Batman Returns is a Christmas Miracle

Spending Christmas in Gotham City is an annual tradition for diehard fans of Batman Returns (1992). I have to watch the movie sometime in December—and often several times this month—and nothing brings me more Yuletide spirit than the most gloriously bizarre and unapologetically kinky superhero movie ever made. Tim Burton and screenwriters Daniel Waters and … Continue reading Batman Returns is a Christmas Miracle →

Happy 90th, Julie Newmar

One of these days I’m going to turn more of this blog’s attention to the 1960s Batman television show. Obviously, my pop culture loves range far and wide, so it’s hard to squeeze them all in here, but Batman was critical to my childhood, my love of comic books, and my development into a scholar … Continue reading Happy 90th, Julie Newmar →

From Screen to Page: Catwoman Returns

I finally got around to reading the six-issue miniseries Batman ‘89. Originally published by DC Comics between August 2021–July 2022, the comic was written by Sam Hamm, beautifully illustrated by Joe Quinones, and sumptuously colored by Leonardo Ito. Hamm, you might remember, wrote Tim Burton’s Batman (1989), so it’s fitting that he continues the story … Continue reading From Screen to Page: Catwoman Returns →

Super Threads: Five Best Live-Action Super Costumes

When lifelong comic book fans get together they are prone to go down rabbit holes, like, “Name the best X-Men artists of all time” or, “Give me your best Batman stories ever.” I’m as guilty as any comics geek when it comes to this tendency to go list-crazy. Recently I was thinking about a comics … Continue reading Super Threads: Five Best Live-Action Super Costumes →

Bad Girls We Love: Molly from Batman (1966)

Decades before Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) movie ignited Batmania across the land, the original Batmania spread like wildfire after the debut episodes of the 1966–1968 Batman television series. One of the few instances of an honest-to-goodness pop culture phenomenon, Batman’s camp sensibilities and colorful pop art style endeared it to millions of fans, including yours … Continue reading Bad Girls We Love: Molly from Batman (1966) →

Honey, I’m Home: Batman Returns at 30

Earlier this week it was Grease 2 turning forty. June is a big release month for epic Michelle Pfeiffer performances and pfilms, so today we celebrate Tim Burton's phantasmagoria of gothic opulance Batman Returns, which turns thirty. In a world full of people willing to claim that the recent The Batman is the greatest Batman … Continue reading Honey, I’m Home: Batman Returns at 30 →