Batmobile

The Batmobile is the fictional personal automobile of comic book superhero Batman. The car has followed the evolution of the character from comic books to television to films.

Technical description

The standard features of the vehicle include a chassis with heavy armor plating and a high performance engine, sometimes with rocket boosts for increased speed, special devices to improve maneuverability, and mounted weapons to disable vehicles and remove obstacles. In addition, the vehicle typically carries a computer that is remotely linked to the Batcave's main computer, a remote control function, a field forensic kit and a personal small helicopter held in the trunk called a whirlybat.

The vehicle has changed frequently over the decade. In the early stages of Batman's careeer,he modified a sedan, with armor, technologically advanced automotive customization, and has turned the Batmobile into the sleek street machine he currently drives.

The Batmobile is also frequently referred to as being powered by nuclear generation of electricity, both by Robin in a launch checklist from the 1966 television show ("Atomic batteries to power. Turbines to speed!"), and by the Penguin in Batman Returns, where one of his schemes to kill Batman is to turn the Batmobile into "an H-bomb on wheels."

Early history

Originally in the comic books, Batman drove only a simple red automobile with nothing special in its functions. This version first appeared in Batman #5 in the spring of 1941. The car's design gradually evolved, beginning with an ever-larger bat hood ornament and an ever-darker paint job.

Eventually, the predominant designs included a large, dark-colored body and bat-like accessories, including large tailfins scalloped to resemble a bat's wings.

Although vehicles for the Batman films have been custom built for the purpose, perhaps the most famous Batmobile, the one from the 1960s live action television show, began life as a concept car called the Lincoln Futura, built nearly a decade earlier. Famed customizer George Barris was chosen to design the Batmobile. However, Barris' shop production would not allow for the necessary detail, so he contracted the job to stylist Dean Jeffries, who completed the project in about three weeks for the series. In constructing the body, Ghia's artisans hammered the car's panels over logs and tree stumps carved as forms. The final version was completed in 1966. When filming for the series began, several problems arose due to the age of the car. Barris had installed low profile tires which required replacement, and before mid-year filming he replaced the running gear with the chassis and engine from a 1966 Ford Galaxie.

Barris built several more identical vehicles as needed for filming, three of which he covered with black felt in order to hide stress cracks in the fiberglass bodies. One such replica appears to be based on a 1959 Ford Galaxie, while the others are based on 1966 Fords of different models. Barris has retained ownership of the original car, and at least one of the replicas survives at the Volo Auto Museum in Illinois.

Later history

Later versions of the famed Batmobile would be built off the stretched-out platforms of other cars, such as the Chevrolet Caprice and Buick Riviera. This style was utilized in the two Batman films directed by Tim Burton. This long, sleek design was later adapted for The Animated Series, wherein the vehicle was a long, low machine inspired by art deco design style of the film series. As the 1990s Batman films were handed over to director Joel Schumacher, the design for the Batmobile became increasingly implausible, as decorative lighting was added to the vehicle's rims and front edge, and the wing-shaped fins reached further into the air. Batman Forever was originally supposed to have a Batmobile designed by famed designer H. R. Giger, but Giger backed out of the project when Warner Brothers rejected his design.

The Batmobile depicted in the 2005 film Batman Begins owes more to the tank-like vehicle from Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns than to the sleek automobiles seen in previous incarnations. The film's production designer described the machine as being a cross between a Lamborghini and a Hummer. In that film, Bruce Wayne modifies a military vehicle known as the Tumbler, and the vehicle that he creates is never referred to as a Batmobile. It is interesting to note that when Batman askes Gordon to aid him in stopping Ra's al Ghul, he asks if he "can drive stick". However, in the various interior sequences of the Batmobile/Tumbler being driven, it appears to drive not like a manual transmission automobile, but rather, a boat, based on throttle placement, use, and construction. Six individual Batmobiles were built for filming in the movie, each with a special purpose to meet the various stunt needs of the film: two regular, full-size driving Batmobiles for exterior shots; one full-size model with hydraulics for the jump sequences; one full-size functional vehicle with propane tanks to fuel the rocket blast out of the rear nozzle; one electrically-powered car used for interior shots; and a 1/3-scale radio-controlled electric model for the biggest stunts in the film (for instance, the jumps into and out of the Batcave and the roof-top chase sequence). These scenes were filmed on a massive set built on a stage at Shepperton Studios over the course of 9 weeks.

A similar tank-like vehicle appears in the 2004 animated series The Batman, which was in development at the same time as the 2005 film, though that series does not follow the continuity of Batman Begins.

In the Hush storyline, it is shown that Batman has all the previous Batmobiles in storage in the Batcave. A sample of dialogue between Batman and Nightwing supports this point: Batman: "We'll take the car." Nightwing: "O.K. Which one?" In addition, some incarnations of the character, such as The Animated Series, establish that Batman has a large ground vehicle fleet of various makes and models as well as utility vehicles to use when the Batmobile would be too conspicuous.

A collection of original Batmobiles are on display at the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum located in Keswick, northern England. Replicas of the Tim Burton-era Batmobiles are on display in front of several Batman The Ride roller coasters.

The Batmobile in popular culture

In the movie Rock Star, Mark Wahlberg's character is given to extravagant spending; one of his first purchases is the original Batmobile from the TV Series.
In the TV Series The Drew Carey Show, Drew Carey won the Schumacher-era Batmobile as a prize.
In the cartoon Cybertron, the Decepticon leader Megatron looks similar to the Joel Schumacher version.
In the movie Back in Action, Daffy Duck drives the Batmobile into the water tower on the Warner Bros. studio lot, causing it to fall over and nearly crush Jenna Elfman's character.
In the TV Series Tiny Toon Adventures, Hampton the Pig is working as a parking valet at a restaurant when the Batmobile drives up. Batman exits, tosses him the keys, and says "Be careful with it -- I just got it detailed". Hampton accidentally activates the rocket boosters, and the car flies off, punching a hole through the Moon that resembles the famed Batman symbol.
In the TV Series Animaniacs Tim Burton Version Batmobile Approaches the WB studios front gates, The Guard at the door greets the driver by saying "Good afternoon Mr. Keaton."
Also in Animaniacs, one episode depicts Dr. Otto Scratchansniff pleading with Batman: "I don't want to drive the Batmobile, I just want to sit in it!"
A parody of the Christmas tune "Jingle Bells" states that the "(the) Batmobile lost its wheel / and (the) Joker got away". Mark Hamill, in character as the Joker, performed this song alteration in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series entitled "Christmas with the Joker". This parody also appeared in a very early episode of The Simpsons, sung by Bart Simpson (the song predates both shows by many years).
- In the TV Series Justice League Unlimited, The Flash has to make an excuse for Batman's absence, and says the last lines of the Jingle Bells parody, adding "Well that's what I heard."
An episode of The Simpsons guest-starred Adam West with the Batmobile. Another episode featured the Batmobile in a museum of famous cars next to Herbie the Love Bug and a car from Mad Max. The latter episode featured a live Batman and Robin in the vehicle, who had both tried poorly to conceal the fact that they were not dummies.
Batmobile is the name of a psychobilly band.
On an episode of The Man Show, a lucky guest won a ride in the Batmobile with Adam West in the "Wheel of Destiny" segment.
The car is seen in an episode of Brotherly Love.