Dimension X

I was one of the many to be bitten by "Bat-Mania" in 1966. I was living in Florida & was 2 years old. I only have a couple sketchy memories from this period as we only stayed in Fla. from late-1965-1967, moving back to Long Island, New York, where I was born. Yet I do recollect the time I held someone's cat in the parking lot where I was living, & it jumped out from my arms & under a car. I crawled after it, cutting my cheek open on something sharp hanging down from underneathe the vehicle. Blood gushed & off to the hospital for stitches...I also remember being dunked under the water in a huge pool. I had a blow-up float around me, & some kid pushed my head down completely under, making me have my first taste of chlorine pool water up my nose. I don't think I struggled, but accepted it & when I came up, I felt like I was given a second chance at life. So it felt...Most of my memories of when I was a child are instances dealing with an impact of some kind, a shock almost. Something emotional that has enabled the brain to store the situation above anything else. Being exposed to television, especially the bizarre imagery of Willam Dozier's "BATMAN" at age 2, had that effect as well.

Cesare Romero's "Joker" was frightening to me, & I would turn away from the screen when he appeared. Yet the strangely costumed Bat-Man & the colorful pallette of the show intrigued me.

I was hooked immediately, & I became a total slave to the merchandising craze & world of this fantastical creation.

Miami, Florida 1966, sitting next to the Black & White TV that warped me for life. Wearing a Batman Logo T-Shirt with Cape. Mask sits by my leg of generic Batman-like Costume, named, "The Bat".

I was an only child, so my parents focused on trying to make me happy, especially since their marriage was problemic. I was spoiled & not disciplined in a way a child should be. They tried to share my enthusiasm for my interests & were no doubt curious, as all new parents are, to a childs thinking & tastes. Everything was "BATMAN" to me. All I talked breathed & thought of,...was Batman. My pictures show me wearing a "Batman" T-Shirt, I wore a costume around the house. I had the "CAPTAIN ACTION" Batman uniform, but never had Captain Action itself, so the uniform was used on my "G.I. JOE" Figure. I could not understand why the boots did not fit correctly. I was bought the Comic Books, yet did not know yet that the character was originally from this medium. It was through the books that I learned of other costumed heroes. The Saturday morning Cartoons introduced even more, yet I only had an interest if it was Batman-related or inspired, like "SPACE GHOST" was.

Wearing the generic Batman-like Cape & Mask, named, "The Bat". Holding "G.I. Joe" dressed in "Captain Action Batman" Uniform. Miami, Fla., Dec. 1966.

Long Island, NY, 1967, wearing the very 1st Ben Cooper BATMAN Costume.

Any show or medium that featured an Adventurous Costumed Character was my drug. I sometimes watched the "GREEN HORNET" on friday nights, & equally loved the dark menacing quality of the justice served with a sharp edge of violence. Being taught that the only way to bring order was to take hard action. A view that created an uproar from the powers that be,...soon influencing Hollywood to tame down their action shows & delete any form of fisticuffs or connecting blows. So from 1968 on, the rough & tumble adventure shows were gone. Even animated cartoons lost their spark. Undoubtably also a reverberation from the parents witnessing the horrors of their young sons being killed, or arriving home incomplete from Vietnam.

Back in New York, I soon acquired my first small Panasonic battery operated portable Record Player. I already had various Children's Records which were played on my parents huge Cabinet-style Stereo Player. Now with my own, I tried to amass as many Batman/Superhero-related Lp's as possible. I never understood why the "Batman Theme" on these records never sounded exactly like on the shows opening & closing title sequence. Even NEAL HEFTI's two "cash-in" releases did not reproduce the quality familiar to millions of kids like me. I expected to hear music from the series, but what played was very far from the source material & I disliked the albums. What dazzled this 5 year old were the "TIFTON" & "GOLDEN" Music & Story Lp's. Hammy yet done with enough respect to make happy any young fan. I would stare at the beautiful CARMINE INFANTINO & MURPHY ANDERSON Artwork on the sleeves as I listened, creating imagery in my head based on the stories & song lyrics. The"LEO" Childrens division of MGM Records released some great adapted "Official Adventures" classic comic book stories, voice acted & written to follow the source material faithfully. I eventually played-out my favorite sides, featuring GREEN LANTERN, THE FLASH, METAMORPHO, & SUPERMAN.

Long Island, NY, 1971, trying to home-make a 1943 Lewis Wilson BATMAN "Serial" look. A deep psychological insight into my obscession with a Comic Book character.

By 1972, I had discovered a Newspaper/Greeting Card/Candy Store my mom & I had stopped into, that carried "MONSTER" Magazines. This store was about 3 towns away from where I lived, & was the only store I had ever seen these periodicals available in. They had them all, "Castle of Frankenstein", "The Monster Times", Warrens' "Creepy, Eerie, & Vampirella", & the big daddy of all, "Famous Monsters Of FilmLand". I remember getting the first issue of "The Monster Times" & the latest "FMoF". These magazines opened a new world to me, filled with facts about the various horror films I would catch on Saturday nights, "CREATURE FEATURES" on WNEW Ch.5, & WOR Ch.9's "CHILLER THEATRE". NY television showed many amazing & eclectic horror & thrillers not only at night, all night,...but also during the day on weekends & sometimes during the week after school, on the "4:30 Movie".

"Famous Monsters Of FilmLand" also had a section in the back for ordering great merchandise, called "Captain Company", & it is from there I ordered the-then rare to find, "Fox' Original BATMAN Soundtrack", "Reprise's Sunday Morning With The Comics", & "Leo's Official Adventures of FLASH GORDON". I remember it took like countless ages for the LP's to arrive. Back Issues of "Castle Of Frankenstein" were slow in coming as well, & because I drove my parents nuts complaining, my mom called them & I recieved the package the following week, with extra issues included. By 1973, I attented my 1st Phil Seuling Comic Art Convention with my mom, at NY's Hotel McAlpine, & here, any back issue of any comic, mag, or whatever, was now available when you wanted it. I was 9 years old. I also occassionally visited the few "Comic Book" specialty stores in Manhattan at the time, when I would go to the city & spend the day at my parents Art Supply store. One was Ed Summers' "Supersnipe" on 83rd St. & 2nd Ave. I also remember at this time going to a very large store on 57th St & 7th Ave, that carried Movie Memorabilia, Old Comic Books, & Playboys, among other stuff. Seuling's Conventions as well as Malin & Bermans' "Creation Cons" became a bi or tri-yearly tradition for my mom & I . I was slowly developing my Batman Collection of Comics, Toys, Cards, Lp's, & all other amazing items that that very special period of time produced.

Coney Island, NY, 1970, at one of the "stick yer head through the hole" & we'll take yer picture, so everyone who sees this will laugh at you, & call you a geek...Yes, I was, & still am. I mean, who else still has one of these after all these years? I even remember the "HORROR HOUSE Ride" had a "Wooden Stand-Up BATMAN" on display inside.

Rare 1966 Japanese BATMAN Menko Cards & extra-large round token piece.

Scarce 1960's Hal Seeger "BAT FINK" Button.

Various Obscure 1960'S Bob Kane "COURAGEOUS CAT & MINUTE MOUSE" items. Promotional Telefeatures MatchBook, Saalfield Super Slate, Original Soundtrack LP.

1965 Polaner SUPERMAN Apple Jelly Glass & Lid.

1960's Rare Japanese MIURA Osamu Tezuka "JUNGLE TAITEI"(KIMBA, The White Lion) Wind-Up Propeller Tin Boat.