The Batman Shark Repellent spray is one of the Caped Crusader's most infamous gadgets from the 1960s series. Here's the other time he used it.

While it might feel like Adam West's Batman pulls it out of nowhere, here's the other time the Caped Crusader used shark repellent spray. Prior to the release of Tim Burton's Batman in 1989 the character was still closely associated with the campy Adam West series from the 1960s. Fans wanted a darker, gritter adaptation, and were initially dismayed when Michael Keaton was cast. The actor was best known at the time for comedies like Mr. Mom and Beetlejuice and they feared it would be another comedy, but the movie soon proved them wrong.

The original Batman was an enormous success that would spawn 3 direct sequels. Batman & Robin would bring the franchise to a screeching halt back in 1997 and was lambasted for its garish visuals, poor screenplay, and hammy overacting. George Clooney later claimed the film had the biggest influence on his career because its failure taught him to focus on making projects he believed in. That said, Batman & Robin has attracted a small fanbase in recent years and it's considered to be a big budget version of the 1960s show.

While it's about as far from dark and gritty as its possible to get, it can't be denied the Batman series is enormous fun. Adam West and Burt Ward's Robin made for a fun team and the show is essentially a sitcom with superheroes and no laugh track. The series also spawned a movie version with 1966's Batman, where the title character employs an incredibly specific gadget - the Batman Shark Repellent Spray. This happens during a rescue mission involving the Batcopter, where Batman is accidentally dipped into the water and a shark attacks his leg.

Robin climbs down the ladder to toss him the Batman Shark Repellent - which comes from a selection of Oceanic Repellent Sprays that include Whale and Manta Ray repellent - which he uses to remove the shark; it then falls into the ocean and explodes. This gag has been homaged and parodied in numerous movies and TV shows ever since, including a season 14 episode of The Simpsons, where Batman - voiced by West - uses Carousel Reversal Spray to get out of a jam.

It turns out the 1966 movie wasn't actually the first time he used his Batman Shark Repellent Spray. In the 1958 comic Batman #117, he and Robin head to Planetoid X to pursue an alien thief, and while exploring the planet they encounter a giant sea beast. Thankfully, Batman packed his trusty shark repellent to fend the beast off, which works remarkably well.

While some fans may snicker at the Batman Shark Repellent spray, at least it's come in handy during at two occasions. He's also encountered sharks in Batman: The Animated Series and Batman: Arkham City, where some spray could have been very useful.

Next: Who Is The Phantasm? Batman's Most Personal Villain Explained