Adam West was my first hero. As a child, I used to rush home from elementary school so that I could binge watch back-to-back syndicated episodes of Batman. Irrespective of what troubled me during the day, watching Wests Batman invariably transported me to my happy place.

Much has been said (and debated) about the campier aspects of the show. But as a ten-year-old, I was oblivious to much of the shows wild and farcical humor. To me, Batman was a straightforward, exciting adventure series about a brave, uncynical and resilient superhero. Wests Batman was the Bright Knight, an unconflicted and eternally optimistic champion of justice, with an unwavering sense of right and wrong.

My experience is not unique. Due to the shows immediate and ongoing popularity, -- both during its original run in the Sixties and in ubiquitous reruns in subsequent decades -- generations of children have grown up enthralled by Wests Batman.

As I grew older, my admiration for West deepened and, in part, inspired me to write How to Be a Superhero, a book about superheroes and the actors who play them. One of my goals was to examine the intersection between the performer and the character they played. I also wanted to investigate how playing a superhero shaped the actors offscreen life. for good or ill Because Adam Wests personal life and career were inextricably linked to his compelling performance as Batman, it was essential to speak to him.

In our interview (a portion of which is reprinted here), West was self-deprecating, funny and candid about his experience playing the Caped Crusader. Adam West was a superhero Founding Father who paved the way for all the caped crusaders who followed him.