Bat-Fan JOSE "BATKID" MONZON

Jose in his own words:
Frank & Jose in New Jersey, 2004	"I have been a fan of the 1966-68 Batman TV series since 1992. I was 9 years old at the time, and Batman Returns was in theaters, as a result the 1960s TV series was on WPIX to promote it. Before this, I had no idea who Batman even was. I had exposure to Superman and loved him, but I hadn’t gotten into the superhero/comic book phase until then. I was instantly hooked! I loved the bright colors, flashy costumes, gaudy villains, and the kooky fight scenes. Also, as a young kid, I really began to admire Batman and the decency that he stood for. He instantly became my hero. On the 4^th of July, my mother took me and my best friend to the movies to see Batman
Returns. While I still enjoyed the movie, I was wondering where the hell Robin was, why Batman was so mean, and why the Penguin was so ugly. I really expected the TV series to be on the screen, not this dark and depressing movie. I then realized – since I was an avid TV Guide reader – that the TV series and the movies were two radically different things. Unfortunately, once the movie had run its course the series was gone, and I was left with maybe only 13 half-hour episodes which I had taped (and would grow to know very well). I did notice a copy of the movie at the local Palmer Video (later renamed West Coast video) but it was never available and the workers would always point me in the direction of the Keaton/Nicholson 1989 film. When I finally showed them the box with Adam West and Burt Ward on the cover, I learned the sad fact that the copy had been stolen (I guess Batman was still THAT popular!). A few weeks later I would make my dad go to my grandmother’s house (she had cable), so that he could tape the movie for me off of the Family Channel. Ever since then I began collecting Batman everything…the comic books, action figures, even the Warner Bros. movies. I really became the prime Batman collector in my neighborhood.

Jose and Eartha Kitt

After months of researching classic movie shops and turning up nothing, I decided to make my own Batman episodes, and I took my action figures (with some crudely-drawn construction paper sets), and turned them into my own Batman TV series. They became a hit among my friends, (for all the wrong reasons) and I’m currently working on my latest one.

In 1996 things radically changed. I received my first computer for Christmas, and I emailed Yvonne Craig. I found out that she was going to be at a nearby convention – Chiller Theatre, and I convinced my dad to take me to New Jersey. In addition to meeting her, I also found a collector who sold Batman episodes. Needless to say, that

I acquired the whole series from him, and that is when my collection decisively began to reflect my preference for the 1960s TV series. I joined the messageboard on David Sutton’s site, and the rest is history. Although when I entered college in 2001, I took a Bat-break, it proved to be short-lived as soon as Return to the Batcave was released, and I realized how much fun Batman was. I returned to the messageboard with full force, and haven’t left since. I’ve already been to 2 conventions since my return and plan to attend as many as I can for the rest of my life.

I am indeed a Batman fan forever. I spend time on the board regularly, watch episodes religiously, and have started getting back into the comic books and even the Warner Bros. films. It is fair to say that today my appreciation for the character has transcended the series, but I’ve never forgotten where the

interest first came from that summer in 1992, and nothing beats popping in one of those videos and watching Batman giving the POW! ZAMM! and KABLAMM! to those evil fiends.

I’m currently involved in the movement to get all 120 episodes of Batman released on DVD so if you haven’t done so already, please sign on. Also, I plan to have my latest Batman “movie” ready for distribution sometime in September / October 2004. Please contact me if you’d like a copy. "

Jose and Julie in New Jersey, 2004