10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Batmobile

The Silver Age saw two Batmobiles rise to prominence both in and out of the comic book pages. In 1964, Batman #164 saw a slender two-seater Batmobile that was heavily influenced by the 1950s Chevrolet Corvette or Porsche 356. It's a very stylish design that began with a Bat-mask painted to the hood and ended with two large scalped fins at the rear. It had an open canopy with a searchlight attached at the rear of the opening. There were no other outward designs to distinguish it from any other car.

It is impossible to ignore the impact that the 1966-1968 Batman television show had on the Batman mythos as a whole. So much so, the Batmobile from the series found its way into the comic books. The Batmobile in the series is a specifically altered Lincoln Futura concept car that was customized by famous auto designer George Barris.

When it appeared in Detective Comics #371, some artistic license was taken by Gil Kane and a few of the sillier aspects, like labelling all the equipment with a “Bat” this-or-that, were removed. The red striping was likewise removed and the vehicle was given a sleeker and more monochromatic look. Oddly enough, three issues later, artist Sheldon Moldoff redesigned the Futura Batmobile with a wider and less angular body, larger fins in the rear and a Bat-face that sat at the nose of the car between the grill plates.