Over at the BOINGBOING GADGETS website they recently featured this Homemade Batmobile that totally cracks me up! A friend to the Bat-Blog sent this link & I almost died laughing ( Thanks Patron, I needed that! ). It looks like some Bat-Fan took a 1973 Opel GT & customized it to be a very cool Batman car! It's actually pretty nice & if ya wanna read the complete details then be sure to check out their page, here's a link button:
It's kinda weird. I know a ton of major Batman Collectors all over the world but here where I actually live ( Oklahoma City, OK ) I only know one. His name is Billy. He has an amazing Batman collection. I guess I should say "Batmobile Car collection" because that's his main focus. We have recently become friends & one day at lunch he said, "As soon as I get my new digital camera I'll have to send you some pics for the Bat-Blog." So, the other day I received a few e-mails loaded with these photos. Now the funny thing is that he made a special frame template to use with the pictures...I didn't know he was gonna go that far but they look pretty cool, very professional! This 1st set of photos show sort of 3 different catagories: Cookie Jars, Pillows, & Slot Car Sets. Billy, thank you for taking the time to photograph these. They look great & I appreciate that a lot! Readers, this guy has got some seriously cool stuff ( some of it I have never seen before ) so please be sure to stay tuned for more!Also, be sure to click on the above photos for larger, more detailed, versions...enjoy.
Here's a very recent interview with George Barris who we all know designed and created the Custom 1966 Batmobile Car for the Classic 60's BATMAN TV series.
Here is a snapshot of a Custom Batmobile used for a kid's ride in Rouen, France ( near Paris ) that our good friend Stephane saw last weekend. OK, first of all I am so jealous she is in France, ha ha! I've always loved that part of the globe & I will visit there someday. Second, thank you Stephane for sending this wonderful photo...it's the French Batmobile, how cool!! You must have freaked out when you saw it & I appreciate that you thought of the Bat-Blog.
There's gonna be a few new variations on the Hot Wheels 1966 Batmobile Car that has caught a lot of people by surprise. It looks like Mattel will create a reissue of the '66 Batmobile they made last year ( what a surprise, ha ha! ) for 2009. This new version will sport some new tires on the car & the header card will have 2 variations: one has a plain background with concept art of the Batmobile ( nice! ) & the other one is identical but has some "snowflake" graphics on it. These have already started to surface on eBay so I guess they're out now. Remember, be patient & look for these in stores. Don't pay greedy scalper prices! I remember when the 1st original version came out people were paying $100.00+ for these babies. I couldn't believe it! Go look on there now, you can buy them for 99 cents, ha ha!
At the Official HOT WHEELS COLLECTORS CLUB™ Webpage Mattel posted this Brand-NEW promo photo of what the NEW 1966 Batman BATMOBILE is gonna look like! This appears to be a CGI picture, & not the actual diecast toy car, but it gives you a really good idea of what it's gonna look like!! From the look of it this is gonna be the small "Hot Wheels-Sized" Car & not the larger version. Mattel has plans to do three versions: small, medium, & large with each new larger size becoming more detailed....we can't wait! Check back here at the BAT-BLOG for all the current news & we'll let ya know all the details as they arrive! Be sure to check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for past Hot Wheels™ Batmobile News & Pics! Also remember toClick the small picture above for a larger photo!
OK, This is getting kinda weird. Mattel must be getting ready to release this new version of the Hot Wheels 1:18 Scale Batmobile Car because they are starting to show up on eBay right now. The special thing about this one is that it is CHROME-PLATED & also made to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of DC Comics. So, if you're a Completest-Collector, who has to have every single version made, then you might keep an eye out for this one soon!
Here's a pretty cool video that was featured on an eBay posting ( I always think that's a really great idea to do that ). It's a Japanese ( Vintage 1970's ) ALPS Batman and Robin BATMOBILE TIN TOY that is one of those fun Battery Operated Cars! Now, this is a bootleg toy ( not licensed ) but still, it's a lot of fun & very very RARE! Plus, it's really neat to see it in action, ha!
A Bat-Blog Fan named, literally, "Some Random Guy" sent us this photo of his 1995 Mitsubishi Diamante that he just started to customize. So far the car is black & gray with a cool Batman Bat-Symbol Logo painted on the hood. He said even though he is going to keep the design very simple, there are a few more things he is going to do & then he will send more pics of the finished product. That's cool. So far the car looks really great! I look forward to seeing it completed. Thanks for sending the photo, "Random Guy". Readers, if you have customized your vehicle into a Batman car then please send us some photos, thanks!
Hey Kids! Do you know what time it is? It's Wacky Wallpaper Wednesday! Yes, we post some cool FREE Batman-Themed Backgrounds every single Wednesday! Why? Because I'm totally insane, yeah! This week I thought we would go with a "Batman Toy Vehicle" motif. The 1st one is a Bat-Cycle Toy that was made in the 1970's. I like the fuzzy-grainy look of it & it does make a really neat background. Please give it a try! The next one is a Diorama Set-Up made with a Corgi Car Batmobile Toy & a very small Batman Figure. This toy car looks like the one drawn by Norm Breyfogle in the 1980's Batman comic books...sweet! I wanna thank the fans who sent these pics in & if YOU want any special Bat-Wallpaper next week then just let me know!
This video from Action Figure Times is a cool demo for the MY FIRST BATMOBILE from Mattel's DC SUPERFRIENDS toy line. It showcases all the sounds & functions of this awesome toy car...enjoy!
New in stores right now is this very cool DC SUPERFRIENDS Matchbox Die Cast Cars 5-Pack Gift Set. Of course I'm reporting it here because there is a Batman-related vehicle in there, the Bat-Copter! Also included is the Flash Car, Superman Police Car, Green Lantern Van, & a cool industrial work truck with the DC SUPERFRIENDS logo! Personally I wish they had packaged these separately because all I want is the Bat-Copter, ha ha!
Every year the RED BULL Beverage Company has a famous Soap Box Derby Race event where people make their own cars & go totally crazy doing it! This year, 2008, it was in Cincinnati & I'm proud to say that there was a team called "The Adam West Experience" where some Bat-Fans made a replica of the "George Barris-Style" 1966 Batmobile Car! The 2 drivers even dressed up as Batman & Robin, ha ha! Here's a few pics of it & then a video where they sadly broke their car. Man, it would have been sweet if they won & we got to see the Batmobile cross the winning line...maybe next year!
I just recently met an artist on MySpace who has some really fun artwork. He does "Custom Hot Rod Caricatures" that are done in a cool Retro "Hot Rod" Style that must have been inspired by "Big Daddy" Ed Roth. Here's a piece he did with Batman in his Hot Rod Batmobile Car! His art also reminds me of those Topps Trading Cards from the 1960's & 70's. The artist's name is Ben Mitchell. But he's also known as "Drag Daddy" & you can view more of his awesome stuff on MySpace by clicking HERE!( Thanks Ben for letting me post some of your work ).
Here's a very interesting video from the 2009 TOY FAIR where a rep from Mattel shows off the cool function of the BATMOBILE / BAT-PLANE Toy Vehicle. It is, of course, from the new line of Batman: The Brave and The Bold Action Figures. It shows how it transforms from the car into the airplane...extremely cool! This toy is gonna be very popular with both little children & adult collectors!
Shown in the photo up above is a true Vintage Toy Collector's dream! This is the ultra-RARE Batman Corgi 5-Car Gift Pack from 1979. It featured a cool display box with 5 blister-packed diecast cars inside: The Batmobile, Bat-Bike Motorcycle, Bat-Copter Helicopter, Jokermobile Car, & Penguin's Car!! Be sure to check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for many more cool Vintage Toys including Mego, Corgi, Hot Wheels, Ideal, Marx, etc...Click the small picture for a larger photo!
Every now & then, here at the olde BAT-BLOG, we post a few photos of some Super-RARE Vintage Batman Toys just to torture the collectors, LOL! Actually this is a good reference for us to learn about some cool items out there. The 1st pic is a cool Batman Rubber Bendy Doll made by MARX in the 1960's. It's still in the original bag with header card. I love the 60's graphics on this & this baby is super-rare with or without the package! The next beautiful item is a BATPLANE Friction Toy Airplane with Original Box ~ drool, drool. The 3rd Bat-Item picture is a RARE BATMOBILE TIN TOY CAR with RARE Original Box ( this item is an icon & doesn't need any further explanation as to why it's great! ). The last item is, I think, the RAREST of them all! Here's an original 1970's BATMAN STRING-PUPPET with STORE DISPLAY! I can't remember if this was made by Ideal, Mego, or Knickerbocker but it's extremely RARE, especially with the display box!! I hope these have been fun & good luck finding them. Please check the BAT-BLOG ARCHIVES for many more RARE & unusual Vintage Batman Toys!
There's a Batman Collector website I visit called BATMANIACO! It's written by a guy named Alberto who lives in Argentina. Now the thing is, I can not understand one single word written there...I just enjoy the photos, ha ha! I try to translate the page sometimes but it always just gets garbled up so I just end up enjoying the pictures. He has a pretty amazing Batman Toy collection. This is a perfect example! Here's a beautiful Batman Riding Toy Car that looks just like the 1940's Batmobile! Now, remember, I can't read anything there but I'm pretty sure this toy is custom & not production-made. But anyway...it's AWESOME!
OK, These photos are pretty funny and, yes, it might be a situation where "you had to be there", but I think it's totally hilarious! These 2 pics were sent in by our friend Dave who said he was just traveling down the street when all of a sudden he & his Wife saw Batman's Car going down the street!! He explains it a lot better than me so here's what he wrote:
"My wife & I were heading back from the Chiller Theater Convention in New Jersey on Halloween Night and we spotted a Batmobile driving on 95 North through Connecticut! My wife Nancy tried taking a pic through my driver's window, then we caught a better pic on the passenger's side, making me MISS the exit for 95 North to Rhode Island! We were able to get back on the highway and make it home, but it was worth the pic. This gentleman driving the Batmobile looks like he modified his black Corvette with reflective tape, the Batman shield, and this gentleman actually painted and detailed the foam wings! I hope you enjoy the pics!"
Enjoy the pics? Oh man, these pics are GREAT! I also think the story is pretty funny too like how you missed your exit just to get a photo...Ha Ha! Thanks so much for sharing your story & almost risking your life. It WAS worth it!!
