The Batmobile has been one of the most iconic symbols of good vs. evil during the past century.

This car would put fear on the hearts of criminals and allow citizens to feel just a little safer as Batman would drive his car into the fray to take on the evil-doers. Batman has always come to the rescue in the Batmobile, which has transformed many ways over time.

The Original

The first car to be called the Batmobile appeared in the comics. This was before any television series or movies were made. Detective Comics No. 48 first showed this iconic car in 1941, and it looked a lot like the cars of the time, but with our superhero behind the wheel. This car was inspired by the Cord Roadster but had a golden bat hood ornament to let you know that it was the car for the hero of the story.

The Batmobile Goes Live

The original television series “Batman” was a live-action show based on the comic series. While somewhat corny and overacted, this show was a huge hit, and it aired for many years, with reruns taking place well into the 1980s, and is where the first drivable version of the car appeared. This car showed up in 1966 and was just as big a star as Adam West, who played Batman.

Going Back to Animation

Comics turned into cartoons, and cartoons were what kids watched on Saturday mornings in the 1970s and 1980s. The cartoon series “Super Friends” gave us a new look at the car we love. In this series, the car matched the superhero with a black and blue look that was finished with yellow details. This version offered a sportscar style that became legendary with kids of these decades.

Tim Burton Gets Hold of the Batmobile

In 1989 the first of the Batman movies appeared, and it gave us a bit of the television series acting with modern qualities. The car was simply amazing and certainly one-of-a-kind, which you would expect from the mind of Tim Burton. This car was completely finished in jet-black paint and looked long, sporty, and polished to give it the look of a car that fit the Bruce Wayne side of the persona.

The Sleek Design Continues

The next version of this iconic car came in 1992 when we saw “Batman: The Animated Series,” which offered a new look that was a twist on the Tim Burton design. This sleek and long version of the car was updated for the “Justice League” spin-off of this series. As you would expect, this animated version could perform tricks and driving that we couldn’t get in the live-action versions.

Going Pure Bat

“Batman Forever” came out in 1995, and by this time, the Batman series was becoming truly iconic, even though we seemed to have a new actor in the rubber suit for each movie. The Batmobile in this move gave us bat wings on the roof and a shape that resembles a bat when you draw it from above. The body was covered in what looks like a ribcage, giving the car a unique look.

Another Transformation for this Car

Yes, the car that appeared in “Batman & Robin” in 1997 was different from the other models that made it to the movies. This version of the iconic car appears to take qualities from the Tim Burton model and the 1995 version to give us a sleek design, smooth shape, and a look that certainly makes this car the one that Batman was happy to drive into action.

The Dark Knight Trilogy Version

If the Batmobile is supposed to be a car that is capable of doing everything, it should be part sports car, part tank, part armored car, and part rocket ship. It seems the Tumbler model that became this car in the “Dark Knight” trilogy fit this description perfectly. You can certainly see the all-terrain, military-inspired build of this car and know that it’s a car that could go anywhere and do anything.

The Latest Version

For the “Batman v Superman” movie, the concept of the model from the Dark Knight model is taking a step further. This model is elongated and given more weaponry to give Batman more of what he needs when heading out to fight crime. This latest version looks tough and ready for action, something that seemed to be missing in a few of the earliest versions of the car that was right for Batman to drive into action.