ZADZOOKS: Batman: The Complete Television Series – Limited Edition review (Blu-ray)

Holy multimedia miracle, Batman, the wait is finally over.

After decades of copyright issues and leaping through legal landmines, Batman: The Complete Television Series – Limited Edition (Warner Home Video, Not Rated, $267.97) arrives to deliver to fans the definitive live-action show honoring the Dynamic Duo.

This massive, 12-disk Blu-ray set compiles all 120 episodes originally seen on the ABC Network between 1966 and 1968 in the original TV aspect ratio.

Each is remastered in the high-definition format to make every primary color burst from the screen and to help clearly present the ultimate nostalgia trip for the 1960s pop-culture connoisseur in the family.

For youngsters these days brought up with Christian Bale’s brooding cinematic Batman, the show will mean nothing, but for middle-age guys like me, this set unloads a flood of memories.

Let me put my giddiness in perspective. I was a mere wide-eyed tot when the show first aired and, more amazingly, I had no idea it was in color, as my parents only owned a black-and-white television until the early 1970s.

Each week, twice a week for the first two seasons, an archvillain appeared, played by a legendary actor ranging from Vincent Price as Egghead to Burgess Meredith as the Penguin, causing the easily exhausted Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara to quickly call Batman and Robin.

Usually, the faithful butler Alfred picked up the blinking red Batphone, got the attention of millionaire Bruce Wayne and ward Dick Grayson (aka Batman and Robin) to don their famed crime-fighting suits and begin an adventure to take down the week’s nefarious foes.

My Batman will forever be actor Adam West who managed to deliver the perfect mix of understated comedic kitsch to his performance while actor Burt Ward offered his bright-eyed Boy Wonder with the perfect eager-to-please attitude as the Caped Crusader’s assistant.

In every episode, fans enjoyed close quarters fight scenes turned into a living comic book (with those exploding onomatopoeia), oogling a gorgeous Batmobile (create by auto customizing king George Barris) and marveling at an endless supply of Bat gadgets. I especially got a kick out of the Bat-container (thermos) and Bat-funnel used to collect alphabet soup noodles.

Now toss in those cocked camera angles to introduce prestigious villains and dim-witted henchmen (remember Catwoman’s thugs with kitty ears) and unforgettable appearances of hip celebrities (such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Jerry Lewis) who popped out of a window as the Dynamic Duo scaled a wall, and it’s no wonder Batmania sizzled during the 1960s.

Here’s just a quick roundup of some of my favorite episodes:

• “Hi Diddle Diddle” – The first episode of the show marks the beginning of comedian Frank Gorshin as the Riddler (with that unforgettable laugh) and the introduction of Batman performing the Batusi at the club What a Way to Go Go (while dancing with actress Jill St. John as Molly, no less). Setting the tone for the series was the line uttered by Batman as Riddler’s gal pal Molly perishes in the Batcave’s nuclear reactor and our not-so-Dark-Knight utters the immortal line “what a terrible way to go go.”

• “Purfect Crime” — Not only was this episode the debut of the sultry Julie Newmar as Catwoman, dressed in that form-fitting costume (meow indeed), but it jogged another wonderful memory for me. I actually watched this show for the first time, in color, through my View-Master, a stereoscope device. When a disk was inserted, children held it up to their eyes and looked though the lens to see a three-dimensional set of still frames from numerous licensed properties including the “Batman” television show.

• “The Joker is Wild” — Famed Latin lover actor Cesar Romero debuts as the Clown Prince of Crime (complete with mustache hidden under white make-up) and delivers a case study performance of bringing Batman’s top archenemy to life. The guy scared the bejeezus out of me as a youngster, especially when dressed as a clown and revealing himself during a performance of Pagliacci.

• “A Piece of the Action” — The ultimate team-up for a young fan of superheroes presented the Green Hornet (Van Williams) and Kato (a young Bruce Lee) horning into the Dynamic Duo’s Gotham City. The fight scene against the villainous Colonel Gumm and his minions (in the companion episode (“Batman’s Satisfaction”) finds all four of the heroes in battle (often slugging it out against each other) and some unforgettable television. Take note also that famed actor Edward G. Robinson pops out of a window with the boys in the middle of a bat climb.

• “Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin” — The first appearance of actress Yvonne Craig as Batgirl begins the third season of the show. It not only highlights her slick, shiny costume but her impressive customized motorcycle. Of course, Burgess Meredith shines as Penguin packing a powerful punch of alliterative phrasing.

Overall, watching “Batman: The Complete Television Series” put a grin on my face more permanent than a whiff of Joker’s laughing gas.

Best extras: Let’s start with the packaging that includes a box covered with pop art, hinged and magnetically sealed for easy opening to get to the goodies. Oh yeah, tap a button on the side to hear a snippet of Neal Hefti’s classic “Batman” theme song.

Inside the box, look for a handy episode guide and hard-bound Adam West scrapbook (featuring some vintage images from his archive) along with a couple of cool collectors items.

Specifically, owners get a 1:50 scale replica Batmobile from Hot Wheels and a reproduction of trading cards, compiling the best of three sets of cards produced by Topps in 1966. The 44, cardboard masterpieces highlight the painted artwork of Norman Saunders, better know for his work on the trading card series, “Mars Attacks” back in 1962.

Additionally, a Blu-ray disk in the third-season container houses all of the multimedia extras.

They are a mixed bag at best. I appreciated the 30-minute,  self-narrated biography by Mr. West, “Hanging with Batman,” with reflections on his origins in Walla Walla, Washington, and plenty of poignant moments tied to his post-career let down after being the Batman.

Next, “Inventing Batman in the Words of Adam West,” is sort of a poor man’s Maximum Movie Mode (remember those Warner Home Video fans) where Mr. West deconstructs the episodes “Hi Diddle Riddle” and “Smack in the Middle” through some voice-overs, cut-aways and picture-in-picture pop-ups to add some interesting commentary and insight.

However, I thought “Bats of the Roundtable,” a featurette where director Kevin Smith, artist Jim Lee, impressionist Ralph Garman (who?) and actor Phil Morris (really?) ask Mr. West questions while they all eat dessert was pointless. Now, Mr. Smith should have led an aggressive discussion on the minutia of the show with Mr. West, Mr. Ward, Yvonne Craig and Julie Newmar, cheesecake optional.

Also, a couple of hard-core collectors show off their Batman collection in “Holy Memorabilia Batman!” and come off a bit too weird, especially when one of them has Mr. West stop by and even wear one of his original cowls.

What’s a real crime here is that Warner Bros. could not get Adam West and Burt Ward to sit in a room and offer some optional commentary tracks on episodes. This type of extra would have really made the set Bat special.

Also, where is the full-length, 1966 movie “Batman.” It seemed like a no brainer to include in the set to truly offer the definitive collection.

Read all about it: DC Comics, publisher of “Batman” sequential art for the last 75 years, offers an homage to the television series with the “Batman ’66” series delivered in both digital ($1.99) and hard copy ($2.99 each) formats. I prefer the digital issues viewed on an iPad to get not only new adventures of the classic Dynamic Duo (look for even Two-Face to make an appearance this month) but a bit of motion comic interactivity as the owner uses his finger to swipe through the colorful panels.