There are times when you realize that the Internet is a wonderful thing. Last night, when I stumbled across the impossibly cool site, BatmobileHistory.com, was one of them. Created and meticulously researched and maintained by Long Islander Bill Spencer, the site is the ultimate repository for all things Batmobile-related. The back story behind it is interesting: scale modeling is one of Spencer's hobbies (and boy, is he good at it) and he got the idea for the site as he researched a variety of Batmobile info for a project he was working on.
Every single Batmobile to ever appear in the comic books, television shows and feature films is given its own page and documented for readers. While we're all familiar with the screen cars, it's the comic versions that are the most diverse and interesting. The illustrated Batmobiles differ wildly depending on the era in which they were created and the personal tastes of the artist wielding the pencil.
They're a ton of fun to click through (a task made simple, as Spencer has every car listed chronologically and each car's page has a "Next Batmobile" link at the bottom), and I've pulled out some personal favorites as well as some that might be of particular interest to Autoblog readers.
Read on after the jump for the fanboy frenzy!
[Source: BatmobileHistory.com]
Batmobiles of Interest
- 1966 - The iconic, George Barris-designed, Lincoln Futura-based batmobile from the classic TV series. How many of you think of this car when the word "Batmobile" is uttered? Thought so.
- 2005 - Alex Ross is a superb artist. His interpretation of the Batmobile is expectedly sublime.
- 1944 - The first Batmobile ever to be featured on a cover, it is clearly a product of its era, but is as cool today as it must have been then.
- 1987 - Batman drove a Pantera. Cool.
- 2005 - Featured in Detective Comics #809, this one is obviously influenced by the Opel Speedster.
- 2006 - From a poster that encouraged kids' reading. It's a stealth fighter on wheels. Awesome.
- 1989 - The Anton Furst Batmobile from the Tim Burton films. Very impressive. For a different generation, this car is as iconic as the 1966 TV Batmobile.
- 1993 - The Batmobile as envisioned by renowned artist Matt Wagner.
- 1995 - From Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever film. This car and the subsequent Batman & Robin car are as busy and annoying as the stupid films they appear in.
- 1992 - One of the very best. This art deco stunner is the car from the superb Batman: The Animated Series.
- 2004 - This one actually appeared in a Teen Titans storyline in which Robin "steals" a Batmobile for a Titans mission. It's obviously based on the Mercedes CLK-GTR. It gets crashed.
- 1997 - When Warner Bros. retooled and relaunched Batman: The Animated Series as The New Adventures of Batman & Robin, this sleek coupe became the new Batmobile.
- 2005 - "The Tumbler" from the awsome Batman Begins film. While I loved it from the beginning, I never thought there was really anything bat-like about the Tumbler, which is more tank than car. After reading Spencer's page on it, I stand corrected. Click the link to see for yourselves.
This, believe it or not, is just a minuscule sampling of the Batmobiles chronicled at BatmobileHistory.com. Make sure you have some free time when you head over there for a visit. You'll probably be staying a while.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Blind @ Aug 21st 2006 1:17PM
wow, those scale models are amazing!
great article.
http://www.carchops.com
CoffeeJedi @ Aug 21st 2006 2:06PM
/sigh
well, there goes my afternoon!
*click*
Davec @ Aug 21st 2006 2:20PM
What, no Alfa Romeo's "Bat" concepts.
dsterman @ Aug 21st 2006 2:43PM
I saw a 1960's era batmobile (sans the red piping and logo) cruising down the street in Boca Raton, FL last winter. Are there a bunch of knockoffs out there? Was it the original car?
Blake @ Aug 21st 2006 4:16PM
All but three or four of them suck. I'm pretty sure Burton's batmobile is always gonna be numero uno.
Non-Bizarro Adam @ Aug 21st 2006 4:34PM
Alex,
You will be receiving a bill from my company for the roughly $240 worth of bill rate I spent on that web-site. We accept cash, check, Visa/MC, and Am-Ex. Unfortunately, we do not accept the Discover card. Payment is expected in 10 business days.
Regards,
Non-Bizarro Adam
Consultant
Random International Consulting Firm, LLP
RacetrackOwner @ Aug 21st 2006 7:03PM
News about pretend cars. Fab.
Claudia Soto Soto @ Aug 25th 2006 2:49PM
wow!
Jesse Vega Garduno @ Aug 25th 2006 3:48PM
Awesome!
Jesse Vega Garduno @ Aug 25th 2006 3:49PM
I grew up with the 1966-1979 Batman TV series. It was awesome! I believe the Batmobile in this series was/it's the best of all Batmobiles! In 1975, I was in Mexico City visiting my father. My father decided to take me to Mexico City's Convention Center to see The International Car Show. In the car show, they had cars from Russia and Hollywood. For example: The Munsters' car, the Pink Panther's car, the Greenhornet's car, most of the Untachables cars, and the Batmobile. The Batmobile was a 1966 George Barris design. However, the outside color was of velour or velex texture (Black). It did not have a glossy or shiny exterior black color. It was cool!
Jesse
jessegrd@aol.com
richard @ Aug 25th 2006 3:50PM
i thought that it was really cool to find out about all the different makes and models of batmobiles since it first conception and i think if you really like batman then this is really worth the time to check out
Larry E. Harris @ Aug 25th 2006 3:52PM
You didn't go back far enough! There was a black and white Batman 12 part serial from the early 1950's, and the Batmoble was a black 1949 or 1950 Mercury 2 door sedan. Very cool at the time!
Vic @ Aug 25th 2006 4:09PM
Saw one in the style of Barris's '66 driving down the road in Plano Texas. I'm sure there are one offs in many cities. I think there is a late night AM talk show host that drives one.
joewhee @ Aug 25th 2006 4:41PM
holy dog doo doo, caped crimefighter. rad ride
Bill Esterly @ Aug 25th 2006 5:41PM
I recall the first Batmobile as a 1948 Mercury convertible.
Scooter @ Aug 25th 2006 6:34PM
There are two in Dallas Texas..Owned by Russ Martin, Afternoon drive talk show host... very cool!
BOB STAWICKI @ Aug 25th 2006 7:50PM
I'M 78 AND REMEMBER THE FIRST BATMAN COMIC AND AM STILL A BUFF OF ALL COMICS' IVE SEEN EVERY BATMAN MOVIE---SIGH-SUGH-SIGH
John McGlumphy @ Aug 25th 2006 8:05PM
George Barris has built several well known cars, among
them The 1966 Batmobile, The Munsters Koach, and even
cars used in The Dukes of Hazzard. There may have been
several Batmobiles since the 1966 original that may try to emulate his but will never duplicate it.
misticAngel @ Aug 25th 2006 8:54PM
Ok the original Batmobile was the personal build car of the renouned auto customizer Billy Hynes.. Billy was an employee of George Barris for many years, as I have been an employee of Bills of n on for over 30 years. Bill is still cranking out customized cars for customers at well over 70 years of age. He is also in the Genises book of records. Many of Bill's concepts and ideas are the focus points of todays automobile designers. I would not be right if in closing I did not thank Bill for his dovotion and attribulations to the world of custom cars and designing.
JOE GOWEN @ Aug 25th 2006 9:19PM
THE 1966 BATMOBILE GETS MY VOTE. I REMEMBER SEEING IT AS A KID AT ALOT OF THE CAR SHOWS. I READ SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN BUY A BATMOBILE KIT TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR OWN. COOL, VERY COOL INDEED.