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Batman '66 #9
Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77
The creative team of Jeff Parker (BATMAN '66, AQUAMAN), Marc Andreyko (BATWOMAN, MANHUNTER), Karl Kesel (HARLEY QUINN) and David Hahn (Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane) bring the greatest superheroes in the history of the small screen together at last in BATMAN '66 MEETS WONDER WOMAN '77, an all-new adventure that effortlessly captures the thrills, chills and nonstop fun of two legendary TV series!
The world knows them as Bruce Wayne, his youthful ward Dick Grayson, and American agent Diana Prince. To grateful citizens and fearful villains, they're none other than Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman. But the paths of the Dynamic Duo and the Amazon Princess have never crossed...until now!
The all-powerful enemy known as Ra's al Ghul and his League of Shadows are on the move, hunting for everlasting life and bent on world domination. Batman and Wonder Woman's quest to stop him will span the globe and the decades alike--from the time a 10-year-old Bruce Wayne faced the Nazi hordes, to the first full-fledged team-up between the heroes in 1966, to their reunion in the seventies, when Batman's former proteges Robin and Batgirl have taken over their mentor's war on crime.
Can these incredible guardians of goodness stop an immortal madman? Tune in--er, we mean turn the page--and find out!
Collects BATMAN '66 MEETS WONDER WOMAN '77 #1-6.
The world knows them as Bruce Wayne, his youthful ward Dick Grayson, and American agent Diana Prince. To grateful citizens and fearful villains, they're none other than Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman. But the paths of the Dynamic Duo and the Amazon Princess have never crossed...until now!
The all-powerful enemy known as Ra's al Ghul and his League of Shadows are on the move, hunting for everlasting life and bent on world domination. Batman and Wonder Woman's quest to stop him will span the globe and the decades alike--from the time a 10-year-old Bruce Wayne faced the Nazi hordes, to the first full-fledged team-up between the heroes in 1966, to their reunion in the seventies, when Batman's former proteges Robin and Batgirl have taken over their mentor's war on crime.
Can these incredible guardians of goodness stop an immortal madman? Tune in--er, we mean turn the page--and find out!
Collects BATMAN '66 MEETS WONDER WOMAN '77 #1-6.
138 pages, Hardcover
Published October 3, 2017
About the author
Marc Andreyko
490 books82 followersMarc Andreyko is a comic book and screenplay writer, best known for writing the 2000s ongoing series Manhunter for DC Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
April 16, 2023
"I never dreamed such things, such myths, could be real." -- Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman
"Indeed. Life never ceases to pull out a surprise or two." -- Bruce Wayne, a.k.a Batman
The above brief dialogue snippet helps to perfectly encapsulate the joyful and sincere fun that was the Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 graphic novel. As a follower I was becoming increasingly disappointed with the retro-styled series, as later volumes of Batman '66 (with the exception of an inspired Man From U.N.C.L.E. crossover) and the standalone Wonder Woman '77 were all sort of bland. However, this team-up of characters AND their live-action television show personas - meaning they are illustrated to resemble Adam West, Lynda Carter, et al - was an engagingly clean-cut adventure / caper. Seriously, the three-part narrative structure - Wonder Woman during WWII (like the first season of her TV series) meeting a prepubescent Bruce Wayne, then Batman and Robin teaming with Wonder Woman in the mid-60's (in a nod to the Caped Crusader's TV series), and then a '77-set finale (the second and third season present-day setting of Wonder Woman's revamped show, plus every jokey or schlocky 'Me Decade' reference the writers could throw in) - took some legitimately sly talent to weave all together into a cohesive plot. In an amusing stylistic touch, the artists even went to the trouble to depict Catwoman differently in each subsequent section to resemble the three slinky actresses (Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether, or Julie Newmar) who memorably purred their way through their scenes back in the 60's. I was getting sort of discouraged with graphic novels in the last few weeks after reading several mediocre volumes, but Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 was like a much-needed POW! BAM! WHAM! fix for the pop cultural synapses.
"Indeed. Life never ceases to pull out a surprise or two." -- Bruce Wayne, a.k.a Batman
The above brief dialogue snippet helps to perfectly encapsulate the joyful and sincere fun that was the Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 graphic novel. As a follower I was becoming increasingly disappointed with the retro-styled series, as later volumes of Batman '66 (with the exception of an inspired Man From U.N.C.L.E. crossover) and the standalone Wonder Woman '77 were all sort of bland. However, this team-up of characters AND their live-action television show personas - meaning they are illustrated to resemble Adam West, Lynda Carter, et al - was an engagingly clean-cut adventure / caper. Seriously, the three-part narrative structure - Wonder Woman during WWII (like the first season of her TV series) meeting a prepubescent Bruce Wayne, then Batman and Robin teaming with Wonder Woman in the mid-60's (in a nod to the Caped Crusader's TV series), and then a '77-set finale (the second and third season present-day setting of Wonder Woman's revamped show, plus every jokey or schlocky 'Me Decade' reference the writers could throw in) - took some legitimately sly talent to weave all together into a cohesive plot. In an amusing stylistic touch, the artists even went to the trouble to depict Catwoman differently in each subsequent section to resemble the three slinky actresses (Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether, or Julie Newmar) who memorably purred their way through their scenes back in the 60's. I was getting sort of discouraged with graphic novels in the last few weeks after reading several mediocre volumes, but Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 was like a much-needed POW! BAM! WHAM! fix for the pop cultural synapses.
February 22, 2018
Separated into 3 two issue arcs, we get stories from three different times. What's great about that is you get to see both shows in all their eras. The WWII period of Wonder Woman '77 season 1, the era of Batman '66, and then Wonder Woman '77. Ra's al Ghul is the villain across all three stories. Catwoman also appears in all three stories and slyly is replaced in each story with one of the 3 actresses who played her.
In the first story, Bruce is a kid and his parents are holding an auction at Wayne Manor. Young Bruce and Talia meet and have an adventure while escaping both Nazis and Ra's. Wonder Woman, and Steve Trevor show up as well since WW doesn't age in the show's mythology.
Next up, Batman and Robin head to Paradise Island during the Batman '66 era. Wonder Girl even makes an appearance.
The last story takes place during Wonder Woman '77 and is very disco-centric. Robin has taken over for Batman as Nightwing in his disco costume from the George Perez New Titans era. There's even a new Batmobile. It is a Trans-Am which I found hilarious. That should be the next crossover. Batman '66 Meets Smokey and the Bandit.
In the first story, Bruce is a kid and his parents are holding an auction at Wayne Manor. Young Bruce and Talia meet and have an adventure while escaping both Nazis and Ra's. Wonder Woman, and Steve Trevor show up as well since WW doesn't age in the show's mythology.
Next up, Batman and Robin head to Paradise Island during the Batman '66 era. Wonder Girl even makes an appearance.
The last story takes place during Wonder Woman '77 and is very disco-centric. Robin has taken over for Batman as Nightwing in his disco costume from the George Perez New Titans era. There's even a new Batmobile. It is a Trans-Am which I found hilarious. That should be the next crossover. Batman '66 Meets Smokey and the Bandit.
February 19, 2022
I love Lynda Carter's portrayal of Wonder Woman, and the old Adam West Batman is fun, too. Put them together, and you've got a blast of a superhero story! With fabulous artwork, great action, and delightful dialogue, this made for exciting reading!
EDIT: Being more familiar with both of the old-school shows adapted here made this even more enjoyable. If you're a fan of either one of the classic serials that inspired this...you should definitely check this out from your local library!
EDIT: Being more familiar with both of the old-school shows adapted here made this even more enjoyable. If you're a fan of either one of the classic serials that inspired this...you should definitely check this out from your local library!
March 27, 2021
A good Batman story dragged down by a poor Wonder Woman one.
August 3, 2018
This was so much fun! I still love the Batman 66 show and, even though I've never properly seen the Wonder Woman show, I know how important it was in terms of representation.
This TPB was more action-packed than I expected. I love that it spans so many eras - the 40s, the 60s, and the 70s. The artists manage to render each decade extremely well. One gets a real sense of time and place throughout the book.
I didn't expect as many characters as we get in this series. Alongside Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman, there's also Catwoman, who plays a very large role in the story. And the League of Shadows, who never appeared in the show, only in the comics. There are other characters, who I can't mention without spoiling the story.
The 60s show had three actors playing Catwoman - Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, and Eartha Kitt. The story opens with Kitt's Catwoman, which I thought was a brilliant choice. Kitt was a trailblazer in her time and her take on the supervillain has been of immense culture relevance.
I have to admit, I couldn't quite tell the difference between the artists' renditions of Meriwether and Newmar. I thought they were the same Catwoman but apparently not. I remember being just as confused while watching the show, so it isn't really the artists' fault. The two actors looked surprisingly alike, especially in costume.
There are a lot of female characters here which is great! They also lead the action, so that's even better. No simpering damsels in this book.
I love that these once-maligned shows are making a comeback in comics, where their lives began. Plus, the comic medium allows for the characters to exist with updated sensibilities, even if their style is still rooted in the past.
Most of all, this was a fun book to read. I am actually going to find more now!
This TPB was more action-packed than I expected. I love that it spans so many eras - the 40s, the 60s, and the 70s. The artists manage to render each decade extremely well. One gets a real sense of time and place throughout the book.
I didn't expect as many characters as we get in this series. Alongside Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman, there's also Catwoman, who plays a very large role in the story. And the League of Shadows, who never appeared in the show, only in the comics. There are other characters, who I can't mention without spoiling the story.
The 60s show had three actors playing Catwoman - Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, and Eartha Kitt. The story opens with Kitt's Catwoman, which I thought was a brilliant choice. Kitt was a trailblazer in her time and her take on the supervillain has been of immense culture relevance.
I have to admit, I couldn't quite tell the difference between the artists' renditions of Meriwether and Newmar. I thought they were the same Catwoman but apparently not. I remember being just as confused while watching the show, so it isn't really the artists' fault. The two actors looked surprisingly alike, especially in costume.
There are a lot of female characters here which is great! They also lead the action, so that's even better. No simpering damsels in this book.
I love that these once-maligned shows are making a comeback in comics, where their lives began. Plus, the comic medium allows for the characters to exist with updated sensibilities, even if their style is still rooted in the past.
Most of all, this was a fun book to read. I am actually going to find more now!
January 10, 2019
I had high hopes for this team-up, perhaps unreasonably so, but ended up feeling a bit underwhelmed.
The story is split into three parts: The 1940s (coinciding with Wonder Woman's first season), the 1960s (Batman's heyday), and the 1970s (as per Wonder Woman's later seasons). Which sounds good in theory, but in practice means that the first third of the book consists of a pre-teen Bruce Wayne being chased through a hedge maze by Nazis, which is just not that interesting.
Part two has a lot more going for it: Both heroes are in their prime, and the action takes place in an ancient Greek labyrinth, sort of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" by way of Ray Harryhausen -- the sort of thing the tv shows' budget would never have allowed, but comics can do with relative ease. This was my favorite section.
The conclusion, unfortunately, falls back into being pretty mundane. There's a sub-plot about Batman having retired, due to some Bad Stuff that happened between chapters. This is a plotline we see in Batman comics all the time: The Caped Crusader finally gives in to his inner darkness, etc. etc. But it rings really false when applied to the unflappable Adam West version.
Perhaps my biggest problem with the story is that the main villain, Ra's Al Ghul, is just dull. He doesn't show much personality, he doesn't have much of a grand scheme (beyond trying to stay alive), and his ninja minions are about as generic as they come. There have been some great Ra's stories over the years, but this one doesn't bring anything new to the table.
The artwork by David Hahn is good, but he does fall more on the cartoony/stylized end of the spectrum, so it doesn't quite sell the feeling of "Hey, it's Lynda Carter and Adam West in an adventure together!" the way Alex Ross' cover does.
It's not a terrible book by any means, but it does feel like a bit of a missed opportunity.
The story is split into three parts: The 1940s (coinciding with Wonder Woman's first season), the 1960s (Batman's heyday), and the 1970s (as per Wonder Woman's later seasons). Which sounds good in theory, but in practice means that the first third of the book consists of a pre-teen Bruce Wayne being chased through a hedge maze by Nazis, which is just not that interesting.
Part two has a lot more going for it: Both heroes are in their prime, and the action takes place in an ancient Greek labyrinth, sort of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" by way of Ray Harryhausen -- the sort of thing the tv shows' budget would never have allowed, but comics can do with relative ease. This was my favorite section.
The conclusion, unfortunately, falls back into being pretty mundane. There's a sub-plot about Batman having retired, due to some Bad Stuff that happened between chapters. This is a plotline we see in Batman comics all the time: The Caped Crusader finally gives in to his inner darkness, etc. etc. But it rings really false when applied to the unflappable Adam West version.
Perhaps my biggest problem with the story is that the main villain, Ra's Al Ghul, is just dull. He doesn't show much personality, he doesn't have much of a grand scheme (beyond trying to stay alive), and his ninja minions are about as generic as they come. There have been some great Ra's stories over the years, but this one doesn't bring anything new to the table.
The artwork by David Hahn is good, but he does fall more on the cartoony/stylized end of the spectrum, so it doesn't quite sell the feeling of "Hey, it's Lynda Carter and Adam West in an adventure together!" the way Alex Ross' cover does.
It's not a terrible book by any means, but it does feel like a bit of a missed opportunity.
Read
October 25, 2018It would have been easy enough to play Adam West meeting Lynda Carter as a camp romp; plenty of other Batman '66 crossovers went that way, and they were mostly lots of fun. And sure, this is happy to do things like have Catwoman change actress, unremarked, between issues. But it's something bolder too, a generational saga going from a young Bruce Wayne's meeting with the wartime Diana, through to a 1977 Gotham exactly as cheesily seventies as it would have been if the Batman TV show had somehow kept going with the same daft zip. And looming over it all, the shadow of a R'as al Ghul who manages to work as a threat without breaking the upbeat mood.
November 2, 2020
A graphic novel series that has the charm of both TV series, but lacks their spark. This well-structured, but predictable, volume weaves a tale across three time periods that connects these two classic DC Comics universes. There are many genuinely fun elements, like the 70s time jump of the Batman TV show continuity, all three versions of Catwoman, and unnecessary (yet appropriate) action scenes like a motorcycle canyon jump. I just couldn't get past the bland interior artwork and uninteresting villains, especially when the cover artwork demonstrated the potential for this crossover.
September 23, 2018
A fun trip to the alternate universe populated by memory lane.
March 3, 2018
Jeff Parker wowed me so much with his writing on Future Quest I thought I would check out some of his other work. This didn't wow me as much and the first story arc was kind of underwhelming but by the end of the volume I was actually enjoying this new take on some old characters. The art is good but not great. I wish it captured more of the feel of the Tv series that inspired this book. Wonder Woman kinda looked like Linda Carter but the Batman characters didn't look anything like Adam West Burt Ward or Yvonne Craig.
Jeff Parker has an interesting take on the characters...he writes it from a weird perspective as if the TV shows existed but also the characters grew older...so WW 77 we have an older Batman, a Nightwing from the disco era and a Batwoman who became the Commissioner. The three 2-parters see our heroes grow from young Bruce Wayne to Batman of the TV series to older retired Batman (Wonder Woman remains the same age because she is immortal). All three stories are linked with Ra's Al Gul as the villain with his daughter Talia and the League of Assassins. As I said - the first 2-parter was a bit flat but the final 2-parter worked nicely. These aren't deep stories but they aren't supposed to - they are supposed to be lighter like the TV series. In fact I feel they maybe were a bit too complex in comparison to the TV series but as a light read it was fun. Especially nice were the insertions from the TV series (Drusilla/Wonder girl for example) that a fan of the shows would recognize.
Jeff Parker has an interesting take on the characters...he writes it from a weird perspective as if the TV shows existed but also the characters grew older...so WW 77 we have an older Batman, a Nightwing from the disco era and a Batwoman who became the Commissioner. The three 2-parters see our heroes grow from young Bruce Wayne to Batman of the TV series to older retired Batman (Wonder Woman remains the same age because she is immortal). All three stories are linked with Ra's Al Gul as the villain with his daughter Talia and the League of Assassins. As I said - the first 2-parter was a bit flat but the final 2-parter worked nicely. These aren't deep stories but they aren't supposed to - they are supposed to be lighter like the TV series. In fact I feel they maybe were a bit too complex in comparison to the TV series but as a light read it was fun. Especially nice were the insertions from the TV series (Drusilla/Wonder girl for example) that a fan of the shows would recognize.
April 13, 2018
I've never been a fan of the Adam West TV series, so I haven't read any of the previous books; I picked this up for the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman. After reading it I'm going to have to go back and look up the previous volumes; this book was fun. I liked how they showed Batman getting older througout the three storylines, without following the same Frank Miller dystopia everyone seems to copy. And the bit with Catwoman's appearance changing to a different actress from the show for each storyline was a nice touch.
August 30, 2023
This was a fun concept, and an enjoyable book altogether. I liked the illustrations. I did spend a lot of the book confused by the characters they chose to drop into the plot, and even more confused by the timeline.
Besides the timeline shenaniganary, tell me why in the first scene, Catwoman is the Eartha Kitt Catwoman, and why, half-way through the book she becomes Julie Newmar. They aren't different Catwomen. The Julie Newmar Catwoman refers to events that the Eartha Kitt Catwoman experienced, as if they happened to her. They are the same person, just... two different actors. But this is an illustrated comic book. They don't have to do that. And I can't tell if that was a purposeful nod to the fact that 3 different women played Catwoman in the Batman '66 tv series, or if the illustrator just forgot which Catwoman they chose to portray midway through the book. If it is a nod to the fact that the show had different actresses playing Catwoman, why not have Julie Newmar play Catwoman in the first part, only to replace her with the Eartha Kitt Catwoman in the second part? That's the order of the actresses in the show. First Julie Newmar and then Eartha Kitt. Why swap it? Unless they wanted Eartha's Catwoman to get the smaller 4-page part, and Julie Newmar to get the larger part. It just feels... weird.
So overall, I think this was a fun read, but I had to ignore so many plot and character inaccuracies, that it almost felt like I wasn't reading about Batman '66 at all.
Besides the timeline shenaniganary, tell me why in the first scene, Catwoman is the Eartha Kitt Catwoman, and why, half-way through the book she becomes Julie Newmar. They aren't different Catwomen. The Julie Newmar Catwoman refers to events that the Eartha Kitt Catwoman experienced, as if they happened to her. They are the same person, just... two different actors. But this is an illustrated comic book. They don't have to do that. And I can't tell if that was a purposeful nod to the fact that 3 different women played Catwoman in the Batman '66 tv series, or if the illustrator just forgot which Catwoman they chose to portray midway through the book. If it is a nod to the fact that the show had different actresses playing Catwoman, why not have Julie Newmar play Catwoman in the first part, only to replace her with the Eartha Kitt Catwoman in the second part? That's the order of the actresses in the show. First Julie Newmar and then Eartha Kitt. Why swap it? Unless they wanted Eartha's Catwoman to get the smaller 4-page part, and Julie Newmar to get the larger part. It just feels... weird.
So overall, I think this was a fun read, but I had to ignore so many plot and character inaccuracies, that it almost felt like I wasn't reading about Batman '66 at all.
December 30, 2017
This was a very enjoyable team up of the two great DC Comics television shows of the 1960's and 1970's. A great nod to the fans is the use of all three Catwomen (Eartha Kitt, Lee Meriwether, and Julie Newmar) interchangeably without the other characters noticing or making note of the change.
January 17, 2018
This was a fun, nostalgic love letter to the super heroes fans that grew up with the Adam West's Batman and the 1970's Wonder Woman. I could hear the actors voices as I read the dialogue. Enjoyable from start to finish. I hope that there will be more of this awesome team up in the near future.
April 2, 2020
I loved this graphic novel! One of my favorite things was that the story started in the 40's went to the 60's and ended in the 70's. I enjoyed seeing all the different time periods with Batman and Wonder Woman characters. ~ Lizzie :)
April 13, 2018
love the way they manage to weave the 2 shows together....and even go into the 'future'
April 17, 2018
It is what it is. Nothing really surprises, and everything is pretty predictable.
April 30, 2018
don't like how dark batman 77 was at the end but otherwise a fun read
September 22, 2018
Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 is a six-issue miniseries that details the team-up of Batman with Wonder Woman. It is a story of three encounters that spans years from when Bruce Wayne was ten years old, to their first full-fledge team up in 1966, and to their reunion in 1977. Only one villain that could wield these two together throughout the years – Ra's al Ghul and his League of Shadows in their quest for eternal life and world domination. This trade paperback collects all six issues in the 2016 mini-series.
Once again, Catwoman was hired to steal a particular book "Lost World of the Ancients" by Talia al Ghul. This particular robbery reminds Bruce Wayne the last time this particular book was stolen – twenty-two years ago, the first time he met Wonder Woman. Bruce Wayne relates the story to his ward Dick Grayson about his first adventure with Wonder Woman.
In 1944, ten-year-old Bruce Wayne meets Ra's al Ghul and his Talia for the first time and literally bumped into Diana Prince, Steve Trevor, and Etta Candy, while showing Talia around. Apparently, Ra's al Ghul was interested in the two-volume tome of "Lost World of the Ancients" that the Wayne Foundation was auctioning off, which Mr Finlay won for eleven thousand dollars.
However, Ra's al Ghul was not the only one that was interested in the book so was the Füherer and his representation was there. Therefore, we have the Third Reich and the League of Shadows battling over these books. The Third Reich wanted to book for all the powerful ancient weapons while Ra's al Ghul wanted it for one thing – the location of Paradise Island where there is a Lazarus Pit. Bruce Wayne managed to evade both the Third Reich and the League of Shadows by saving one volume of the volumes with the help of Wonder Woman, whom he discovered was Diana Prince. Fortunately, this volume had the location of Paradise Island.
With the second volume stolen by the League of Shadows, they now know the location of Paradise Island. Therefore, they have to go there to warn Wonder Woman. However, as custom, they needed a female escort to enter the island and they chose Catwoman. The Dynamic Duo manages to warn Wonder Woman, but they were too late to stop Ra's al Ghul as he has already negotiated the Minotaur Labyrinth and to use the Lazarus Pit. Donna Troy made a wonderful cameo in this story.
The final third of the book takes place in 1977 – eleven years into the future. Bruce Wayne has retired from crime fighting, because he killed the Joker and could not reconcile taking a life. Dick Grayson has graduated from the pixie boots into Nightwing. Barbara Gordon has retired from being Batgirl and become Police Commissioner with her own Chief O'Hara. The League of Shadows has shown up again in Gotham City and Wonder Woman has come to seek out Batman. Unable to convince Batman to get back into the fray, she heads to find Nightwing.
In parallel scenes, Bruce Wayne and Nightwing figured out what the League of Shadows wanted in Gotham City – a Lazarus Pit. When the world was Pangaea, Paradise Island, Gotham City, and a Tibetian City were close to each other, which shared one giant Lazarus Pit. When Pangaea separated, the pits divided into three and the League of Shadows wants to know the location.
Together, the Terrific Trio with Catwoman and Wonder Woman take on the League of Shadows who formed a new group from the Arkham Asylum inmates: The Riddler, Mister Freeze, Clayface, Killer Croc, and the Cheetah. Batman went ahead to stop Ra's al Ghul, but was unsuccessful in stopping Ra’s al Ghul into dipping into the Lazarus Pit again. This time, Ra's al Ghul was reverted to a ten-year-old and was arrested along with Talia al Ghul.
Jeff Parker and Marc Andreyko penned the entire series and for the most part, it was written rather well. It captured the time era rather well, without being over the top in campiness, and merge two different television series rather well. Unlike the previous stories in the Batman '66 universe where there are several short stories within a chapter, this mini-series is one story over six issues or chapters and spans thirty-three years.
David Hahn penciled the entire trade paperback and because he was the main penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, I rather enjoyed his rendition of the Dynamic Duo and Wonder Woman. It is rather reminiscent to the actors and superheroes of the series and era.
All in all, Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 is written and conceived rather well. It is an interesting story of having the Dynamic Duo teaming up with Wonder Woman. In the end, Wonder Woman proposes a Justice League of sorts and it would be interesting to see that happen.
Once again, Catwoman was hired to steal a particular book "Lost World of the Ancients" by Talia al Ghul. This particular robbery reminds Bruce Wayne the last time this particular book was stolen – twenty-two years ago, the first time he met Wonder Woman. Bruce Wayne relates the story to his ward Dick Grayson about his first adventure with Wonder Woman.
In 1944, ten-year-old Bruce Wayne meets Ra's al Ghul and his Talia for the first time and literally bumped into Diana Prince, Steve Trevor, and Etta Candy, while showing Talia around. Apparently, Ra's al Ghul was interested in the two-volume tome of "Lost World of the Ancients" that the Wayne Foundation was auctioning off, which Mr Finlay won for eleven thousand dollars.
However, Ra's al Ghul was not the only one that was interested in the book so was the Füherer and his representation was there. Therefore, we have the Third Reich and the League of Shadows battling over these books. The Third Reich wanted to book for all the powerful ancient weapons while Ra's al Ghul wanted it for one thing – the location of Paradise Island where there is a Lazarus Pit. Bruce Wayne managed to evade both the Third Reich and the League of Shadows by saving one volume of the volumes with the help of Wonder Woman, whom he discovered was Diana Prince. Fortunately, this volume had the location of Paradise Island.
With the second volume stolen by the League of Shadows, they now know the location of Paradise Island. Therefore, they have to go there to warn Wonder Woman. However, as custom, they needed a female escort to enter the island and they chose Catwoman. The Dynamic Duo manages to warn Wonder Woman, but they were too late to stop Ra's al Ghul as he has already negotiated the Minotaur Labyrinth and to use the Lazarus Pit. Donna Troy made a wonderful cameo in this story.
The final third of the book takes place in 1977 – eleven years into the future. Bruce Wayne has retired from crime fighting, because he killed the Joker and could not reconcile taking a life. Dick Grayson has graduated from the pixie boots into Nightwing. Barbara Gordon has retired from being Batgirl and become Police Commissioner with her own Chief O'Hara. The League of Shadows has shown up again in Gotham City and Wonder Woman has come to seek out Batman. Unable to convince Batman to get back into the fray, she heads to find Nightwing.
In parallel scenes, Bruce Wayne and Nightwing figured out what the League of Shadows wanted in Gotham City – a Lazarus Pit. When the world was Pangaea, Paradise Island, Gotham City, and a Tibetian City were close to each other, which shared one giant Lazarus Pit. When Pangaea separated, the pits divided into three and the League of Shadows wants to know the location.
Together, the Terrific Trio with Catwoman and Wonder Woman take on the League of Shadows who formed a new group from the Arkham Asylum inmates: The Riddler, Mister Freeze, Clayface, Killer Croc, and the Cheetah. Batman went ahead to stop Ra's al Ghul, but was unsuccessful in stopping Ra’s al Ghul into dipping into the Lazarus Pit again. This time, Ra's al Ghul was reverted to a ten-year-old and was arrested along with Talia al Ghul.
Jeff Parker and Marc Andreyko penned the entire series and for the most part, it was written rather well. It captured the time era rather well, without being over the top in campiness, and merge two different television series rather well. Unlike the previous stories in the Batman '66 universe where there are several short stories within a chapter, this mini-series is one story over six issues or chapters and spans thirty-three years.
David Hahn penciled the entire trade paperback and because he was the main penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, I rather enjoyed his rendition of the Dynamic Duo and Wonder Woman. It is rather reminiscent to the actors and superheroes of the series and era.
All in all, Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 is written and conceived rather well. It is an interesting story of having the Dynamic Duo teaming up with Wonder Woman. In the end, Wonder Woman proposes a Justice League of sorts and it would be interesting to see that happen.
June 18, 2018
A decades spanning epic starring the cast of Batman '66, Wonder Woman '77 and Ra's al Ghul!
Jeff Parker does a masterful job starting the story in the 1940s in which the first season of the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman series was set. Then we jump to the 1966 era Batman and finally we end up in 1977 where we meet an aged and retired Batman, a grown-up Robin now Nightwing and a new Commissioner Gordon.
To me, there was one BIG continuity error as the first act had the Eartha Kitt Catwoman. But in the second two-thirds of the story, she's white. Jeff Parker claimed that he did this in order to honor all three actresses who played Catwoman during the run of the Batman TV show. However, in previous issues of Batman '66, it was established that both the Eartha Kitt and Lee Meriwether Catwomen were 'copy-cat' thieves taking advantage of the Julie Newmar's Catwoman being incarcerated in Arkham. So while the tribute is great and all that, it contradicts canon that Jeff Parker himself had established in this franchise of Batman '66 titles.
Regardless of the mistake, this was a really good story. I only hope that this isn't the end of the Batman '66 tales. I really would like to see Batman '66 meet Superman '78 and Flash '90. That last one might be a little too far in the future to really happen. Though the Flash does have the ability to time travel. But maybe we'll see those Legends of Superheroes characters one day.
Hey, a comic book collector can dream...
Featuring some great covers by two of my personal favorites Alex Ross and Michael Allred!
Jeff Parker does a masterful job starting the story in the 1940s in which the first season of the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman series was set. Then we jump to the 1966 era Batman and finally we end up in 1977 where we meet an aged and retired Batman, a grown-up Robin now Nightwing and a new Commissioner Gordon.
To me, there was one BIG continuity error as the first act had the Eartha Kitt Catwoman. But in the second two-thirds of the story, she's white. Jeff Parker claimed that he did this in order to honor all three actresses who played Catwoman during the run of the Batman TV show. However, in previous issues of Batman '66, it was established that both the Eartha Kitt and Lee Meriwether Catwomen were 'copy-cat' thieves taking advantage of the Julie Newmar's Catwoman being incarcerated in Arkham. So while the tribute is great and all that, it contradicts canon that Jeff Parker himself had established in this franchise of Batman '66 titles.
Regardless of the mistake, this was a really good story. I only hope that this isn't the end of the Batman '66 tales. I really would like to see Batman '66 meet Superman '78 and Flash '90. That last one might be a little too far in the future to really happen. Though the Flash does have the ability to time travel. But maybe we'll see those Legends of Superheroes characters one day.
Hey, a comic book collector can dream...
Featuring some great covers by two of my personal favorites Alex Ross and Michael Allred!
August 3, 2018
Holy Crossovers, Batman! This is something I always wished could have happened back in the late '70's on TV!
Seeing the current round of DC movies made me wish that Adam West's Batman, Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman and Christopher Reeve's Superman could have teamed up, either on the big or the small screen. Well, two out of three ain't bad :-)
Ra's al Ghul and his daughter Talia were the perfect villains for this team-up- Ra's is as timeless as Wonder Woman in his own way. I love how they did the team-up first during WW II, with Wonder Woman meeting a ten-year-old Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul when Ra's comes to a swanky affair at Wayne Manor, again in 1966 with the Dynamic Duo visiting Paradise Island and again in 1977 with Batman retired and Nightwing (formerly Robin) handling the crimefighting in Gotham City, with support from Commissioner Gordon- Barbara Gordon that is. Both encounters involved a rare set of books that Ra's was determined to have and that the heroes were determined to keep from him.
I loved every bit of it- why Batman chose to retire even though he was still in good shape, how the heroes interacted when they had the chance and even how seamlessly Catwoman (all three versions from the 1960's show), Batgirl (oops, I mean Batwoman) and even Wonder Girl were incorporated into the story. Well done!
Still holding out hope for Superman '80- and the inevitable formation of the Justice League that would come with it :-)
Seeing the current round of DC movies made me wish that Adam West's Batman, Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman and Christopher Reeve's Superman could have teamed up, either on the big or the small screen. Well, two out of three ain't bad :-)
Ra's al Ghul and his daughter Talia were the perfect villains for this team-up- Ra's is as timeless as Wonder Woman in his own way. I love how they did the team-up first during WW II, with Wonder Woman meeting a ten-year-old Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul when Ra's comes to a swanky affair at Wayne Manor, again in 1966 with the Dynamic Duo visiting Paradise Island and again in 1977 with Batman retired and Nightwing (formerly Robin) handling the crimefighting in Gotham City, with support from Commissioner Gordon- Barbara Gordon that is. Both encounters involved a rare set of books that Ra's was determined to have and that the heroes were determined to keep from him.
I loved every bit of it- why Batman chose to retire even though he was still in good shape, how the heroes interacted when they had the chance and even how seamlessly Catwoman (all three versions from the 1960's show), Batgirl (oops, I mean Batwoman) and even Wonder Girl were incorporated into the story. Well done!
Still holding out hope for Superman '80- and the inevitable formation of the Justice League that would come with it :-)
August 4, 2018
I absolutely loved reading this book. The 60s Batman show and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman are integral pieces of popular culture. Admittedly, watching those shows is a bit cringe-worthy now, but bringing them back to life in comics allows them to update the sensibilities of the original material while also leveraging the tons of nostalgia that invariably comes with it.
We follow the team-up of our dreams as Batman and Robin head to Paradise Island to help Wonder Woman defeat the oncoming onslaught of the League of Shadows. Intertwined with this major story, is a 40s story of young Bruce being inspired by Wonder Woman, and later on, a 1970s story of Wonder Woman helping the now-adult Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon in Gotham City. It's a heady mix of light-hearted comic adventure and inspiring action.
The TBP is action-packed, but it is resplendent with many familiar figures from the shows. I think the art didn't quite capture the looks of the actors, but the writing was an exact replica of the dialogue and intonations. What I loved most was how many women kick ass in this series. Regular comics don't have enough women taking the lead and rescuing people, so for this one to nonchalantly include it was a joy to read.
Reading 100+ pages of homage to my childhood favourites is the best way to spend any day. If there are more of these books out there, I am certainly going out of my way to find them!
We follow the team-up of our dreams as Batman and Robin head to Paradise Island to help Wonder Woman defeat the oncoming onslaught of the League of Shadows. Intertwined with this major story, is a 40s story of young Bruce being inspired by Wonder Woman, and later on, a 1970s story of Wonder Woman helping the now-adult Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon in Gotham City. It's a heady mix of light-hearted comic adventure and inspiring action.
The TBP is action-packed, but it is resplendent with many familiar figures from the shows. I think the art didn't quite capture the looks of the actors, but the writing was an exact replica of the dialogue and intonations. What I loved most was how many women kick ass in this series. Regular comics don't have enough women taking the lead and rescuing people, so for this one to nonchalantly include it was a joy to read.
Reading 100+ pages of homage to my childhood favourites is the best way to spend any day. If there are more of these books out there, I am certainly going out of my way to find them!
February 13, 2019
BATMAN '66 MEETS WONDER WOMAN '77 (originally 1-6 and online as chapter 1-12)
Nostalgic retro fun as two TV heroes pair up.
Notable quotes:
[1a]
“Holy hieroglyphics, that looks really old.”
[1b]
“Next time: Will young Bruce lose his head over a girl and some books?”
[2a]
“Think clean thoughts, chum. Heroes must never lower themselves to a villain's level.” - Batman to Robin
[2b]
“The Demon's Head now has the secret location to Paradise Island. We have to reach it first … and warn Wonder Woman!” - Batman
[3a]
“Incredible! A civilization living in peace and harmony, and as perfect stewards of the environment.” - Batman regarding Paradise Island
[3b]
“Holy … 'eye' think we're I trouble here!” - Robin regarding the approaching Cyclops
[4a]
“Holy sinkhole!” - Robin
“Courage, team!” - Batman
[4b]
“Evil will never claim the world!” - Wonder Woman
..
“I asked for asylum.” - Catwoman
“Asylum? From Justice?” - Batman
“No, from a patriarchal society that drove me to a life of crime in order to survive.” _ Catwoman
“That's poppycock!” - Batman
[5a]
“Now an adult, Robin stepped into his mentor's role as Nightwing.” - Commissioner Barbara Gordon
[5b]
“Holy deja vu!”
[6a]
“Holy dojo wars … everybody IS kung fu fighting!” - Robin
[6b]
“Holy--” - Robin
“There is nothing holy about this assemblage of villainy, old chum!” - Batman
Nostalgic retro fun as two TV heroes pair up.
Notable quotes:
[1a]
“Holy hieroglyphics, that looks really old.”
[1b]
“Next time: Will young Bruce lose his head over a girl and some books?”
[2a]
“Think clean thoughts, chum. Heroes must never lower themselves to a villain's level.” - Batman to Robin
[2b]
“The Demon's Head now has the secret location to Paradise Island. We have to reach it first … and warn Wonder Woman!” - Batman
[3a]
“Incredible! A civilization living in peace and harmony, and as perfect stewards of the environment.” - Batman regarding Paradise Island
[3b]
“Holy … 'eye' think we're I trouble here!” - Robin regarding the approaching Cyclops
[4a]
“Holy sinkhole!” - Robin
“Courage, team!” - Batman
[4b]
“Evil will never claim the world!” - Wonder Woman
..
“I asked for asylum.” - Catwoman
“Asylum? From Justice?” - Batman
“No, from a patriarchal society that drove me to a life of crime in order to survive.” _ Catwoman
“That's poppycock!” - Batman
[5a]
“Now an adult, Robin stepped into his mentor's role as Nightwing.” - Commissioner Barbara Gordon
[5b]
“Holy deja vu!”
[6a]
“Holy dojo wars … everybody IS kung fu fighting!” - Robin
[6b]
“Holy--” - Robin
“There is nothing holy about this assemblage of villainy, old chum!” - Batman
November 12, 2017
What I love about the Batman '66 comics is that they stay true to the characters and the themes of the original series but the stories are told from a knowing 21st Century perspective. So while the comic maintains the spirit of the series it allows the characters to solve mysteries in a somewhat more realistic way and allows for characters to appear that didn't exist in the sixties.
I never really watched Wonder Woman as a kid, but I appreciated her character. Getting to see her fight crime alongside my original Batman was too good to pass up. This book is a love letter to both Batman '66 and Wonder Woman '77.
We get to see both characters across the decades and it's interesting to see what Adam West's Batman would be like in the seventies. That part of the story was probably the highlight for me. We get to see a darker (but not too dark) take on the character while allowing Dick Grayson to evolve into something new (for that world at least).
I never really watched Wonder Woman as a kid, but I appreciated her character. Getting to see her fight crime alongside my original Batman was too good to pass up. This book is a love letter to both Batman '66 and Wonder Woman '77.
We get to see both characters across the decades and it's interesting to see what Adam West's Batman would be like in the seventies. That part of the story was probably the highlight for me. We get to see a darker (but not too dark) take on the character while allowing Dick Grayson to evolve into something new (for that world at least).
August 24, 2024
This was a fun crossover. This story also takes a bit of a darker turn for the expected tone of Adam West’s Batman. We also get some cool, weird, and supernatural elements that come along with Wonder Woman, Ra’s Al Ghul, and the League of Shadows. The opening of the graphic novel set during Bruce Wayne’s childhood, his first meeting with Wonder Woman, and a retelling of his discovery of the batcave is like a scene out of Indiana Jones as Nazis and the League of Shadows have to face off against Wonder Woman and young Bruce for an ancient book that divulges the secret location of powerful and mythical weapons. The end of the graphic novel is set in 1977 where Nightwing has taken Batman’s place, and we find out that Batman had actually killed the Joker! I liked this story a lot and thought that putting Wonder Woman and Batman against Ra’s Al Ghul in his quest for the Lazarus Pit was a great idea. The novel also ends with a tease towards setting up the Justice League.
May 5, 2018
The Crossover that has arrived... only in comics. Batman '66 meets Wonder Woman '77. Both heroes join forces and fight the League of Shadows led by Ra's Al Ghul which had started during The Second World War and ended in the late 1970's. Jeff Parker who has done an excellent job with the recent Batman '66 Series doesn't disappoint.
It was nice to also see the 3 incarnations of Catwoman in the book as an acknowledgement and tribute to the actresses who had portrayed the character in the TV series. The story was action packed and didn't disappoint including being faithful to the social norms of those eras which sometimes comics have a problem with.
This Graphic Novel is a great who love and miss both classic shows and retains their essence and a tribute to Adam West who had sadly passed away last year while this mini-series was wrapping up.
It was nice to also see the 3 incarnations of Catwoman in the book as an acknowledgement and tribute to the actresses who had portrayed the character in the TV series. The story was action packed and didn't disappoint including being faithful to the social norms of those eras which sometimes comics have a problem with.
This Graphic Novel is a great who love and miss both classic shows and retains their essence and a tribute to Adam West who had sadly passed away last year while this mini-series was wrapping up.
October 26, 2017
I don't know if there will be more books in this series, but I think this is the best one to end it on. All the loose ends are tied up and see Bruce Wayne at a good time in his life with the story ending in 1977 with Dick and Barbara moving on in life and Diana being a close ally with Bruce. This book also features Ra's Al Ghul and Talia, plus more insights in the past during the WWII era. Any fan of either of these shows, or just a fan of the characters will love this and surely worth reading. This was a great tribute to the late Adam West. And a perfect way to end his version of the Caped Crusader.
September 13, 2021
Ahh
Once again, Batman 66 comes through!
Witty, charming, and nostalgic, this comic was wonderful!
The various catwoman character designs through me off for a bit but I do think it’s a lovely nod to the original actresses to include all three.
I must say, when we jumped to 77 I was kinda sad. Especially when Bruce explained his tale of woe. My heart. It was so in character and so well done. I loved it.
Nightwing was, as always, a pleasure to be with. I loved how his character traits as Robin overlapped with his persona as Nightwing. We love to see it.
All in all, I had the time of my life.
8/10 Nightwing’s 70s retro vibes were off the charts and I loved every second of it.
Once again, Batman 66 comes through!
Witty, charming, and nostalgic, this comic was wonderful!
The various catwoman character designs through me off for a bit but I do think it’s a lovely nod to the original actresses to include all three.
I must say, when we jumped to 77 I was kinda sad. Especially when Bruce explained his tale of woe. My heart. It was so in character and so well done. I loved it.
Nightwing was, as always, a pleasure to be with. I loved how his character traits as Robin overlapped with his persona as Nightwing. We love to see it.
All in all, I had the time of my life.
8/10 Nightwing’s 70s retro vibes were off the charts and I loved every second of it.
July 18, 2022
I can't believe I liked this as much as I did. I haven't really been a fan of the nostalgia titles but what I think what elevated this story for me was that the passage of time was a real factor in the story. Super hero comics avoid the passage of time like the plague and as a result the types of stories they are able to tell are limited. I wish DC and Marvel would be willing to tell longer stories, I don't care if they are out of any continuity, where time has an effect. As corny as this story is, and it is, seeing Bruce Wayne age through the pages added a weight to the story I really responded to.
January 7, 2018
It ought to be illegal for a book to be this much fun! In a three-act structure, we learn about the first meeting of Bruce and Diana, see Wonder Woman come to Gotham ‘66, and check in with Batman '77. Using Ra’s al Ghul and Talia for the villains was an inspired choice, and there’s a clever way that all three Catwomen are worked into the story. If this is indeed the end of the ‘66 Universe, it’s a fitting coda that never forgets to embrace the fun and campy spirit of the original show. Does it get better than Robin teaching the Batusi to the girls of Paradise Island?
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