Batman: The Contaminated Cowl & The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul

The Contaminated Cowl

"He'd stop at nothing to add that cowl to his horrific horde of headpieces."

So, after a ridiculously busy 1966, Batman gives us its opening two parter of 1967, a momentous year for many reasons, but while a new year can bring change it's a relief hat, after a variable few episodes we have some solidity. This two parter may not be up there with the very best, but it's a good 'un, and it's a real joy to see David Wayne back, and if anything even better, in the second and sadly final appearance of the Mad Hatter.

After a splendid opening scenes where the Mad Hatter gets some cool lines as he steals 70 hat boxes, we get another laugh about Warden Crichton's very progressive penal policies as we hear how the aforementioned Jervis Tetch made his escape. But this time the focus is very much on Batman's cowl, after which the Mad Hatter will conclude his splendid collection of headgear (we see a few interesting and amusing exhibits, of course) and instead, er, use hats to steal other things.

There's a lot of nonsense about radioactivity, and a silly radioactive cliffhanger, but frankly who cares. We get Batman with a pink cowl(!) and a villain who, unlike last week, gets plenty of chances to be cool and show off. I'm enjoying this.


The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul

"Jervis, you sound like the Joker, the Puzzler or even the Riddler."

"Those phonies?"

It's hilarious how the fake deaths of the Dynamic Duo cause such intense and international mourning, with appropriate stock footage and just the right amount of bathos. World leaders and crowds show their respects, while Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara cry on one another's shoulders. The cliffhanger resolution is, of course, as silly as the very atomic age cliffhanger (old hat by 1967, pun intended?) itself, but very much played as such.

The faking of the Duos' death is played for its full amusing potential before the final confrontation with a desperate Tetch, his hat having blown off in the wind. There is perhaps not as much sense of threat this episode as there could have been, but it would be churlish not to admit how much fun this two parter has been. David Wayne and the Mad Hatter will both be missed.