In the '60s,Batmania ran wild thanks to the Batman TV series starring Adam West. It was a campy take on the comedian that also introduced Cesar Romero as the Joker. But when the television indicate ended, it left both the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime in uncharted territory. The comics had shifted their tone to match the indicate. It took someone like Neal Adam to restore both Batman and the Joker to their former glory.
Source: blastr.com