Holy injectionmolded styrene, Batman! With the release of “The Batman” just a few short weeks away, this new movie starring Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader made me realize this would be a perfect time to do a retrospective of all the Batmobile scale models that have graced shelves and workbenches over more than 50 years!
I’ve broken this list down into 10 different Batmobile designs from the last 72 years. That’s a lot of history to cover, so for that reason I decided to make this into a twoparter…from gaudy to grounded, we’ll look at them all. This is Part 1, looking at designs that appeared in Detective Comics back in 1950, all the way to (wait for it) The Superfriends Saturday morning cartoon in the late 1970s (yes, there’s a model kit…sort of…).
So slide down that batpole into the batcave, and join me for Part 1, as I look at the history of the classic Batmobile models, here…on Scale Icons!
…And if you’re interested in the history of all the Batmobiles, I HIGHLY recommend seeking out an hourlong documentary from Warner Bros. Entertainment called “The Batmobile”. Originally included as a special feature on the DVD of “The Dark Knight Rises”, you can find it uploaded to YouTube…but as it’s probably a copyright infringement I won’t include the link here.
This video was edited with Hitfilm Express, an amazing, easytouse, and most of all FREE video editing software package available from https://www.fxhome.com. No more Windows Movie Maker for me!
Batman and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics
Bibliography
Bill Engar, “How not to build a 1/3 scale Batmobile” https://www.dembrudders.com/blog/how...
User – The Batman, “Aurora Batmobile – A Model Kit like no other” https://www.hobbytalk.com/threads/aur...
Bill Spencer, “Batmobile History – Toys & Replicas” http://www.batmobilehistory.com/index...
http://1966batmobile.com/
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/horiz...
https://www.sideshow.com/geek/theevo...
Janaki Jitchotvcisut, “The Complete History of the Batmobile”
https://www.complex.com/sports/2012/0...
E. James Small, “Batmobile”, http://www.smallartworks.ca/Gallery/B...
1966 Batmobile Flying Bat Jimmy Flintstone http://www.rocketfin.com/resin_produc...
Fantastic Planet https://fantasticplastic.com/Batmobi...
Lunar Model “Batcar” http://www.rocketfin.com/resin_produc...
Mike Piggot, “Batman by Johhny Lightning”, https://mikepigottsdiecasttoysandmode...
Scale Modelling News, “Building the Polar Lights 1:25 Batmobile”, https://www.scalemodelnews.com/2015/0...
Rebellion Creations, https://www.facebook.com/RebellionCre...
Video Clips:
“It Started with a Kiss” (1959), MetroGoldwynMayer
“Batman” (19661968), 20th Century Fox Television / Greenway Productions
“Batman” (1966), 20th Century Fox / William Dozier Productions / Greenlawn Productions
“Challenge of the Superfriends” (1978), HannaBarbera Productions / DC Comics
“AFX Racing commercial” (1978), Ideal Toys
“Batman” (1989), Warner Bros. / GuberPeters Productions
“Batman Returns” (1992), Warner Bros.
“Batman Forever” (1995), Warner Bros.
“Batman and Robin” (1997), Warner Bros.
“Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero” (1998), Warner Bros. Animation
“Batman Begins” (2005), Warner Bros. / Legendary Pictures / Syncopy / DC Entertainment
“The Dark Knight” (2008), Warner Bros. / Legendary Pictures / Syncopy
“The Dark Knight Rises” (2012), Warner Bros. / Legendary Pictures / Syncopy / DC Entertainment
“The Batmobile” (2012), Warner Bros. Entertainment
“Justice League” (2016), Warner Bros. / RatPacDune Entertainment / DC Entertainment
“How To: Build Your First Model Kit” (2017), The Scale Modelling Channel, • How To: Build Your First Model Kit
“The Batman” (2022), Warner Bros. / DC Films
Music:
“Fuzz Buzz”, Soundroll. Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/fuzzbuzz, License code: C60XOBBCP9A7P5BC
“Rock your Surfboard”, Yeti Music. Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/yetimusic/rock... License code: Y7VUJOYDUWFWXTCT
"The Justice”, Mountaineer. Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/the..., License code: MCYSE2RAP5JRTBUQ