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The 1960s 鈥淏atman鈥� TV show is celebrating its 50th anniversary.聽

The show, which aired from 1966 to 1968 on ABC, starred Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and his sidekick Robin. The stars who took on the roles of villains included Cesar Romero as the Joker, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt as Catwoman, Burgess Meredith as the Penguin, and Eli Wallach as Mr. Freeze.

The show became a big hit with audiences and a movie based on the series was released in 1966 following the show鈥檚 first season.

The 鈥淏atman鈥� TV show is known for its silly tone and for the use of sound effects written on the screen such as 鈥淏off!鈥� and 鈥淏onk!鈥�

The program is a far cry from the mood of the recent 鈥淏atman鈥� films and shows how superhero movies and TV shows have evolved over the decades.聽

While the 鈥淏atman鈥� TV show was often light and fun, things had changed by 1989 when the 鈥淏atman鈥� movie starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson took on some darker elements.聽

And some of the most critically acclaimed superhero movies of all time, the mid-2000s 鈥淒ark Knight鈥� series directed by Christopher Nolan, were a gritty, violent take on the Batman story. Far from taking place in the comic book world of the 1960s show, the world of Nolan鈥檚 movies greatly resembled our own and plot lines echoed modern-day concerns, with stories involving accessing citizens鈥� cell phones and the rise of Occupy Wall Street-like movements.聽

The upcoming 鈥淏atman鈥� story, which is titled 鈥淏atman v Superman鈥� and stars Ben Affleck, looks like it鈥檚 continuing to strive for a realistic contemporary storyline. 鈥淐ivil liberties are being trampled on in your city,鈥� Superman tells Batman. 鈥淸Batman] thinks he鈥檚 above the law.鈥� Batman counters by reminding Superman that he himself is 鈥渁n alien who could burn the whole place down.鈥�

Are comic book Hollywood projects with a lighter tone gone? No. Rather, by now, so many superhero movies and TV shows are being made that a variety of tones are being embraced. There are the superhero movies and TV shows that have a darker feel like Fox鈥檚 鈥淕otham鈥� TV show (set in the Batman world) and 鈥淐aptain America: The Winter Soldier,鈥� but there are also superhero movies that are out-and-out comedies like the Marvel films 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy鈥� and 鈥淎nt-Man.鈥澛�

But for those who are curious, will the real Batman please stand up? In his source material, is the Caped Crusader closer to West鈥檚 鈥淏onk!鈥� portrayal or Bale and Affleck鈥檚 brooding hero?聽

Batman debuted in 1939, co-created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. There has always been a dark element to the character: Early on, it was established that Batman鈥檚 parents were killed in front of him when he was a small child.聽

The tone of the 鈥淏atman鈥� story has varied greatly over the decades. Batman got more cheerful with the introduction of Robin in the 1940s. But particularly grim takes on the character included the 1986 comic book series 鈥淭he Dark Knight Returns鈥� by Frank Miller and the graphic novel by Alan Moore that was released in 1988 titled 鈥淏atman: The Killing Joke.鈥澛�

If the previews for 鈥淏atman v Superman鈥� are any indication, the Batman story may be staying dark for now, in contrast to the 1960s take on the character.