Oldest Thing in My Collection: Brian A

A few weeks ago, Brian B threw down the challenge to post on the oldest item in our Bat-Collections.  This was a bit tough for me since my collection is comprised mostly of things from the late 80s-on-up with a smattering of items from the 1970s.  However, I did find a couple of items that date from the late 1960s.  Sadly, they aren't toys or even as cool as Brian B's mugs or Charle's pennant.

Both of these books are from 1967… the year I was born.  So, they kind of have some significance to me beyond being just older Batman items.  These things have been on the planet for just about as long as I have and there's something kind of neat about that to me.  

The first item is a coloring book that picked up on ebay a few years ago.  It's in excellent condition for it's age and only has one page colored in it.  This is almost preferable to me over one that might not have been used by a young Batman fan from back in the 1960s.

I love this cover.  I miss these guys.

You can tell that this is based, mostly, on the 60's TV series.  Where else would you see Batman and Robin hanging out in Commissioner Gordon's office?

Also, the "Big Bad" in this story is the Minstrel.  If I'm not mistaken, he's a character that was created solely for the TV show.

This is the page that was pre-colored when I got the book.  Someone did a pretty nice job with it, too.  I like to imagine that this was colored while watching a TV episode of Batman in the late 60's.

The Penguin even makes an appearance.

The second item is a Batman comic book from May 1967, Issue #191.  A few years ago, I was thinking about trying to collect some older Batman comics.  As it should be, the further back you go, the more expensive the comics become.  So, I thought it might be fun to start with the very first Batman comic that was published after I was born and move up from there.  Unfortunately, this is where my vintage Batman comic collection stopped… but that's okay.  I enjoy having this issue all the same.  I have quite a few Batman comics that start in the late 70's but this one from 1967 is definitely my oldest Batman comic book.  

I love looking at these old ads in comics.  Great stuff!

An ad for the original 12" GiJoe line in the 60's.  How cool is that?!

I miss the simpler drawing style of the old days in comics.  It's a shame things have to "progress," sometimes.

This issue even has a second story inside.

My favorite ad in the whole book. Only second to the one about "How to Breath... Without Air!!"

This is an ad for a line of models for a TV show called "The Rat Patrol."  I don't think I've ever heard of this show.

Thanks Brian B!... for setting the challenge.  Doing this makes me wish I had something from earlier in Batman's "career".... maybe something from the 1940's.

Oldest Thing in My Collection: Charles

My first "Official" Post for UTGP, and it starts with an email received a while back now about showcasing the oldest item in your collection from Brain B. I knew two things right then, one, I was going to have a blast contributing to this blog, and two... I didn't know what in the world I was going to post!

A real quick intro into my Bat Collecting Madness. When I was young I was introduced to Batman through comics and then every once in a while our local antenna T.V. Stations would air the 1966 Batman Movie on Saturdays. I would no sooner than the movie ended run outside and try to climb the old oak in our front yard like I was scaling up the side of the UN to save the delegates. That was it, I had a few little Corgi toys, the Remco Batbelt, and absolutely no Batman Megos.

I kept reading the comics, the Superfriends was on T.V., and I had buddies that had the Batman Megos, that I could join in with my Spider-Man or Spock and we would have some mixed up adventure. Time passes and in my college years the 1989 Batman movie came on the scene. Like most, this kick started my love for Batman into overdrive. Now, well over 100 Batman figures later, many die cast Batmobiles, comics, DVD's, T-Shirts, etc.  here I am. So, you can see I really did not think I would have anything too old  in my collection having really started relatively late to the Batman party, then I remembered this...

A 1966 Batman and Robin Pennant! Ha ha, I feel like I won a battle for the lower east end of Gotham City! I am on the board, leveled the playing field a bit, I can hang with Brian and Brian! Now, I do understand we all collect different things, and have different stories, and we even have collection overlap. But you know having read UTGP for years the one thing I knew was the two Brian's know their Classic Batman. Don't get me wrong I am not a Batman novice, it's just everyone wants to feel like they have that common ground. I an actually looking forward to contributing some new things and maybe some other areas of collecting here.

Back to the pennant though. This is one of those things I was just given by some good friends in Florida, one of those items that hits you out of the blue. I know like most collectors you are given stuff by co-workers, friends, and family that you were not expecting. You know what I am talking about, the random PEZ or the "Hey I saw this and knew you collected Batman" sort of item. Those items are, in my opinion, the most welcome to any collection.

The day I received this I was in awe, I immediately saw the copyright date, the ink went on a little heavy that day at the Batman and Robin Pennant Screen Printing Company, but the copyright reads as follows:

© NATIONAL PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS INC. 1966

Holy Time Capsule! I could not believe my eyes and my mind started to race to all the times I have received pennants from baseball or basketball games, or that one time my parents dragged me to the Ice Capades only for it to be a surprise visit from an Ice Skating Spider-Man (I know this is a Batman blog, but facts are facts).

I guess I can imagine how the lucky kid felt getting this for the first time, also a little sad as they no longer have it. I hope they were ready to let it go. I do know I am going to give it a good home. Sure it has been folded and probably seen some better days, but it will hold a special place in my collection and a little spoiler here, I have plans for an awesome display with it in a prime location of my collection. But, that my Bat Friends will for another post.

It is items like this, and the mug Brian B blogged about, that make me happy to be a Batman Collector, and also be a part of a community were we can share cool finds, and still be amazed at the wonders of our favorite Superhero.

Eaglemoss 1966 Batmobile

I picked up a new Batmobile the other day.

It came with a little diorama, a magazine and is made by Eaglemoss of the UK.

It is a nice little magazine that is definitely British.

The Batmoble has a bonnet in its description and tire is spelled tyre.

It has a nice fold out with a cross section of the Batmoblie and its toys.

A section that featurse gadgets from the television show.

I never would have guessed that the atomic battery was in the rear of the Batmobile.

The magazine is nice but here is why I bought it.

The car.

It is nicely contained in a plastic display box.

These are all fixed to a base made of cardboard.

It has super details.

See what I mean?

One really cool feature is a lenticular background of the Batcave.

 It has a really nice 3D when lit from behind.

 I remember thinking that the Bat-computer was magic.

How could one machine hold all that information?

In my mind only someone as rich as Bruce Wayne could afford it.

I am Batman because I have something more powerful than that computer in my pocket.

Google is my Bat-computer.

 If you see one of these I recommend picking it up.

They have a few more of the Bat-vehicles in the line.

1966 Batman Board Game

Before Arkham Asylum video game there was the 1966 Milton Bradley Batman board game.
I didn't have this as a kid. I didn't even know it existed until the day I bought it a few months ago.

My family and I play it every night now.

Not really.
I tried to read the directions and after giving up I decided that this why it is in such good shape after existing for 44 years.

It is cool looking though and that is why I bought it.



I mean Robin finds the Jokers head in a safe!
Why is Robin cracking open a safe? Because it looks cool.


Batman fights a white version of the Hulk because it looks cool.


Sherlock Holmes stealing the Batmobile? Looks cool!


I mean look at this.


If I would have seen this back in the day I would thrown a fit for it and gotten a spanking just because I had seen the box lid.

Lets open it up.


The more you look at it the more it is clear that the artist knew very little about Batman and his world.

To the artist Gotham city must have been described as a cross between The Jetsons and Denver Colorado.


Bubble buildings, heliports and rocket ramps and nestled within a mountain range.
That's Gotham city? Not the one we know.

Maybe they compared Batman to Flash Gordon too. So the artist threw some rockets and planets on the lid too. Maybe the astronauts and the Moon race had something to do with?

Who cares it is cool looking and I love it.




We also find a red Riddler on the game board along with a Penguin without a top hat and cigarette. We also see Batman's nemesis The Blockbuster.

Blockbuster is in the Batman universe so I learned something here. I hadn't heard of him before I saw this.

I wasn't done learning new characters.



The Joker looks true to form.

Mr. Zero.
Here is a glimpse into how the 1960's Adam West series impacted Batman.
Mr. Zero was renamed Mr. Freeze after the character became popular on the television series.
The T.V. show wanted to use Two Face but the network thought he would be to scary so the used Mr. Freeze instead.

Good call networks. Ceasar Romero's Joker terrified me as a kid. I can't imagine what Two face would have done.

The Calender Man is another little known Batman villain but he has been seen recently in such things as "Batman The Long Halloween" graphic novel. (Which I am currently reading)
Though he doesn't wear a turban in it.

The box with the game board removed.

Lets look at the game pieces.

I was hoping for some Batman figures but these guys do look Bruce Wayne kinda 60's cool.

You do get a Batmobile.

Let me rephrase that. You get a Batmobile in three different colors!


There are control boards for each player. (Very computer sounding)

These keep track of the criminals you have caught and Batmobiles that are in use.


You place these pieces on the control board as you capture the criminals.

Pretty sweet.



I had to up the age limit a bit.




Wanna play? I call the blue guy.

Brian B