Internet Mini-Essay

I first came into contact with the caped-crusader known as Batman when I was a little girl. A lot of my childhood friends were boys so I played with He-Man toys and Hot Wheels before I knew what a Barbie even was. When I was over at one of my friend's house we had to stop playing in time for his favorite show….Batman. I didn't realize at the time that the show was filmed in the 1960s, and I was only watching reruns. I also didn't know that Batman was a comic book hero and at the time no one knew what success this character would have in the movies several years later.

I didn't really start enjoying the Batman television series until this summer when it began to play on the TV Land station. Let's just say that I became such a big fan of Adam West's portrayal of Gotham City's top crime fighter that I bought the movie version on DVD. I would like to find out more about Batman's history (focusing, but not limited to, the 1960s television series), along with the villains he faced. It would be interesting to find out more about the Batmobile, because it was the best Bat-gadget of all. I would also like to find out more about Adam West and his most famous role.

My intended audience in this project was people who will visit my website upon it's completion. Many of my friends and family know how interested I am in Batman, but this research will give me the chance to show them, along with my instructors for this class that Batman is not only a superhero, but a cultural icon as well.

Title of Web page: Batman
Web address: http://www.tvland.com/shows/batman/main.jhtml
Brief Description: This website includes a brief introduction to the 1960's television series. There are biographies on Adam West (Batman) and Burt Ward (Robin), along with the principal villains who include Frank Gorshin (Riddler), Julie Newmar (Catwoman), Burgess Meredith (Penguin), and Cesar Romero (Joker). Other biographies for regular characters from the 1960's television series are featured. An Adam West interview and an episode guide are parts of this site. There is a virtual tour of the Batcave, villain trading cards, Bat-Trivia, as well as pictures and sounds from the show.
Source of Website: TV Land

Title of Web page: Batman the Movie
Web address: http://www.batmandvd.com/main.html
Brief Description: There are interesting facts about the actors from the television show (which was also made into a movie) and other random facts on Batman. There are pictures from the film, as well as sounds. There is a Bat-Quiz focused on the actors and facts from the movie.
Source of Web page: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (Distributors of the Holy Special Edition Batman! Batman: The Movie DVD)

Title of Web Page: The Golden Age Batman
Web address: http://www.goldenagebatman.com/
Brief Description: This site is devoted to Batman from the 40's to the 60's. It mostly contains information about the origin of Batman as comic book hero. There is a history, list of Batman and his villains' appearances during the "Golden Age," a list of reprints, and a cover gallery. It shows how Batman's image has changed over the years. There is also information on the creator of Batman, Bob Kane.
Source of Web page: William F. Jourdian

Title of Web page: Adam West Batman
Web address: http://www.adamwest.com/
Brief Description: This website has photos and other collectibles centered on Adam West's portrayal of Batman. There is information on Catwoman, The Riddler, The Joker, and The Penguin. This is where fans can access The Classic Batman International Batfan Club.
Source of Website: Uvona

Title of Web page: The Original 1966 Batmobile
Web address: http://www.1966batmobile.com/home.htm
Brief Description: This site is full of facts on the Batmobile from the Batman television series. The "Bat-library" includes the original contract to build the Batmobile, the original news release from 1996, the original Lincoln Futura press release, and a list of magazine articles about the car. There is general information about the Lincoln Futura concept car, the specifications of the Batmobile and the license plates. The site has many pictures of the car itself, replicas, and the toys. Also, there images and detailed descriptions of the props and costumes worn on the show.
Source of Website: Eric Seltzer

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Print Sources: (2)
Brooker, Will. Batman Unmasked: Analysing a Cultural Icon. London: Continuum
International Publishing Group, 2000. Call # P96.B37 B76 2000.
Pearson, Roberta and William Uricchio. The Many Lives of The Batman: Critical
Approaches to a Superhero and his Media. New York: Routledge Publishing, 1991. Call # PN6725.M36 1991.

Non-Print Source from the UNC libraries: (1)
Batman Theme. TV Classic Themes. Sound Recording on CD. North Hills, Ca.: Breakable Records, 1998. Call # CD-9484.

Electronic Indexes and Databases Sources: (6)

Belcher, Walt. (2002, April 29) Holy Senior Superhero! Adam West Goes to Bat for TV Land. The Tampa Tribune, Baylife, p.1, 763 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2002, September 13].

Brown, Joe. (1982, October 8) Adam West, in the Shadow of Gotham City. The Washington Post, Style; Arts; Where Are They Now?, p. B7, 671 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2002, September 12].

Conaghan, Martin and Ann Donald. (1999, April 26) Dark Knight in Gotham. The Herald (Glasgow), p. 18, 1277 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2002, September 9].

Mietkiewicz, Henry. (1989, April 16) After 50 years, the world is still fascinated with…Batman. The Toronto Star, Entertainment, p. E1, 415 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2002, September 9].

Shales, Tom. (1979, January 3) Fantasyland Reality; Hulks, Huntresses and Heroes - Chronic Comic-Book TV. The Washington Post, Style, ON THE AIR, p. B1, 1068 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2002, September 12].

Tong, Kelvin. (1999, October 2) You Bat it is the car all right. The Straits Times (Singapore), Life, Life!, p. 24, 1195 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2002, September 13].

Total Virus Live
What do Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Anna Kournikova, and Shakira all have in common? Well, besides the fact that they are all enviable superstars who have graced us with their presence on MTV's Total Request Live, these women have lured many computer users into sending out e-mail viruses.

The Anna Kournikova virus was one of the first e-mail viruses to gain international recognition back in February 2001. Many computer users opened an email that they thought contained pictures of the beautiful tennis star from Russia, but once the e-mail attachment was opened, copies of the message were sent to all the people in the receivers address book. This, in turn, caused e-mail systems in the U.S., Europe, and Australia to flood.(1) While the virus did no permanent damage, it did slow down many systems and caused some companies to shut down their systems altogether. A Dutch man was convicted for starting the virus. (2)

Shakira, a Columbian-born performer, is the latest star to have her own e-mail virus. "The popularity of pop stars and other celebrities makes them a key psychological aid in virus writers' attempts to persuade innocent computer users to open unsolicited emails," Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos (a computer security company), told reporter Becky Worley. The e-mail acts in a similar manner to the Kournikova "worm" in that it sends the virus to members in your address book. It overwrites some files on your computer, and it looks like this, according to Worley:

Subject line: Shakira's Pics
Message text:
Hi:
i have sent the photos via attachment have funn…
Attached file: ShakiraPics.jpg.vbs

To avoid the e-mail "worms" there are a few simple instructions to follow. It is important for e-mail users to leave attachments alone unless you know what they contain, and even if you get a e-mail from a friend, you should contact them before opening an attachment. It is also necessary to update anti-virus programs, and make sure you system has been scanned thoroughly. (3)

NOTES:
(1) Anna Virus Cripples E-mail. (2001, February 14) The Daily Telegraph (Sydney), Local, p. 5, 170 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2002, September 13].
(2) Lee, Oo Gin. (2001, February 15) Dutch Suspect Caught for "Anna Virus." The Straits Times (Singapore). Tech & Science, p. H10, 479 words. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS Academic [2002, September 12].
(3) Worley, Becky. (2002, June 12) New Shakira Worm Wriggles Into Computers. ABCnews.com, [2002, September 11].

THREE WEB SITES:

Title of Web page: New Shakira Worm Wriggles Into Computers
Web address: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/TechTV/techtv_shakiraworm020612.html
Brief Description: News story based on internet controversy (e-mail virus), advice
Source of Web site: ABC News

Title of Web page: New e-mail virus preys on Anna Kournikova fans
Web address: http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/02/12/anna.worm/
Brief Description: News item describing an e-mail virus
Source of Web site: CNN

Title of Web page: 'OnTheFly' Sent Home
Web address: http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/scitech/DailyNews/virus_010215.html
Brief Description: News item describing the arrest and release of a hacker
Source of Web site: ABC News

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