The Dark Knight Capes and Cowls - New Batsuit Discussion Thread

[regwec]

Could we have a new poll of the Begins suit vs its TDK counterpart?

 

[Clark Kent]

Could we have a new poll of the Begins suit vs its TDK counterpart?

The mods would probably take it down.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

I wonder what kind of mental torment Nolan experiences when he glares at this image in the editing suite?

That suit is pretty bad.

I dont like the new suit in this screencap at all whatsoever, but in stills and other shots I like it quite a bit, I will say it for the 100th time, Im reserving final judgement until the film or until we get a huge amount of stills before the films relase.

 

[HolyPurpleSocks]

Batman needs to be like a Female awards show host, and after every scene come out in a different, increasingly ridiculous and bizarre Bat-outfit...That way at least one of them can satisfy each and every breed of the fanboys...Or is that too 'Batman&Robin'-esque?

(JOKING, btw)

 

[The Shape]

I dont like the new suit in this screencap at all whatsoever, but in stills and other shots I like it quite a bit, I will say it for the 100th time, Im reserving final judgement until the film or until we get a huge amount of stills before the films relase.

The suit doesn't look too flattering in that shot, but as you've said, it looks badass in many others and we haven't even seen the film yet. Let's be real. This is the deal with every Batsuit that has come before. There are plenty of shots where it looks good, but several where its flaws are evident. So for people who say they love the Begins suit compared to this one, I'm sure that if we turned back time we'd see the forum flooded with posts of "teh cowl sux", "too much rubberz", "teh puffy!", "look at da creases!!!".

I imagine it'll be this way in each movie.

 

[lujho]

here's a side by side comparison, i think the narrower mouth opening and lack of a huge neck bring out the fact that bats has a beaky nose. i'm sure they're the same size on both cowls.

I think those ridges that go from the outer eye and curve around to the nose do a lot to make the cowl look really shyte a lot fo the time. It doesn't correspond to any real facial bone structure and the light just hits it wrong and looks weird, especially in the first two pictures. It's just a poor design choice.

As for the bad pic of the TDK cowl - aside from the problems of the cowl it's also just a bad pic - there's an unfortunate shadow under his nose, which makes the nose look bigger.

As for the first Begins pic, God, does that show how awful the cowl could be. That angle just accentuates every bad decision they made when they designed that thing. And it looks like that in half the movie.

 

[blaberskite]

I really don't understand why so many people have a problem with the new suit,ok it looks a bit busy but so what,all we have ever had with the other films were pretty much the same suit with slight variations in how they look and all the same problems,I'm not stupid and I know it's just a film and he can't really do all the things he do'es on screen,but even when I was a little kid I used to always be bothered by the fact that Batman would'nt do that much when he was on screen,and this has always been becouse of the short comings of the suits,just watch the other movies how many proper fights do you see batman get in?Batman is supposed to be able to be agile and take on large numbers of oponents,I know he do'es more of that in begins but you never really see anything with clever editing it's alway's quick flashes of action,hopefully with a suit he can move in we will finally see an on screen batman that looks like he could beat any body in a fight,also I think all three of nolans films should be seen as the begining of batman,so just think what the suit will evolve into in part three

 

[DorkyFresh]

I think those ridges that go from the outer eye and curve around to the nose do a lot to make the cowl look really shyte a lot fo the time. It doesn't correspond to any real facial bone structure and the light just hits it wrong and looks weird, especially in the first two pictures. It's just a poor design choice.

you talking about the cheekbones? that's one of my favorite parts of his mask.

 

[lujho]

Agreed. but thats the wrong pic to use. This, is the best cowl to ever see the big screen.

The Returns cowl has its good points, but it's still has that thing of the head and neck all flowing softly in to eachother. None of the Burton or Schumaker cowls had any kind of strong jawline.

Any cowl should just be WAY closer to the contours of the person's actual face. Built up at the brows and bit and at the jaw if neccessary, and the neck, but keeping it more naturally shaped will ensure it looks like it should - as it is in the comics.

The begins and TDK cowls don't have proper jawlines either - the jaw sort of just blends up in to the side of the head and joins up to the sweep of the ears.

 

[lujho]

you talking about the cheekbones? that's one of my favorite parts of his mask.

They kind of start AT the cheekbones, but they don't correspond to proper skull structure. No-one has raised ridges of bone going from their cheekbones down to their nose.

Why not just give it proper cheekbones like Bale actually has?

The face of the cowl should just be an exaggerated, slightly stylized, mean-looking human face. Those should be the only element that differs radically with human anatomy, and to a lesser extent the eyebrows.

 

[Sandouras]

you talking about the cheekbones? that's one of my favorite parts of his mask.

Mine too. Nolan's addition of facial expression and that overall bulk is welcome IMHO.

Agreed. but thats the wrong pic to use. This, is the best cowl to ever see the big screen.

He looks as if he is entombed in a wall. He doesnt have a chin and honestly, the BB beak is better than this flat one.

BB - last scene on GPD rooftop: EPIC COWL
BB - "can you drive stick" scene: JESUS CHRIST MY EYES! THEY BURN!

 

[Sandouras]

They kind of start AT the cheekbones, but they don't correspond to proper skull structure. No-one has raised ridges of bone going from their cheekbones down to their nose.

Its not supposed to be bone. Its supposed to be his angry cheeks!

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

The suit doesn't look too flattering in that shot, but as you've said, it looks badass in many others and we haven't even seen the film yet. Let's be real. This is the deal with every Batsuit that has come before. There are plenty of shots where it looks good, but several where its flaws are evident. So for people who say they love the Begins suit compared to this one, I'm sure that if we turned back time we'd see the forum flooded with posts of "teh cowl sux", "too much rubberz", "teh puffy!", "look at da creases!!!".

I imagine it'll be this way in each movie.

Agreed, there will be gripes no matter what the suit looks like and its not realistic that everyone will be totally please with a batman movie suit. I always say it could be worse, see I had no major gripes with the BB suit, it wasnt my favorite but I liked it for what it was and was generally happy we got a new batman in the first place, some people take things way too for granted.

 

[CaptainClown]

Its not supposed to be bone. Its supposed to be his angry cheeks!

I've always felt it was bone.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

I think the Returns cowl if made more flexible so his head could turn better would be probably the best cowl so far, and comic accurate, even though its not my favorite.

 

[bunk]

The cowl just seems like it's becoming more and more birdlike.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

The cowl just seems like it's becoming more and more birdlike.

Ya I do see that to, which is kinda confusing me, he is "Bat"-Man right? I mean why is the beak so frickin weird looking?

 

[Mister J]

If some of these changes were done for added mobility, I really hope those effects are captured in the film. Most of the aesthetics on the new suit are awful.

 

[DorkyFresh]

They kind of start AT the cheekbones, but they don't correspond to proper skull structure. No-one has raised ridges of bone going from their cheekbones down to their nose.

yeah, but no one has pointy ears near the top of their heads either. just because it doesn't correspond with the structure of a human skull doesn't mean it's bad design. one could make the argument that straying from human design conveys more of a creature-esque vibe despite the armored look of the rest of the suit.

Why not just give it proper cheekbones like Bale actually has?

because then you're making Batman look more like Bruce Wayne.

The face of the cowl should just be an exaggerated, slightly stylized, mean-looking human face. Those should be the only element that differs radically with human anatomy, and to a lesser extent the eyebrows.

well that's basically what they've done. there many humans with features that are exaggerated (even MORE) than the mask. deep eye sockets, protruding eyebrows, etc. it's a slightly exaggerated, slightly stylized, mean-looking face. the only part of the actual face that differentiates it from being human is the fact that the cheek bones connect at the BOTTOM of the nose instead of at around the middle....and that could be considered being slightly stylized.

 

[Sandouras]

I've always felt it was bone.

Just try it on yourself. Look directly at the sun. Your cheeks will take this shape. Mine do and they form this line all the way to my nose. The same would happen if i were shouting at Flass after i tied him upside down.

 

[lujho]

Its not supposed to be bone. Its supposed to be his angry cheeks!

Angry cheeks? I'm not talking about his cheeks.

I'm talking about the bits in blue.

 

[CaptainClown]

Just try it on yourself. Look directly at the sun. Your cheeks will take this shape. Mine do and they form this line all the way to my nose. The same would happen if i were shouting at Flass after i tied him upside down.

Tell it to AK47's cheek bones. It is simply an exaggeration of the facial features to give him a creature look. When I make an angry face it doesn't become as exaggerated as that.

 

[lujho]

yeah, but no one has pointy ears near the top of their heads either. just because it doesn't correspond with the structure of a human skull doesn't mean it's bad design.

True, but in this case it just is, IMO. Just doesn't look good.

because then you're making Batman look more like Bruce Wayne.

Well assuming there's even anything wrong with that at all, what I'm talking about by the very nature of adding a layer of rubber to the face will disguise the actor enough. The Demonbats cowl had more natural human features (I'm not talking about the wrinkles, just the basic face shape)than the actual cowl and that wasn't any more recognizeable as Bale. And it didn't have those stupid nose ridges.

well that's basically what they've done. there many humans with features that are exaggerated (even MORE) than the mask. deep eye sockets, protruding eyebrows, etc. it's a slightly exaggerated, slightly stylized, mean-looking face. the only part of the actual face that differentiates it from being human is the fact that the cheek bones connect at the BOTTOM of the nose instead of at around the middle....and that could be considered being slightly stylized.

Well, that's not what I'm talking about. The Begins cowl, and to a lesser extent the new one, have a bunch or weird geometric features that alter the face far in excess of what I'm talking about, or ever has been shown in the comics. It is FAR more than slightly stylized.

 

[lujho]

Tell it to AK47's cheek bones. It is simply an exaggeration of the facial features to give him a creature look. When I make an angry face it doesn't become as exaggerated as that.

Any lines in the eye/cheek area on that guy's face (and ANY guy's face) are going in the exact oppose direction as the ridges I'm talking about - the go from the inner eye to the outer cheek, not the outer eye to the nose.

Find me a picture of a person with a hard, defined ridge going from their outer eye to their nose, and I'll show you a picture of a physiological freak.

 

[Sandouras]

Angry cheeks? I'm not talking about his cheeks.

I'm talking about the bits in blue.

Yeah thats what i was talking about. They made the cowl a lot bulkier by making a helmet. That space there had to be filled with something or it would look like he is brick-man.

So they gave him an exaggerated facial expresion. Its supposed to portray anger.