Our Beloved Caped Crusader

For many of us here at Sideshow, Adam West was our first Batman.

He was the original superhero, and the ’60’s TV series – with its vibrant colors, larger than life sound-effects, and rogues gallery of dastardly villains – provided the inspiration for many of our childhood adventures.

West threw his heart and soul into the role, and whether wrestling goons, solving outlandish riddles, foiling the Jokers nefarious schemes, or escaping the clutches of the glamorous but deadly Catwoman, he did it earnestly and sincerely. In fact, no matter how ludicrous the plot, campy the dialog, or ridiculous the props, Adam remained unflappable.

He was as charming off-screen as he was on the silver screen. A real life Bruce Wayne, with the charm and charisma of a Hollywood star, coupled with the warmth and humor of an everyday Joe.

Everything about him was remarkable, and we were honored to have the pleasure and the privilege of developing several collectibles inspired by his work.

It was therefore with a heavy heart that we learned of Adam’s passing this weekend.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time.

SIDESHOW STAFF SPEAK ABOUT ADAM WEST

It is so sad to hear about his passing.  I will still be keeping the same Bat time and same Bat channel in his memory.  -Robin

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Batman was the biggest, brightest and most colorful thing on my TV as a kid, and the first toy I really remember playing with in kindergarten was a Batmobile.  I remember my best friend and I dressing as the dynamic duo at Halloween, and crying because I was Robin – yet I also remember wearing a cape to school for days afterwards, so I can’t have been that heartbroken.  I remember running through the woods and throwing homemade “batarangs” at evil tree stumps. Batman was cool.

30+ years later, wandering alone behind the scenes at a Comic Con I saw Adam West rush past me in a golf cart driven at breakneck speed by an over-enthusiastic young driver. I was speechless, too star-struck to even raise my hand. I just stared.  He grinned as he went past, waved and hollered “helloooooo” as he hurtled past.  It was the closest I ever got to Batman, but it stayed with me forever.  I feel like that was how it must’ve been for every citizen of Gotham when the Batmobile rushed by. I’m sure Batman always had time to shout a friendly greeting to awestruck kids and tongue-tied parents alike. He was the good guy.
– Andy

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His enthusiasm, zest, and love for his family/close friends, craft, fans, and the cowl/cape will be sorely missed. He WAS Batman and will ALWAYS be Batman to me (as well as one standup and good-hearted guy too).  -Alex

FROM HIS FRIENDS, AND FELLOW BATMAN STARS

His friend and co-star Julie Newmar wrote the following on her Facebook page:

“Sweet memories
Stellar, exemplar, a king to the end.
He was bright, witty and fun to work with.
I’ll miss him in the physical world and savor him in the world of imagination and creativity. He meant so much to people.
A friend said: ‘He was the father that we wanted.’
That is a great gift no matter how you live it.”

Burt Ward, who played Robin in the 1960’s TV series, remembered Adam as “a great father, a great family man [and] a wonderful human being”.  “I’m going to miss him incredibly,” he told BBC Radio 5. “It’s very difficult to really believe that the end has come.”

Ben Affleck and Will Arnett have joined fellow Batman star Val Kilmer in paying tribute to Adam.  Affleck said that Adam “exemplified heroism” and remembered him as “kind, funny and an all around great guy” . He added: “Thank you for showing us all how it’s done.”

“RIP Adam West,” wrote Will Arnett on Twitter “You will always be Batman“.  Arnett voiced the Caped Crusader in 2014’s The Lego Movie and this year’s The Lego Batman Movie.

Val Kilmer, who played Batman in Batman Forever, remembered West as “a real gent“.  He added: “He was always so kind when we met.”

Kevin Conroy, who voiced the world’s greatest detective in Batman: The Animated Series, also spoke from the heart about the Batman of his childhood: “He brought us so much entertainment and was a truly class act“.

Mark Hamill, who famously brought his own iconic spin to the clown prince of crime, when he voiced The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, added:  “Adam West was such a wonderful actor & so kind. I’m so lucky to have worked with him and tell him how much he meant to me and millions of fans.”

In a message posted on Adam’s Twitter feed, his family said they were “so grateful for the outpouring of love from fans, friends, colleagues and the media.”