Now for something completely different!

I know it's supposed to be "Retro Y'all" day, and this is a kind of "Retro Y'all" post, but this isn't any ordinary Saturday.  No Siree!  It's.......

BATMAN DAY!

For real.  I wouldn't make that up.

So there's only one video that will work today.

You all should have known that was coming.  (I had such a crush on Burt Ward when I was a kid.)

There's a Batman Day giveaway with all kinds of Bat-swag, if you want to enter.  (And you know that my birthday is coming up....)

Here's a nice rundown of different approaches to the character that gets what I consider to be the heart of the whole idea of The Batman.  It's not darkness or vengeance or crime or violence or even justice.  It's weirdness, plain and simple.  Everything about Batman is at the very least a little strange, if not outright silly.  The best incarnations take that inherent oddity and run with it, without caring what the fan-boys think.

So how am I celebrating this auspicious occasion?  Well, the only Batman attire I have is a pair of boxers, so I'm going to be wearing them today.  (I will wear other clothing in addition to said Bat-boxers.  It's Batman Day, not Fat, Middle- Aged Nerds in their Undies Day.  That takes place every Sunday in my living room.  TMI?)

Actually, I do have a Batman T-shirt, but I have no idea where it is.  I think it might be hiding out with the missing socks from the dryer.  I probably need to get on the Bat-phone and get some assistance in cracking that case.  I'm sure the Bat-Computer could find it with no problem.

There's probably no better way to celebrate such a day than with a trip to the comic shop, so I guess I'll be heading over there.  Especially since it's also nerd herd sidewalk sale day!  Last one of the year, in fact.  Been selling comics like crazy lately, so I need to lay in a stash for the winter.  I've got a small one, but I think I need some more.

I'll close out with a really good article about the problems of trying to evolve and develop the Batman mythos in a corporate culture that has come to view him as a cash cow to sell movie tickets and video games, rather than a vehicle for lasting stories.  The idea these days seems to be that they'll just throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks as far as the comics go, and when the crap stops sticking, then they'll just "reboot" with a new first issue.  As long as the box office is big, who cares?

That whole line of thinking is (yet) another reason why I have no stomach for modern super-hero comics any more.  If you're keeping track, that's like the third or fourth one I've shared.  Maybe I should make a check list.  How can you collect the set if you don't have a check list?

Of course, the truly wonderful thing about fictional characters is that you can pick and choose which version(s) you like and ignore the rest.  This Batman Day, I'm celebrating:

• The Adam West TV Show Batman
• Any animated version of Batman
• Manga Batman
• Batman in the 70's and 80's comics I bought as a kid
• Batman from the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's stories that I read in reprints as a kid
• George Clooney Batman (I pride myself on being pretty much the only person in the known universe who loved that movie.)

Someone else can celebrate the other versions.

By the way, I found out about this too late to do a post about it, but yesterday was National Comic Book Day.  (Not sure who decides these things.)  I read some comics to celebrate.  Now, will someone please tell me when Wonder Woman Day is?  Also National Spring Roll Day.  I really need to celebrate that one.  A lot.