This series of articles that I have been sharing here in Wayne's Worlds has been outlining how much of an influence the character of Batman has been in my life. Id like to include just a few more thoughts before I turn my attention back to shows currently on the air.

The Batmobile. I know "chicks dig the car," but automobiles are often a "guy" thing.

Since I first saw the vehicle that Batman drives, Ive been fascinated by it. I dont care if it is the sedan with a huge bat head on the front, a car with a dome on top or something so ornate that it couldnt possibly drive without pieces breaking and falling off, I adore the Batmobile.

Corgi sells a massive collection of Bat vehicles, and to my knowledge, I have every one released so far. That includes the Jokers car to Robins Redbird.

To this day, my favorite thing about ABCs "Batman" was its Batmobile. That cool black shape with red highlights just made me drool. Versions of it still make the circuit, appearing at car shows around the world.

But nothing compares to the Batmobile in "Batman: The Animated Series" and "The New Batman Adventures," the series that followed it.

In TAS, the Batmobile was a huge engine with a seat at the end of it. Talk about more power! But my all-time favorite was the one that appeared in following series and then in "Justice League." Its a sleek, black muscle car that would effortlessly glide through traffic and open spaces.

Oddly enough, my least favorite Batmobile was in "Batman Begins." I know it resembles the vehicle Batman drives in "The Dark Knight Returns" comic, but its just a tank. However, I do like what it could do, though!

The movies. Ive already talked about the Michael Keaton "Batman" film, which remains a classic to me. The other motion pictures in that series didnt fare as well, in my opinion.

"Batman Returns" had smooth action sequences and an interesting relationship for Batman with Catwoman, but it is tough to juggle that many story elements and make it work. That movie didnt do it well.

"Batman Forever" used Jim Carrey -- who was still a rising star then -- very well. It effectively mixed humor and action. And Val Kilmer wasnt a bad Bruce Wayne. In this group, this was the best after "Batman."

"Batman & Robin" was the realization of all my worst fears. While "Batman" was based on Frank Millers comic vision, this film was intentionally a return to the ABC show, which I had come to despise.

That said, there were parts I really liked. Pulling the back story of Mr. Freeze from TAS was a good idea, but the Governator was too distracting. And introducing Batgirl so soon after bringing in Robin before we knew him very well was too much too soon.

George Clooney often worried out loud if he had killed the franchise. I felt that he had only seriously wounded it, but then only for a while.

"Batman Begins" is the best film the character has ever appeared in, in my opinion, and that even includes the animated "Batman: Mask of the Phantom." (Sorry, Joss Whedon!)

As my brother likes to say, it would have been a great movie even if Bruce Wayne had never become Batman. Good story, good acting, surprises galore (like Ras Al Ghul), this one surpasses even "Batman" to me. And thats saying something!

Recent DVDs. Not too long ago, I purchased DVDs of a Batman cartoon series I had never seen before. Released in the late 70s, "The New Adventures of Batman" came out in a time when I was busy with other things. Also, it featured Bat-mite, the bat version of Superman's Mr. Mxyzptlk, which really worried me.

The interesting things about this show were that it brought Adam West and Burt Ward back to voice the roles they had become famous doing in the 60s. And it was Filmation, the studio who brought the animated series that immediately followed the live-action shows exit from ABC.

So there was some nostalgia to seeing the program.

One day, when I actually had some time on my hands, I watched all 13 episodes in a row. Fortunately, my brain didnt rot out of my skull.

The bad news is that Bat-mite pretty much served as the thing that stopped Batman, Robin and Batgirl from beating the bad guys in just 10 minutes. With Bat-mite around to get in the way, it always took 30 minutes, the length of the show. Then too, a la "He-Man," there was a pontificating Bat Message at the end of each episode, usually telling kids not to solve their problems with violence (though thats what they had seen for the last half-hour).

That said, I did find it similar to the comics of the 50s, in which Batman had to beat not only criminals, but space baddies as well, as they did in the final three episodes.

Final thoughts. I dont know why, but when one is a fan of Batman, it seems a certain question always rises up: "So which one are you, Batman or Robin?"

When I was younger, I was always uncertain just how to answer. Since no one wants to be known as a sidekick, Id always say, "Batman, of course."

But as time has gone along, Ive thought of the proper answer to this question.

"Which one am I, Batman or Robin? Im not Batman, Im not Robin. In fact, Im not Nightwing, Commissioner Gordon or Alfred."

You see, there are things I admire in all of them, but that doesnt mean I am only that character.

I guess that answer works because I dont seem to get asked it very often any longer.

It does frustrate me, but the most memorable lines Batman has ever said seem to still have Adam West's voice saying them in my mind. So, with thanks to everyone who has read my musings on this bat-subject, I'll say: "To the Batpoles, Robin!"

Next time: SciFi Channel's hit show, "Eureka."

Wayne Hall is news editor for Airlock Alpha, and is a member of the U.S.S. Chesapeake, an independent science-fiction and Star Trek club in the Washington, D.C., area. He can be reached at whall@airlockalpha.com.

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