This week on Batman Fridays we see the introduction of Batman's greatest female villain, that felonious feline, Catwoman. Catwoman goes right the way back to Batman #1 in 1940 and was introduced to a wide audience in these episodes by Juile Newmar.
The story begins at midnight in Gotham City Museum as we see a mysterious pair of clawed hands steal a golden cat statue from a display case. The next morning at Police Headquarters Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara puzzle over why someone would steal the cat statue but none of the other treasures in the museum. Suddenly Bonnie Lang (the secretary) brings in a parcel delivered to the Commissioner, inside the parcel is the most adorable kitten ever. In the kitten's collar is a newspaper clipping, suggesting that the other golden cat statue, on loan to the Gotham exhibition, owned by a millionaire is going to be stolen next. They realise this can only be the work of Catwoman and place the call to Batman.
At stately Wayne Manor Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are playing 4 level chess when Alfred infroms them of the call. They rush to the Police Headquarters, where they determine that as the golden cat is only at the exhibition for one more night this is the time that Catwoman must strike, so our heroes head there to keep a watchful eye on the place. Before they can head over Batman chastises Robin for not fastening his safety Bat-belt, as safety should be every motorist's top priority.
The story begins at midnight in Gotham City Museum as we see a mysterious pair of clawed hands steal a golden cat statue from a display case. The next morning at Police Headquarters Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara puzzle over why someone would steal the cat statue but none of the other treasures in the museum. Suddenly Bonnie Lang (the secretary) brings in a parcel delivered to the Commissioner, inside the parcel is the most adorable kitten ever. In the kitten's collar is a newspaper clipping, suggesting that the other golden cat statue, on loan to the Gotham exhibition, owned by a millionaire is going to be stolen next. They realise this can only be the work of Catwoman and place the call to Batman.
At stately Wayne Manor Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are playing 4 level chess when Alfred infroms them of the call. They rush to the Police Headquarters, where they determine that as the golden cat is only at the exhibition for one more night this is the time that Catwoman must strike, so our heroes head there to keep a watchful eye on the place. Before they can head over Batman chastises Robin for not fastening his safety Bat-belt, as safety should be every motorist's top priority.
Meanwhile at the Gato & Chat fur factory we have our first full reveal of Catwoman as she scares her henchmen for questioning her motives. She reveals that she has plans to kill Batman and Robin and she begins looking at a copy of the history of Gotham city for the lost treasure of Captain Manx. In the Batcave Batman and Robin prepare a mild radioactive spray so they can use it to trace Catwoman should she get away.
At the exhibition (which Batman and Robin pay to get into like good citizens) they wait for Catwoman. Batman checks the exits while Robin sprays the Golden cat. Suddenly Robin is attacked by a real cat and Catwoman comes in and makes off with the statue as her henchmen fight Batman. Ultimately they escape as Batman tends to Robin. They use the Bat-O-Meter to trace the radiation directly to Catwoman's lair, noticing that both Gato and Chat mean cat in Spanish and French respectively (fortunately Robin had been studying his foreign languages.) Catwoman of course knows they're coming and proceeds to use the two cats to draw a map of some kind.
As Batman and Robin enter, using the Bat-Beam to break the lock, they are dropped down a trap door. Either side of them are walls covered in spikes that start to move in, but then it turns out they're made of rubber and it was a joke. Then one of the henchmen puts a bomb through a catflap into the room, but again it's a fake. While Batman is questioning Catwoman's motives Robin is whisked away in a chute like he's Augustus Gloop. The spike walls move aside to reveal two doors; behind one is Catwoman, behind the other is a ferocious Batman eating tiger. Batman chooses the wrong door and the Tiger pounces!
WILL BATMAN EVER SEE ROBIN ALIVE AGAIN?
WILL ROBIN EVER SEE BATMAN ALIVE AGAIN?
WILL OUR DARING DUO ESCAPE THE CLAWS OF THE WILY CATWOMAN?
THE ANSWER TO THESE AND MANY OTHER TERRIFYING QUESTIONS,
TOMORROW NIGHT,
SAME CAT TIME, SAME CAT CHANNEL!
At the exhibition (which Batman and Robin pay to get into like good citizens) they wait for Catwoman. Batman checks the exits while Robin sprays the Golden cat. Suddenly Robin is attacked by a real cat and Catwoman comes in and makes off with the statue as her henchmen fight Batman. Ultimately they escape as Batman tends to Robin. They use the Bat-O-Meter to trace the radiation directly to Catwoman's lair, noticing that both Gato and Chat mean cat in Spanish and French respectively (fortunately Robin had been studying his foreign languages.) Catwoman of course knows they're coming and proceeds to use the two cats to draw a map of some kind.
As Batman and Robin enter, using the Bat-Beam to break the lock, they are dropped down a trap door. Either side of them are walls covered in spikes that start to move in, but then it turns out they're made of rubber and it was a joke. Then one of the henchmen puts a bomb through a catflap into the room, but again it's a fake. While Batman is questioning Catwoman's motives Robin is whisked away in a chute like he's Augustus Gloop. The spike walls move aside to reveal two doors; behind one is Catwoman, behind the other is a ferocious Batman eating tiger. Batman chooses the wrong door and the Tiger pounces!
WILL BATMAN EVER SEE ROBIN ALIVE AGAIN?
WILL ROBIN EVER SEE BATMAN ALIVE AGAIN?
WILL OUR DARING DUO ESCAPE THE CLAWS OF THE WILY CATWOMAN?
THE ANSWER TO THESE AND MANY OTHER TERRIFYING QUESTIONS,
TOMORROW NIGHT,
SAME CAT TIME, SAME CAT CHANNEL!
Episode two opens with Batman casually boxing the tiger until he eventually uses his Bat-claws to climb the wall where he reverses the polarity on his communicator and turns it up to about 20000 decibels, so that the tiger will be in enough pain for him to escape through the door he previously opened. Now he's lost in a maze of tunnels and must find his way to Robin.
Catwoman, meanwhile, ties Robins to a large wooden plank over a tiger pit, which will cause him to fall once the sand in a large glass jar runs out. Setting this deathtrap off she leaves her henchmen to carry out the deed. Before he can fall to his death, however Batman arrives and saves him and the two fight the henchmen again. Capturing two, but one gets away.
Back in the Batcave the Dynamic Duo deduce that Catwoman plans to find the lost treasure of Captain Manx and they decide to follow the trace elements of radiation she'll have picked up from handling the statues and they track her to a cave using the Bat-O-Meter. Once there they arrive in time to find that she has betrayed her last henchman and made off with the treasure herself. Our heroes give chase and she attempts to jump over a chasm, but weighed down by the treasure she can't quite make it and is hanging off the edge. Batman and Robin plead for her to let go of the bag but she refuses and falls. They couldn't save her. As they leave Batman remarks that cats have nine lives and they may well see her again, as he says this he picks up her cat.
Later Bruce and Dick are playing chess again when Aunt Harriet shoos the cat, mad that it stole some food. Dick assures her it's only because the Cat comes from a broken home.
Catwoman, meanwhile, ties Robins to a large wooden plank over a tiger pit, which will cause him to fall once the sand in a large glass jar runs out. Setting this deathtrap off she leaves her henchmen to carry out the deed. Before he can fall to his death, however Batman arrives and saves him and the two fight the henchmen again. Capturing two, but one gets away.
Back in the Batcave the Dynamic Duo deduce that Catwoman plans to find the lost treasure of Captain Manx and they decide to follow the trace elements of radiation she'll have picked up from handling the statues and they track her to a cave using the Bat-O-Meter. Once there they arrive in time to find that she has betrayed her last henchman and made off with the treasure herself. Our heroes give chase and she attempts to jump over a chasm, but weighed down by the treasure she can't quite make it and is hanging off the edge. Batman and Robin plead for her to let go of the bag but she refuses and falls. They couldn't save her. As they leave Batman remarks that cats have nine lives and they may well see her again, as he says this he picks up her cat.
Later Bruce and Dick are playing chess again when Aunt Harriet shoos the cat, mad that it stole some food. Dick assures her it's only because the Cat comes from a broken home.
This was another fun pair of episodes. Julie Newmar is wonderful as Catwoman and the story actually gives a chance for some slight detective work which is always nice. The ending was once again not just a fight, instead a chase and a failure for our heroes (which is very rare.) Also Batman boxed a tiger, what's not to like?
Next week we see the return of everyone's favourite cagey bird. The Penguin!
Next week we see the return of everyone's favourite cagey bird. The Penguin!