Joshua S. said:
I am a huge fan of Batman and also love the Universal Monsters, Star Trek, and all things Sci-Fi.
Ah, so am I, but have no skill for the Star Trek kits. Monsters, though, and Superhero kits - that's my kinda stuff! Paint jobs, that's what I do. Hiding seams, now, that's a chore that has taken forever to develop any kind of skill at...it's
soooo tedious! But some people find that easy and painting hard. Ya never know 'til ya try.
Did you manage to snag any of the PL monster kits while they were being sold?
Start with simple kits you don't mind screwing up on. Find some on sale, maybe, or garage sale throwaways. Just something to practice on.
After all the advice already given, about all I can say is to take your time and experiment. The stuff I was doing after an absence from the hobby of some thirteen years was better than I'd done before...what I'm doing now is better than eight years ago. It takes time. Don't worry if the look you're after eludes you, as it did me, as you'll find yourself evolving an individual style that sets your builds apart. That's a good thing - this BB has among other things been a testament to individual artistic expression, to see how many ways the same kit can diverge from the crowd. Don't be shy about copying someone else, but don't be surprised if it still comes out different. That's what started me off eight years ago, trying to make the paint job on a Frankenstein look like someone else's. Didn't even come close, but I kinda liked how it turned out anyway.
Play around with the various glues and cements, get a feel for what you like best. Ditto putties. Cements, I tend to use MEK cements like Ambroid Proweld, liquid cements like Testors (comes in a jar with a brush in the lid - MEKs do too but are a little different), or good old tube glue. CAs, tube glue, MEKs...all good, all have drawbacks. I use 'em all, depending on what needs gluing. Putties, some can shrink and/or attack plastic. My least favorite by far is Squadron green putty, but some swear by it. Try them out.
Did anyone mention primer? I use both enamel and acrylic paints, and both benefit from Primer. In fact, with acrylics it's a ncessity. Krylon makes a good primer you can find anywhere. Take your time, allow it to cure thoroughly before painting.
Like the others said, build (and paint) for yourself. Don't worry about the frills like airbrushes and Dremels. If you feel like experimenting, do. We learn by doing more than anything. But have fun, and feel free to stick to the basics until you're happy with them.
And don't be intimidated by those kits, thinking you can't do them! That's what made me give up building back in the early Eighties! if you're here asking questions, then you've got the bug again and are ready to fly. Trust your gut.
I have about made up my mind to start on my JL 50's Batmobile first since the body is already finished and all I will have to work on is the interior mainly. Has anyone built this one before?
Somebody did do one of those, I think.

Run a search, '50s Batmobile interior. Not really advice, though, just a description of one alternative. The only things that are difficult on that kit are screwing on the tailfin and deciding on a color scheme you like for the interior.
Welcome to the BB! Have fun, that's the most important thing.