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Like many who grew up in the '60s and '70s (and perhaps even '80s and later), Tim and Paul had the course of their lives changed by the 1966 Batman TV show, from the types of play they did growing up to their present-day interests.

In this series, they discuss the show's allure and its failures, the arc of the show from satire to sitcom, its influences (the '40s serials and the comic books themselves) and the things it, in turn, influenced.

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  2. #118 "Flash Gordon": Lorenzo Goes to Space Camp

#118 "Flash Gordon": Lorenzo Goes to Space Camp

Sep 5, 2019

Semple, Batman, and Flash

What does the movie Flash Gordon (1980) have to do with Batman '66? Simple: a guiding force for both was screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr.! What can we learn about Semple's approach to Batman by comparing it to his work on Flash Gordon 15 years later? What was his approach, and what other factors skewed the results?

There's no walkthrough of the plot of the film in this episode, but we do talk about the music (Queen!) and design choices, Italian cinema special effects employed in the film, and of course camp in Flash Gordon.

Plus, your mail about our MAD/Not Brand Ecch! episode!

Wikipedia: the Schüfftan process

Wikipedia: Flash Gordon movie

Starlog: interview with Semple on the007dossier.com

Maxim: Sam Jones interview

Whathappensingaming.com: Sam Jones interview

Roger Ebert's review of Flash Gordon

The Dissolve: After Star Wars, science fiction tried to reconnect with the past

Television Academy: Lorenzo Semple interview

Buy Flash Gordon on Amazon.com

CBR: Was Not Brand Echh originally a reference to EC Comics?

Queen: Flash Gordon Theme on YouTube