How Expensive is it, to be Batman? A Forbes investigative article

[Arach Knight]

The Training
Cost: $30,000

You'd better be ready to defend yourself if you plan to take on all the thugs and super-villains that call Gotham home.

In the new movie, young Bruce Wayne goes to Tibet on the mother of all study-abroad trips and ends up learning the martial arts from a group of vigilante ninjas called the League of Shadows. But similar training is available to those not lucky enough to get plucked out of obscurity by Liam Neeson.

A good place to start would be an internship at the birthplace of kung fu, the Shaolin Temple in Henan, China. One month of training at the prestigious Tagou school costs about $740, including a private room and training with a personal coach. It'll take a while to get good enough to stop the Joker's worst thugs, though, so count on spending at least three years and about 30 grand for the trip.

The Suit
Cost: $1,585

They say the suit makes the man, and Batman's no exception. Without his outfit, it'd just be Bruce Wayne running around out there, and there's nothing particularly scary about a billionaire playboy in his underpants.

Batman's suit is a modified piece of infantry armor built by the applied sciences division of Wayne Enterprises. It's waterproof, bulletproof, knife-proof and temperature-regulating. Paired with an impact-resistant, graphite-composite cowl and spiked ninja-style gauntlets, it allows Batman to protect himself against everything from swords to machine guns. Wayne Enterprises also supplies Batman with his cape, a specially designed nylon-derivative fabric that stiffens when hit with an electric charge, allowing Batman to use it as a glider. All this doesn't come cheap. In the new movie, Wayne's told that the armor alone costs $300,000.

Real-world superhero wanna-bes will have to go with a much more prosaic solution. We recommend a lightweight ProMAX OTV bulletproof jacket, which will cover your arms and torso for only $1,085. A decent Kevlar helmet will run about $500.

Of course, if you don't want to lug around all that stuff, you could forgo the armor and just buy yourself a collectors-grade Batman movie costume for about $430. It won't provide any protection, but at least you'll look cool.

The Belt
Cost: $290

Batman's utility belt was a recurring gag in the old 1960s TV show; every time the caped crusader got into a jam, he'd find the perfect deus ex machina right on his hip. Mister Freeze imprisoned him in an icy jail cell? Good thing he brought along the old Bat-defroster. Getting eaten by a giant carnivorous plant? Whip out the old Bat-defoliant.

Needless to say, that's a source of never-ending angst for his enemies. In Tim Burton's 1989 Batman movie, after Jack Nicholson's Joker watches the Dark Knight fire wires out of a grappling gun and escape from his clutches by flying through the air, he asks the question on all our minds: "Where does he get all those wonderful toys?"

The answer, unfortunately, is from Wayne Enterprises. Batman's utility belt is a one-of-a kind prototype climbing harness, paired with a magnetic grappling gun with a monofilament decelerator climbing line. Fortunately, you've got other options. A decent nylon utility belt can be procured for about $10 from any martial arts supply store. You can also equip yourself with:

Climbing spikes: $70 (Black Diamond Spectre Ice Beak Ice Piton)
Small digital cell phone: $150 (Motorola RAZR, with cellular contract)
Ninja spikes: $10 (Set of three)
Throwing stars: $30 (Set of four)
Medical kit: $20

 

[Arach Knight]

The Car
Cost: $2,000,000

Forget sports utility vehicles--what you need is a "sports tank."

That's what the producers of Batman Begins call the Caped Crusader's new ride, a repurposed military vehicle that can leap buildings and go from 0 to 60 in five seconds. Built by the Applied Sciences division of Wayne Enterprises, the "Tumbler" is meant to move soldiers through hostile territory--which explains the armor plating, jet engine and front-mounted dual .50-caliber machine guns.

Unfortunately, most aspiring crime fighters don't have access to prototype military hardware, so you'll have to armor up a Hummer. But don't despair; Fred Khoroushi, president of Alpine Armoring, says there's plenty you can do with a stock car.

For armor plating, you could use a composite material like silicon carbide, which will stop bullets but not weigh the vehicle down too much. Add all the electronics and gadgetry you want, including devices that will sense chemical, biological and radiological weapons. And the security system for this car won't just chirp and annoy the neighbors--how about delivering an electric shock to anyone who tries to open the door?

Many of the coolest modifications--like oil slicks and built-in machine guns--are totally illegal in the U.S. But if you didn't care about the law, a fully pimped-out gunboat could be obtained for around $2 million, says Khoroushi, though you might not get it past your first speed trap. Keeping the Batmobile street-legal would run you only about $200,000. But where's the fun in that?

The Cave
Cost: $24,000 (for one year)

Now that you've got all the cool gear, you need somewhere to stash it. Bruce Wayne once again lucks out by advantage of his birth. Stately Wayne Manor just happens to be atop a huge network of caves, accessible to the outside world through a hidden entrance behind a waterfall.

Regular folks don't have access to that sort of resource. Besides, according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, there are no natural caves or caverns of any size in New York City, the real-world "Gotham."

So what's a budget-minded vigilante to do? We recommend you find yourself a nice out-of-the-way warehouse. In the outer boroughs of New York City, a decent-sized ground-floor commercial space can be leased for as low as $2,000 a month, particularly in isolated, questionably safe neighborhoods, exactly the kind of place the Bat would fly.

The Alter Ego
Cost: $1,109,574

Bruce Wayne was born into money and the social elite, so he's no stranger to huge homes, fancy cars, nice clothes and splashy parties.

But this conspicuous consumption serves a purpose, too. Wayne lives the high life as cover for his life as Batman. He goes to big parties, dates models and swigs champagne so people will think of him as a playboy, not as the kind of guy who hangs out in a cave, dresses like a bat and beats up muggers.

To pull off a Wayne-style alter ego, your expenses would include the following, based on the Forbes Cost of Living Extremely Well Index:

Clothing and accessories, including bespoke suits and shoes, Patek Phillippe watches and Tiffany platinum cuff links, would run $434,230. Food and dining, including regular doses of filet mignon, lobster and meals at the city's finest restaurants, would clock in at $233,844 a year. Entertainment, including tickets to all the city's best events, would run $144,000 a year. And count on forking over $297,000 a year on gifts, including Tiffany diamond earrings and necklaces for your lady friends.

The Butler
Cost: $200,000 a year

Batman's secret weapon isn't a gun, Bat-arang or even the car. It's his faithful servant Alfred.

Born in England, Alfred Pennyworth was hired by Bruce Wayne's parents to serve as Wayne Manor's butler. Upon their death, he raised Bruce on his own and today remains his closest friend, confidant and ally. Sure, he cooks, cleans and keeps appointments. But he also maintains the Batcave, helps build and repair Batman's gadgets and vehicles, and even tends to the crime fighter's wounds.

So what would it cost to get help like this? "You can buy a Chevy Chevette or a Rolls-Royce, and either one will get you from A to B," says Charles McPherson, vice chairman of the International Guild of Professional Butlers. "The cost depends on the lifestyle of the family."

Inexperienced butlers just out of school earn annual salaries of around $50,000 to $60,000, says McPherson. But experienced help can easily pull in $125,000 to $150,000 a year, and a gentleman's gentleman like Alfred might earn $200,000 or more.

source: http://www.forbes.com/digitalentert...tman-movies-superheroes-cx_de_0620batman.html

 

[TheCorpulent1]

****ing Christ, I didn't know butlers made that much.

 

[fifthfiend]

Hey I mean, how much would someone have to pay you to wait on somebody hand and foot, twenty-four hours a day?

Not to mention we're talking about a guy who knows, for example, about your penchant for donning a Bat costume and getting into fights with criminals. Or more prosaically, your habit of ****ing underaged ****es. You want someone keeping that quiet, goddamn right you're gonna be paying him some money.

... Also they're totally low-balling on the body armor, top-of-the-line stuff'll run you like five grand.

 

[Arach Knight]

The over all cost of trying to emulate Batman, is grossly above what the average man can afford. Even if you take out the idea of living life like Bruce Wayne...you are still looking a little over 1 million, to do it. This doesn't take into account, the cost of repairing your armor, your vehicle, and replinishing expendable weapons like smoke bombs and throwing stars. DC should do a "what if" styled tale, in which Batman is an inner city type of person, who has to be Batman, but with far far less resources. Nightwing sort of touches on that, but he still has connections to Bruce, so he can get help when needed.

 

[Zeu]

Building an advanced spy sateite and lifting it into orbit: PRICELESS

 

[fifthfiend]

Having it become sentient and try to slaughter Earth's superheroes: $Your last remaining shred of credibility as a hero.

 

[kytrigger]

****ing Christ, I didn't know butlers made that much.

I know, plus they get to stay in a mansion (oftentimes a guest house) rent free, and probably don't pay for food or anything either. Makes me think that I should have gone to Butler school instead of regular college.

 

[fifthfiend]

You do have to kiss some rich *******'s ass though, for basically 24 hours a day.

 

[Fred_Fury]

just hire an illegal immigrant as a butler, pay em maybe $10,000 a year, max

 

[Hades]

I doubt Bruce pays Alfred a salary. He's pretty much Bruce's legal gaurdian

 

[kytrigger]

You do have to kiss some rich *******'s ass though, for basically 24 hours a day.

bah, I would make due. Notto mention that they are probably off globe trotting half the year anyway, so all you have to do is maintain the mansion. Plus, when they're not there, I could throw crazy parties and make people believe that I actually own the mansion and I am the billionaire essentailly gettingf whatever woman I wanted.

Very good salary + huge mansion + potential supermodel ass= good job no matter how preppy they are.

 

[The Question]

I definately think it could cost much less than that if you don't go for the very most expensive means of doing things.

 

[SouLeSS]

I doubt Bruce pays Alfred a salary. He's pretty much Bruce's legal gaurdian

Legal Guardianship is technically over when you turn 18...

 

[The Leaguer]

$300 for the belt? Bulls***. The DC Direct replica was almost that much.

 

[Arach Knight]

You just said it...a DC replica. It's a merchandising ploy. Of course it would be so expensive for replica.

 

[The Leaguer]

The point is that it's empty, fool. No high-tech gadgets. The belt alone is nearly $300.

 

[The Question]

The point is that it's empty, fool. No high-tech gadgets. The belt alone is nearly $300.

I bought a tactical belt from an army/navy store for under ten bucks.

 

[Arach Knight]

The point is that it's empty, fool. No high-tech gadgets. The belt alone is nearly $300.

The belt on this list, is roughly $10. The cost is for the over all utility belt and equipment. That is why it has a seperate listing for things to put in the belt. You can get a utility belt for approximately $10 or less.

 

[The Leaguer]

Seriously!?!

 

[hippie_hunter]

I bought a tactical belt from an army/navy store for under ten bucks.

Does your tactical belt include lead lined pockets to hold kryptonite? Does it contain material so that almost nothing can cut it? Does it contain a mechanism that shocks people to prevent tampering? Can it resist extreme temperatures? Is it anywhere near as capable as Batman's belt?

Hell, like Leaguer said, it probally cost over $300 for the freaking belt alone!

And that Batsuit would cost much more also. In Batman Begins is cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

 

[The Question]

Does your tactical belt include lead lined pockets to hold kryptonite? Does it contain material so that almost nothing can cut it? Does it contain a mechanism that shocks people to prevent tampering? Can it resist extreme temperatures? Is it anywhere near as capable as Batman's belt?

No, but I doubt any of that stuff would actually be necessairy.

 

[The Leaguer]

It's Batman, everything is necessary.

 

[hippie_hunter]

No, but I doubt any of that stuff would actually be necessairy.

But he's Batman. He needs a belt to hold his Bat-Anti-Shark Repellant Spray.

Plus he can breathe in space.

 

[kytrigger]

I doubt Bruce pays Alfred a salary. He's pretty much Bruce's legal gaurdian

Yeah, instead of a salary, he was probably left with like 25% of the Wayne estate or something.