AGENT BATMAN

With all of the current Batman movies and multiple comic titles published each month by DC Comics, the character has become an ubiquitous feature of the pop landscape. Batman stories have always intrigued me. Even in pre-school, I recall my childhood pal and I pretending to be the Caped Crusaders in his parents' black car, which sported cool Batmobile fins. Despite a life-long healthy interest, I didn't expect to come down with a serious case of Batmania this summer. Next Wednesday DC Comics will roll out the print edition of its new Batman 66 comic book. Based on the TV show with Adam West, the comic series is set to celebrate the Pop Art style and whimsical tone of the original series. The boy in me has been absolutely thrilled to look at the preview comic panels (see my collage below), and the many '66-style toys coming out this summer. Spy Vibers attending Comic-Con can even pick up an exclusive Batusi toy with box art by Shag. Did you know that Adam West was picked to audition for Batman based on his dry comedic timing in a James Bond-inspired commercial for Nestle Quick? See video below.

I have also been anticipating the launch of a new animated series called Beware the Batman. Starting this Saturday morning on Cartoon Network, the show is the next incarnation of Batman cartoons. I will post an interview soon on Spy Vibe with one of the designers, Shane Glines, who has worked on Batman since the golden days of The Animated Series with Bruce Timm. Some fans are weary that the new show will be CGI, but I have hopes that the designs and storytelling will be successful. Here is a preview of the title sequence with the catchy theme song by the Dum Dum Girls. Stay tuned for my interview with Glines as Batmania continues on Spy Vibe.

Spy Vibe's ultimate Batman image archive on Pinterest here. Batman and Andy Warhol post here. Teen Titans and Secret Agent here. My visit to the original Batcave location here. Trivia: The new cartoon theme is by the Dum Dum Girls. When I was playing Batman with my pal in pre-school, his dog was named Dum Dum.

Spy Vibe is having a giant Summer Sale with new items listed every few days! Items include First Editions of Fleming, Gardner, Deighton, Rare Large-Print 007 editions, Raymond Benson, Gulyashki, Man From UNCLE, Beatles, Corgi, music items and CDs, and More! Save with combined shipping. Head over to eBay for details here. Happy collecting, fellow Spy Vibers!

Get ready to meet MIKI ZERO, a Japanese fashion model and spy from 1965! That's right, I've written a novel inspired by Spy Vibe. More info at my website here.

Check Spy Vibe for recent posts about Batman '66 and Warhol, our fiendish villains archive, Cold War Comics, Sam Mendes back for Bond, Spy Vibe heroes and Wild Things, book design dopplegangers, Christopher Lee, Bettie Page, Dashiell Hammett, Miles Davis, WWII spy Krystyna Skarbek, recycled James Bond covers, interview with Fu Manchu author William Maynard,  Man From UNCLE manga, Orson Welles the Shadow, rare Piero Umiliani Kriminal soundtrack, new Beatles Yellow Submarine game, James Bond audio book re-issues, Mid-Century Modern in Peanuts, my review of SKYFALL and more. Spy Vibe is now on Pinterest! Check out our image archives and follow us here. For Your Shelf Only collecting series links: Jon Gilbert, Raymond Benson, Jeremy Duns, Peter Lorenz, David Foster, Rob Mallows, Roger Langley, Craig Arthur, Fleming Short, Matt Sherman. 

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