Quote by THE GUARD: “Since you have all of 14 posts, I will be gentle.”
As a newbie I appreciate you taking the time to discuss this with me. I am trying to solve the Mystery of the Dark Knight Leggings and you bring a lot to the table with your replies.
Quote by THE GUARD: “Thank you for stating the obvious and missing the point entirely. I'd rather fall off a motorcycle in a suit that protected me from falling three stories on fire than a suit that was designed to protect me if I fell off a motorcycle. I don't know anyone who wouldn't. This is my point. "I need this suit for added protection" is just a STUPID reason to have the suit. He clearly already had a ton of protection.”
I understood your point just fine. I just wanted to underline the value of armor protection and it’s relationship to Batman’s survival in the Nolan Universe. With the “on-fire fall” from BB, his upper-body, (not his legs), takes most of the impact when he lands on the top of that car in the alley. Looks like the shielding provided by the Nomex torso did it’s job there. The BB suit didn’t have rigid armor sections on the legs and I wonder if the new segments on the DK suit might be a helpful upgrade? Yes, the BB suit provided protection, but maybe the DK suit provides even more? (Especially for the lower body). Why do you think that is stupid? Also, the new design might not only benefit Batman during a motorcycle crash. Here is another example: a knife fight. Would you rather have your leg stabbed with the armor or without it? And for all we know, the new DK suit might protect him from the type of fall mentioned above even BETTER than than the BB suit.
Quote by THE GUARD: “I won't deny that the mesh will minimize the heat and perspiration. But minimizing it, in the long run, just really is not going to matter.”
Again, look at football and other sports. Sports equipment definitely values ventilation. Look at hockey and football uniforms. Military equipment as well. Why invite painful and unhealthy skin and circulation problems that could inhibit athletic or combat performance when you CAN do something about it?
Quote by THE GUARD: “And certainly doesn't matter enough to make the suit look so damned awful.”
Well, here we almost agree. The arrangement and shapes of the slabs, or “puzzle pieces”, might have been designed into a more logical (and aesthetically pleasing?) final product…maybe by relating to actual muscle shapes and their placement. That would definitely be worth exploring.
Quote by THE GUARD: “You are missing the point. The point is not whether mesh is an effective ventilator. The point is whether it FEELS different to the person in the suit. It doesn't. When you're compressed in a suit, you're generally not going to feel a whole lot of heat on your legs, arms, etc. The heat will be felt on your head, neck, upper back and chest.”
Guard, I follow you with no difficulty. I understand your statement but then see real world examples that do not support it, (see above). Yes, I agree the heat felt from the waist up can be challenging, but that does not mean you just disregard everything below the belt. And it's not always about what you FEEL; you don't necessarily feel anything when you are first developing what will become a terrible rash...soldiers in the military are regularly having to deal with this and it can create serious problems that can hinder their performance.
Quote by THE GUARD: “He's just standing there begging to be shot in the mouth.”
Actually, that is one design element that never changes: Batman’s muzzle is always exposed, so yes he can be shot in the mouth, (even in that perfect batsuit that must inhabit your imagination).
Quote by THE GUARD: “How is that "formidable"?”
How is Bats formidable in this photo? His head is tipped forward with that unflinching glare which always gives Batman a strength to his expression…this is true in the comics as well. The layering of mesh and armor look impenetrable but flexible…it is dense and heavily textured, which is a complaint for some, but I like that it displays a design sensibility we have seen in other Wayne Tech creations like the Tumbler and the Batpod. And if I was a criminal, and I saw all that protective shielding, I might just choose to RUN, (instead of pulling a weapon). The lighting here shows more of the cowl’s detailing which gives Batman a feral and animalistic presence. Based on that picture, I wouldn’t want to fight him. Would you?
Guard, just out of curiousity, who are some of the comic artists that have drawn batsuits you would particularly like to see influencing a Batman movie suit? It may surprise you after all my posts, but I agree with many people on the boards that we are yet to see the “Grail” of Batman movie suits.