We revealed our top five collectible icons of 1980s cinema in this week's Paul Fraser Collectibles newsletter... and we could just as well have included something from 1989's Tim Burton-directed Batman.
The legacy of the film and its sequels can still be felt on the markets, including last year's sale of a Batman Returns caped crusader outfit worn by Michael Keaton as Batman. The costume auctioned for $43,750 in Macau.
And, even better, if the lucky buyer of the Batman suit needs a Batmobile to go with it then they'll have the chance in an eBay auction, next week.
A street-legal replica of the sleek black motor driven by Bruce Wayne's alter ego is going up for sale on the popular internet auction website. The car's builders, professional racecar firm Putsch Racing, have given it a $620,000 reserve.
 The 'world's only jet turbine powered Batmobile' has a $620,000 reserve |
It will be interesting to see if wealthy buyers' desire to own this car will extend to the $0.6m asking price. After all, this replica car's provenance has no actual link to the film itself.
Nevertheless, Putsch Racing of Dublin, Ohio's turbine-powered Batmobile has rarity and power of wish fulfilment on its side. You can bet that there'll be plenty of real-life wealthy Bruce Waynes who won't mind taking their Batfantasies one step further.
Not surprisingly, Batman has perennial appeal among collectors.
Big sales this year alone included a new World Record price for a drawing of Dark Night as devised by writer Frank Miller and artist Klaus Janson. It is now the single most valuable piece of American comic art ever sold.
However, Batmobile cars have a mixed history on the collectibles markets.
 This 1995 Batmobile missed its lower sale estimate, last year |
Recently, the Batmobile driven by actor Val Kilmer as Batman sold for $165,000 in a Fort Lauderdale auction, but failed to bring its $200,000 estimate.
In his weekly column, Paul speculated that the car's low performance was due to the fact that the film in which the car features, 1995's Batman sequel Batman Forever, is generally held in low regard by both Batfans and film buffs.
As well has having a shaky legacy among fans, the car also cannot be re-sold without the permission of Warner Brothers and DC Comics - another factor which may have impeded its sale.
That said, apparently no 'handcuff' clauses are hidden in the sale of Putsch Racing's Batmobile. It will be interesting to see how the car fares in eBay's auction.
Watch this space for all the latest Batcollectibles news.
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