Back to the Batcave

If you follow my reviews, you know that I like Batman on a whole which probably makes me biased. Now to be sure, this book is probably not for you if you aren't a fan of the old 60s series. Well, that said, the book is absolutely phenomenal. I apologize for the cliche, but I 'just couldn't put it down.' The book is nicely divided into several chapters, and Adam talks about the different aspects of his life. A little bit on his childhood, some of his work before Batman, a moment in his life that foreshadowed his role as Batman, and elements of his domestic life. One thing you will notice in this book is that West is NOT uptight and stiff like his most famous character. He writes very flowingly and at times he touches us closely with his experiences. Some things have a comical aspect. (Like how the mask compromised his vision, so he had to get familiar with the set to avoid tripping.) He also explains that to do a character convincingly, the actor has to understand and know who he is portraying; another amusing thing was he reveals that one of the reasons he often made exaggerated gestures was to compensate for the fact that for obvious reasons, facial expressions were not so much an option for him. He also gives a generous amount of time to the other cast members. (Another thing that shows Adam's abilites as a writer is that while he will admit that his favorite villains were Newmar as Catwoman and Gorshin as the Riddler, he explains why the Joker (Romero) and the Penguin (Meredith) held the most popular villain spots. The only guest star he really knocks is Otto Preminger as Mr. Freeze. He also talks a little about the equipment like the Batmobile. (It wasn't so easy to drive.) Another thing that shows his ability to write well is that while he liked Yvonne Craig as a person, he explains (without knocking her) that he was not overly delighted at the presence of her character. Some other significant chapters focus on his personal life. (How his domestic life was affected for the worse, how being famous came with some negative elements, and how he was affected when Batman was cancelled.) There is a deep sadness in how his life was brought to a sudden detour when this happened, and how he realized that being Batman gave him some years of fame but made it difficult to find work afterwards. To be sure, he did some work in movies and telvision, but nothing really gave him the popularity of the batdays. He later tells about an experience where he had to become Batman for real one day when on a vacation, someone attacked a girl with a machete. All in all, this is an absolute MUST for fans of the 60s Batman series. Perhaps one of the greatest chapters is where he explains why he was hurt at not being asked to do Batman in the Burton movies. (And it wasn't just jealousy.) He had some really understandable reasons for being angered and hurt. (I did notice one glitch. He said he voiced a 'villain' Grey Ghost in the animated series.) Well, the Grey Ghost wa

West shows us here how he became the comic book super hero for the ABC series which aired in 1966! Its all here the shows the casts and directors and each series plot. I think West was a great actor acting the part.

I first bought this book and read it and had to re-read it all over again!

I can't believe Adam West turned down a chance to be 007! But I believe his life story, BACK TO THE BATCAVE--it's terrific! And Adam West probably would have made a good Bond, just as he made a great Batman. I love the way he describes how he developed the character, and made him into the World's Greatest Detective. And I don't think I've ever read a biography that was as candid about a man's career and personal life as this one is. Adam West tells all kinds of behind the scenes stories about most stars, costars, guest stars,and I've never seen a book that goes into as many details about people I wasn't expecting to hear about as this one does, like when Adam West mentions Guy Williams and how he overcame typecasting--"I've been sleeping with the robot's daughter!" And even though there's a certain sadness to this book because of how West got typecast after BATMAN, but BACK TO THE BATCAVE is still a book I love to own! Write another, Adam West! Chari Krishnan [email protected]

If your a fan of the Batman TV show as I am you will enjoy this book by the only Batman that matters, Adam West. I have waited 20 years for this book and really enjoyed reading all about the show, from casting to cancellation. West talks about his life, co-stars, costumes, and the extraordinary bat-vehicles. As nice as this book is it does have a disappointing aspect, there are only B/W photos and they are used more than once. This book however, is a must for ALL bat fans. Also, check out the release of the 1966 movie on video. It's the best bat-film by far!!!