The Adventures of Batman is a curious standard-bearer for a very important part of Batman's history. It was the first of numerous animated takes on the legendary superhero and shared much in common with the live-action Batman starring Adam West. The oft-overlooked series makes its Blu-ray debut in 2023 so that everyone can see a unique period in the Dark Knight's timeline.
Though it only lasted one season, the show came along just as DC's superheroes were expanding by leaps and bounds into the realm of Saturday morning cartoons. The Adventures of Batman set a precedent for the character that lasted almost two decades. The show's influence continues to be felt today -- a remarkable achievement for such a comparatively short show.
The Adventures of Batman Was Influenced by Adam West's Batman
The Adventures of Batman began with The New Adventures of Superman, a 1966 animated series that expanded to include other heroes. The success of Adam West's Batman prompted the Caped Crusader's addition, and The Batman/Superman Hour debuted in September 1968, just a few months after the live-action show had gone off the air. The Batman segments could be broken off and presented as their own series, which the Blu-ray set does.
The Adventures of Batman set Batman and Robin against various members of his rogues gallery -- most of whom had appeared prominently in the West series -- and adopted a similarly light tone. The villains acted more like colorful bank robbers than psychopaths, and their crimes were of a decidedly off-the-wall nature. While much later series like Batman Beyond emphasized the character's darkness, this series kept things relatively upbeat.
Most notably, the show served as voice actor Olan Soule's first appearance as Batman and Casey Kasem's debut as Robin. West and Burt Ward reprised their live-action parts in 1977's The New Adventures of Batman and West appeared in the last two seasons of Super Friends, but West was famously eager to distance himself from the role. In the absence of any other medium, Soule and Kasem's performances filled in the gap for Batman and Robin fans -- and did so spectacularly.
The Adventures of Batman Established a New Dynamic Duo
In The Adventures of Batman, Soule's straight-arrow take on Batman emphasized his intellect and detective skills over his grim drive to fight crime. Kasem delivered an apt variation of Ward's take on Robin, including routine exclamations starting with "Holy" and a swashbuckling eagerness to take on any assignment. Their interpretations of the characters became synonymous with DC's 1970s animation boom. The two reprised their roles for two episodes of The New Scooby-Doo Movies -- the first but not last time Batman teamed up with Mystery, Inc. -- and then throughout the various incarnations of Super Friends.
There were well over 20 years between the end of West's show and Michael Keaton's performance in 1989's Batman, making Soule and Kasem's heroes the Batman and Robin for an entire generation. It all started with The Adventures of Batman, and while the show itself is on the kid-friendly side, its particular embodiment of the Dynamic Duo is well worth celebrating. The show's versions of Batman and Robin helped start a larger DC animated universe, walking so that later takes on Batman could run.
The Adventures of Batman will be released on Blu-ray on Feb. 28, 2023.