“It’s the car. Chicks dig the car.”
So says Batman (Val Kilmer) of his Batmobile in 1994’s Batman Forever. But more than just the ladies love the supercharged, superheroic vehicle. Fans of Batman’s various film and TV incarnation across genders all over the world have fallen for each new version of the Dark Knight’s ride.
With a new 2005 Batmobile bouncing off the rooftops in Batman Begins, Hollywood.com has your driver’s manual, packed with everything you want to know about the creation of the newest model, a chat with the designer of the TV original, and a history of Hollywood’s other Batmobiles. Buckle up!
The Batmobile: A Hollywood History
The Batmobile debuted–as a sleek black “high-powered auto” sans Bat-embellishments–in Detective Comics #30 in 1939, just three months after cartoonist Bob Kane’s mysterious creation The Batman made his first appearance. The auto was soon reconfigured into the familiar Bat-faced, Bat-finned powerhouse that, with frequent updating through the ages, would charge forth throughout Batman’s 66-year comic book history. (Get full story)
Interview with Batman Begins‘ Batmobile Designer Nathan Crowley
For generations, the Batmobile has been every kid’s fantasy car: a dangerous, supercharged vehicle driven straight into the heart of adventure. And for Batman Begins, the re-launch of the blockbuster superhero franchise, production designer (and car enthusiast) Nathan Crowley got to re-imagine the Batmobile for 2005, creating a muscular cross between a Hummer, a Maserati and a Stealth fighter. “I think it works. When you first see it in camouflage, I’m still in awe of it.” (Get full story)
Interview with Batmobile Innovator George Barris
For decades, George Barris has been Hollywood’s preeminent car customer, pimping people’s rides long before it was fashionable. Beginning with the wild hot rods he created in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s for the drag-crazed films of the era, he moved up to craft on-screen autos for filmmakers. His first pop culture custom masterpiece was the jalopy driven by The Beverly Hillbillies, followed quickly by his unforgettable Batmobile design… (Get full story)
