Batman Urges Children To Buy Bonds To Support The Vietnam War And…That’s Kind Of Weird, Right?

I don't know about you, but when the Batman himself turns to the camera and tells me he has a message from the President of the United States, I start paying attention pretty quick. It might actually be the most effective form of advertising ever invented, to the point where I'm really surprised that it's only been used once, way back in 1966.

The Batman in question is, of course, Adam West, the President is Lyndon Johnson, and the product they were urging all the boys and girls to buy were Government Savings Bonds, raising money to support the Vietnam War. That's, well, a little weird all things considered, but you can check it out for yourself in the video from the National Archives below!

I think my favorite thing about this ad is that Batman is straight up reading from a card -- the same card that you can get in school! You can own something Batman also owns! First the savings bond, then the hotline phone and Batmobile are sure to follow!

Anyway, you might not think Batman would be all that cool with funding a war that did not involve the words "one-man" and "on crime," what with all the guns and killing that tend to go into that sort of thing. Truth is, though, Batman has always been on the side of raising money through bonds, going all the way back to the Golden Age:

I, uh... I don't think that last one's in continuity.

[via Tom Peyer]