It isn’t often that a show parodies a parody. But when Batfink hit the airwaves in 1967, it was based upon two campy television representations of formerly serious superheroes of the comic book world. Borrowing from Batman and The Green Hornet, it was a wild spoof of the high-tech gadgetry and martial arts prowess of these two popular TV shows.

Batfink, unlike his inspiration, was actually a bat, albeit one with super powers and an arsenal of gadgets. His (literal) sidekick was the formidable Karate, (an obvious parody of the Green Hornet’s sidekick, Kato,) who drove the Battilac and garnished a few gadgets of his own. Batfink and Karate answered to “The Chief” who informed Batfink of the most recent crimes via a special hotline located within his split-level cave. And their skills were called upon regularly to battle such adversaries as Queenie Bee, Judy Jitsu, and, of course, their main nemesis, a groovie bad guy that only the 60s could have created named Hugo A Go-Go. At the end of each show, the screen would briefly freeze in the heat of battle as viewers were asked dramatically if Batfink would survive. And after a moment to ponder his fate, the action would continue and Batfink would emerge victorious.

All 100 episodes of Batfink were released on DVD in recent years, allowing the fond memories of the ferocious duo to be relived once again, in all their glory. They also returned to television in 2006 on the Boomerang Network, allowing new legions of fans to learn of this winged warrior of yesteryear.