theatlantic:

How the Dark Knight Became Dark Again

Batman has been so successfully remade in recent years that we scarcely remember how, for a generation, the Dark Knight lived in the public imagination as a pot-bellied caped crusader with a goofy sidekick. ABC’s live-action Batman TV series, which ran from 1966 to 1968, was deliberately campy (“To the Batpole!”) and created a long-enduring association between the superhero and the cartoonish onomopeias “Pow!” “Zap!” and “Wham!”

The story of how the farcical Batman of the ’60s transformed into the solemn one of today mirrors the elevation of the comic book in general from belittled kiddie fare to the subject of academic inquiry and box-office-breaking, R-rated action movies. It’s also a story of a 73-year-old franchise returning to its roots, reflecting its times, and helping build a multibillion dollar industry that churns out branded merchandise, video games, theme park attractions and annual conventions. And it’s the story of one fan named Michael Uslan, who, as an 8th grader in the ’60s, made a vow to save Batman.

Read more.