Special Feature: Burton Batman Halloween!

Figured you guys might enjoy seeing a few pictures of my boys' Halloween costumes this year! My oldest son Blaze asked if he could go as Batman this go-round... but not just any Batman. He specifically requested "Michael Keaton's Batman as seen in Batman Returns". I have constructed homemade costumes before when my boys make an obscure Halloween request... But doing a Burton Batman suit? That sounded tough. But hey- If your kid is cool enough to ask for a Keaton Bat-suit over 20 years after the film debuted... Well that is a request that is just too darned awesome to pass up on.

I thankfully found a deluxe child-size Batman Returns style cowl on eBay, but everything else on the suit is homemade. While I know it isn't anywhere near the level of detail usually reached by the cosplay community, it knocked my junior Bat-fan's socks off. Seeing him pulling his best Keaton Batman poses and spouting out lines from the films was quite a kick for me...



...and of course my younger son Keaton wanted in on the action too. He requested Nightwing (he prefers this incarnation of Dick Grayson to Robin). Since Blaze was already in a look from Batman Returns, I decided to make the Nightwing suit in the same vein. So here we have Nightwing as if the character appeared in "Batman Returns"



I am a pretty lucky guy to have such awesome kids. :) I'd much rather go trick-or-treating with Burton-ized Batman and Nightwing than with a Pokemon or a toddler-sized John Cena.

Vintage Newspaper Clipping: Salinas Californian "Cast & Effects Put Wind In Hero's Cape..." June 21, 1989

Another positive review from the June 21 1989 installment of the Salinas Californian (just a couple of days before the film hit theaters nationwide)! The opening paragraph really nails it: "The hype is not overblown- and the casting controversies are blown away."

Video Feature: "Wrap Up The Holidays" Batman VHS Commercial

"Batman" was released on VHS just over 4 months after its theatrical debut (with many theaters still showing it at the time of the tape's release). Warner banked on consumers viewing Batman video cassettes as being great holiday gifts and wanted to maximize their profits during the holiday season. This commercial seems to illustrate this sales tactic heavier than any of the others...

Merchandise/ Vintage Magazine Article: Batman- The Official Movie Souvenir Magazine

This is a post I have looked forward to doing since I started the site. The Official Batman Movie Souvenir Magazine from Topps ranks VERY high on my list of all-time favorite Batman movie merchandise. Overloaded with content, this is one publication that absolutely NO fan of the movie should be without. This issue has it all: Over 130 photos, the full movie story, behind-the-scenes secrets, a look at Batman collecting, a pin-up... and all for the low, low price of $2.95. And if you'll permit me to get a little sentimental for a moment, I'd like to describe just how much this inexpensive little magazine meant to me as a kid....



That is my original copy up there. You can tell a lot about how much you enjoyed something as a child by the state it is in when you look back it as an adult. :) I can remember the exact day my parents bought this for me. My father's work was taking part in a marathon run around town. Employees and their families were asked to be "station crew"; Basically manning a table of refreshments and checking in each runner as they passed. Knowing it would be an all-day event, my parents made a stop by the local convenience store so that my sister and I could pick up a book to help occupy our minds during our time at the table. Perusing the magazine section, my eyes caught a glimpse of Keaton's Batman. Even though I had not seen the film at this point, my excitement (like many adolescent boys in '89) was at a fever pitch. It was a no-brainer... I snagged the movie mag as quick as I could and lopped it into the awaiting hand cart. Even the time between checkout and the car seemed like hours. I absolutely couldn't wait to peek into that magazine. That day (and MANY others after) was spent with my nose firmly planted in it, burning every detail into my memory. Even after seeing the movie in theaters, this publication was my constant companion. At a time before digital copies on iPods and DVD players in cars, movie magazines were one of the only means of "taking the movie with you".

All those memories... for $2.95. Amazing. I have since bought multiple copies of this mag over the years, one of which I have scanned and presented here in its entirety. I hope you enjoy it... I only ask that if you do see a copy of this somewhere and the price is right, that you please go ahead and pick it up. A magazine like this deserves to be freed from those back-issue bins. :)