Saturday - Dallas, Texas BRIDE OF CAPE Comic Book Convention


The WORLD’S BIGGEST Free Comic Book Day / Comic Book Convention Event just got bigger. CAPE 3, Comic and Pop-Culture Expo, is back. Coming to you on Saturday May 5th, it’s the biggest Free Comic Book Day event of the year & a great comicon to visit! The all day, indoor/outdoor, event promises to be unlike anything the Dallas area has seen before. “We’ll have plenty of free comics, movie posters, t-shirts, and prizes and folks will have the opportunity to hang with some of the finest people in the comic book industry,” Says Richard Neal, Zeus Comics and Toys owner. “Free comics and fun. I can’t think of a better way to spend the day.” For more information on CAPE Comic Book Conventions or if you are a comic professional who wants to attend please visit http://www.capeday.com.

Hotwire

BATMAN Wacky Wallpaper Wednesday ( Late )

I apologize, Yesterday was Wednesday & that's the day I post 2 NEW Batman Wallpapers you can use on your desktop or in a MySpace Layout! Sorry, I had a brain glitch & totally forgot to add them! I guess it slipped my mind, so today I am posting some really cool ones...enjoy!! The first one is a RETRO 1970's BATMAN LOGO & The 2nd one is HALLE BERRY as Catwoman. That movie was the worst movie ever but she's still HOT! MMMEEEOOOWWW!

CLICK HERE For More Batman Wallpapers for a Desktop or Free to Use Backgrounds in a MySpace Layout!

TV PROMO Video For BATMAN: The Animated Series

April 24, 2007

RARE Vintage 1960's BATMAN TV SHOW TOYS!!

Now it's ONLY my personal opinion but I think some of the best Vintage Batman Toys made were during the 1966 TV Show series. I think maybe because that's what I grew up with & it's where my childhood memories are. Of course, younger collectors like the toys from their childhood & that's either the 1989 Batman Movie or the Batman Animated Series, which I really love too. Here are some examples of the great stuff made in the 1960's!! The 1st photo is the MAGIC-MAGNETIC GOTHAM CITY PLAYSET made by REMCO. This vintage Batman toy was HUGE & had buildings, figures, etc. It's also pretty RARE as I have never seen one! This photo was sent in by a loyal BAT-BLOG reader named Jake ( Thanx Jake! ). The 2nd picture is a wonderful store display card selling Batman Combs. This is a beautiful masterpiece of ART & deserves to be in the design collection of the Museum of Modern Art, ha ha!! The last item is, of course, the classic 1966 Batman Boardgame made by Hasbro. This is one of my favorites because the actual game board has such cool artwork, worthy of framing. They really designed this one very well as they usually stamp some kind of generic art on these. Remember, you can always click on the photos to see larger ones that are more detailed & be sure to check out the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for many many more Vintage Batman Memorabilia like Mego, Corgi, Kenner, TransOgram, Ideal, etc...
kbtoys.com (eToys Direct, Inc.)

April 23, 2007

1966 BATMAN GUMBALL MACHINE CHARMS / FIGURES

Late tonight I got an e-mail from a guy named Don who wrote,
"Hi, I've been reading your blogs and I think they're great! I'm sending you a picture of a rare set of Batman Gumball Charms that took me almost 41 years to find. They are tiny - a little over an inch in length - soft plastic figures of Batman, Robin, Joker and Penguin that attached to rings, and were sold in penny bubblegum machines in 1966. The charms were made by Samson Product. If you would like to read the whole story about these charms you will find it on my very humble blog which I will give you the address below. Feel free to use this picture on you blog if you would like - it would be an honor to have something of mine appear there. Have a Great Day! Don"
Here's the link:
http://www.rarebatmanfigures.blogspot.com

April 22, 2007

BATMAN RETURNS MOVIE McDonald's Banners

For the 2nd Batman Movie, BATMAN RETURNS, McDonalds had a special Happy Meal. The toys were pretty cool. There was a Batmobile, Batman in Jet-Car, The Penguin in Penguin Boat, & Catwoman in her Catmobile. I know everyone has seen those but this is something I didn't know. Some very lucky McDonalds had GIANT-SIZE Vinyl Advertising Banners with Catwoman ( Michelle Pfeiffer ), Batman ( Michael Keaton ), & The Penguin ( Danny DeVito ). Here's a photo showing their beauty...click on it for a larger, more detailed, picture. I would love to have the Catwoman one...MMMEEEOOOWWW!

Robin TEEN TITANS CARTOON TOYS on Below Half Price Sale

OK, First off as a Batman & Robin Fan I have checked out the TEEN TITANS Animated Cartoon a few times because one of the main characters of the show is Robin. I have to admit I didn't like it at first, little too "anime wannabe". But, I gave the show another chance & I really started to love it! Once you continue to watch it you'll see that the show is very well written with good animation & voice acting. Later I even started to like the anime influence, makes it kind of modern. Anyway, I collect some of the Teen Titan Robin Toys for my Batman Collection because they look pretty cool. The other day I discovered a website that's selling TEEN TITAN toys & right now they are having a dramatic clearance sale at very cheap super-bargain prices. I mean, they say the sale is "half price" but it's actually way cheaper, ha ha! Here's a link to check it out:
The Teen Titans Store

April 21, 2007

Panzer's Custom Figures & Batmobile Models

A good friend to the BAT-BLOG, named PANZER, likes to customize Batman Figures & make special "never-seen-before" Batmobile Model Kits. These babies are works of ART! Recently he'd been selling them on eBay, here's a link to check 'em out!! http://stores.ebay.com/Heros-4-Sale

April 20, 2007

THE BATMAN IN ART HISTORY : Funny Humor Photos

When I opened my e-mail awhile back & found these great pictures I started to laugh out loud!! Thanks Dave, these are really funny!! If anyone else has some cool photos to share then please send them to the BAT-BLOG!

April 19, 2007

DETECTIVE COMICS # 62, Classic 1940's Golden Age Batman Cover

Here's what the cover to the Detective Comics # 62 Comic Book looked like in the 1940's. This is a beautiful Golden Age Masterpiece! Click on the small picture up above for a larger, more detailed, photo...enjoy!
Also, be sure to check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for more examples of Vintage Comic Book Covers & Original Batman Art!

BATMAN VINTAGE TOY COLLECTOR Profile Video

Here's a YouTube Video of a Vintage Batman Toy Collector who has a really great collection! He has many versions of all the cowls, costumes, Batmobiles, carded toys, etc...It looks like he converted his basement into a Batcave, pretty cool stuff! This is Part One of a two-part series so be sure to click on the "Part Two" button inside the video after it's done to see the 2nd half.....neat stuff!

April 18, 2007

ORIGINAL BATMAN & BATGIRL COSTUME Auction Prices

Just the other day the original BATMAN & BATGIRL latex costumes that Val Kilmer & Alicia Silverstone wore in the BATMAN FOREVER Movie were sold on eBay by PROFILES IN HISTORY. That company always has some really amazing items & this was a rare chance to buy a piece of Batman movie History! The Batman suit sold for $55,000 & the Batgirl for $42,500 ( Silver Mask included ). These are wayyy out of my budget but were really nice to see! I hope the new owners end up donating these to a Museum because they are very historical pieces. Be sure to click on the above photos for some larger pictures that are really sharp!

Add BATMAN Wallpaper To a MySpace Layout or Brighten Your Desktop!

OK, I love Wednesday because all I gotta do is post some Batman Wallpapers for "Wacky Wallpaper Wednesday". ha ha! Ya see, I do a post or two, maybe three, every single day here at the BAT-BLOG....we're ALWAYS updating this page & keeping it fresh with current news. About 98% of the time I really enjoy it & am kind of into it. But like anything else some days ya wake up & feel like doin' nothing. Then, I think about the hundreds of people who enjoy the BAT-BLOG on a daily basis & feel guilty. Oh well, whattya going to do?
This wallpaper is the Classic 1966 Batmobile drawn in a "Rat Fink / Monster Hot Rod Trading Cards" Style. I found this image on the net & though this guy's retro artwork was awesome! Be sure to check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for many more Batman Wallpapers posted here in the past. ( Click on the LABEL word "Wallpaper" down below ). Also, be sure to check out our Batman Wallpaper page & share it with your friends, here's a link button for that.
BATMAN GRAPHICS PICTURES DESKTOP WALLPAPER FOR A MYSPACE LAYOUT!
CLICK HERE For More Batman Wallpapers for a Desktop or Free to Use Backgrounds in a MySpace Layout!

April 17, 2007

INTERVIEW : Mego 8" Action Figure Super-Heroes World's Greatest Toys Book!

Coming Soon! Our next interview for the BAT-BLOG INTERVIEWS page will be with Benjamin Holcomb. He is the author of the highly anticipated collector's guide book titled MEGO 8" ACTION FIGURE SUPER-HEROES: WORLD'S GREATEST TOYS! As we speak the BAT-BLOG Message Board is asking for people who have questions about this book to post their questions there & then, in the interview, the questions will all be answered! Down below is a link to our Message Board page. ( The questions area is listed under "Vintage Batman Toys" ).To post your questions you must be a member but it's FREE to join & fun too! Also, in the future be sure to check the INTERVIEWS page for the actual event. The BAT-BLOG will be getting EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & information not available anywhere else! This book is sure to sell out quickly so be sure to reserve yours today, here's a link!! JOIN THE BAT-BLOG BATMAN MESSAGE BOARD!

April 16, 2007

RARE 1966 K and B Batmobile Aurora Slot Car, MIB 1/24 Scale

One of the main things I seriously love about doing the BAT-BLOG is being able to communicate with so many other Batman Fans & Vintage Toy Collectors. For example, this morning I woke up & opened my e-mail there was this mail sent by a reader named Frank. He told me about this MEGA-RARE 1966 K & B Aurora Slot Car he has in his collection. It's "Mint in the Original Box", 1/24th Scale, & he said there are only about 12 known examples of this rare variation in the original box....WOW! Thank You Frank for sending in this great picture, it made my morning! I know our readers are gonna love this photo, I appreciate that! If any other readers have some cool Bat-Photos to share then please do. The love of Rare Vintage Batman Toys is what the BAT-BLOG is all about!!

DC SUPER-HEROES McDonald's Happy Meal Toys from ARGENTINA

Ramiro, our great friend from Argentina, sent us this very recent photo of the current McDonald's Happy Meal Toy promotion in Argentina. They are doing the DC SUPER-HEROES Game Card Holder Set. Basically, there are seven "action figures" that are sort of flat ( but still 3-D ) & their bodies open to store DC Superhero Game Cards inside. The characters include Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman, Superman, Wonder Woman, & The Flash! I love the figures & the old-style "McCube Box" is kinda neat to see again. Why didn't we get these here in America? Right now we have the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles & Madame Alexander Wizard of OZ Dolls....lame! We wanna thank Ramiro for another great picture, thank you bat-friend! If any BAT-BLOG Readers from outside the USA has some Batman Toy News then please send it in!

April 15, 2007

TOPPS 1966 BATMAN TRADING CARD SET WRAPPER

Here's a really great reference photo of the Topps 1966 Batman 5 cent Trading Cards Wrapper. The 2 bottom pictures are a sealed package shown front & back. The top photo is the wrapper open.

Can You Guess Who This Boy Wonder Is?

This little boy grew up to be both a great guy & a wonderful actor. He was a star on a TV Series that premiered in 1966. He now runs a famous charity for animals. Have you guessed who this is yet? The hint is in the title.

April 14, 2007

Funny BATMAN BIRTHDAY CAKE Photos!

Every now & then at the BAT-BLOG we like to have fun & post some silly pictures of Batman Birthday Cakes. I mean, check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES & you'll find about 15 different photos, all shapes & sizes.....we love 'em! What we really like about these is that most of them are "homemade" & the main ingredient is "Love"...aaahhhhhh. Most of the time people get very creative with them & they are kinda neat to look at. If you have a personal photo of your own Batman Birthday Cake then please send it today!

BATMAN TV SERIES 1966 TV GUIDE Adam West Cover

Here's an original copy of the April 1966 TV Guide featuring Adam West on the cover. This baby is an ICON of Pop Culture History! 'enuff said!

BATMAN EXECUTIVE SET Vintage 1970's Memorabilia

OK, Here's the deal. I have obsessively collected Vintage Batman Toys & Memorabilia for 20+ years. Not to be bragging but I have a pretty extensive & very insane collection. I'm kinda proud of it & it's a hobby that brings me alot of joy. But, there is sooooo much cool Batman stuff out there that it's totally impossable to have everything & some items have eluded me. Either I have not found them cheap at a garage sale or flea market or I have not had the money to pay big prices on eBay or at a toy show. Here's the perfect example: This is the ultra-beautiful BATMAN EXECUTIVE SET from the 70's, shown MINT with original box! About 6 years ago I found the black BAT-SYMBOL Calender piece, missing the "number/date cubes". I recently found the Joker Stapler in great shape but missing the "stapler guts" inside. So, both pieces are missing parts but still in good shape for display. I don't have the Batman Pencil Sharpener. Also, the thing to consider, is that I paid 50 cents for each item, ha ha ha, & ya can't pass 'em up for 50 cents! Anyway, later this year I plan on trying to find this set MINT IN BOX & will probably have to pay alot for it. But, I can sell the other 2 pieces to offset the price a little bit. I think one of the coolest things about collecting Vintage Batman is the actual fact that there is such a HUGE volume of Memorabilia & Vintage Toys that it can take you a lifetime to find everything there is. It's not like other items where you find everything & "then it's game over", Batman is forever! Actually I think that if you had a large team of people working for you & a super-unlimited budget that you would NEVER never find everything!

April 13, 2007

STAMP OUT RACISM 1940's Batman Public Service Announcement

Here's an actual Batman Public Service Announment Advertisment that ran in DC Comic Books during the 1940's. The goal was to stamp out racism & it's a message we still need today. I noticed on MSNBC News this morning that Don Imus was fired for making some racist comments on his CBS Radio Show when he called female basketball players from Rutgers University "nappy-headed hos" last week. It's a shame we still have this kind of debate in America in the year 2007. We all need to learn to respect each other's different religions, races, & beliefs. Diversity is what makes America great! I'm not trying to be "preachy" here, it's just sad that some people are so backwards-thinking & small minded.

BATMAN ORIGINAL ART Comic Book Convention Sketches

A great way to add original comic book art to your Batman Collection is to go to Comicons or conventions & meet the artists in real life to get a sketch done by them. Up above are 2 examples by famous Batman artists, Mike Grell & Dick Giordano. You can always get these matted & framed later to add beauty to your home and they make solid investments too. Be sure to check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for many more examples of original comic book art!

April 12, 2007

BATMAN MURAL OUTDOOR ART Location Unknown

Here's a really great photo I found awhile back, & it had a story, but I completely forgot all the details. Ouch, this is what it's like to be really old. Sorry. The thing I do remember is that it was painted on the side of a famous Comic Book Shop & has become sort of a landmark in it's hometown. "Go North down Main Street & then turn left at Batman", the locals say to tourists, ha ha. Be sure to check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for many more posts with obscure Batman references like this! My memory is way better on those.

Silly BATMAN Humor Photos, Graphics, & Pictures

Ha Ha, here's a few funny humor pictures we recently collected for the BAT-BLOG because we think everyone in the world needs to laugh every now & then, enjoy! You can send these to friends or use them in a MySpace layout.