The Dark Knight Rises Lifting the Bat-Bells II: Bale's physique

[KalMart]

I kindly disagree.

It's never been that big of an issue if Batman is shorter than others as most of the other DC heroes are taller than him anyway. Just take a look at Wayne in a party in this panel. A bulky 6 feet is what I think Wayne looks best as but thats just me because I think how Bale looked in Begins totally embodies Lee's Wayne.

I get what you're saying, but it's not so much actual head-to-head height so much as proportion. If the hero looks inherently squatty and sort of square-shaped, it kind of takes away from his stature no matter who he's standing next to..or even by himself. Heck, Stallone's shorter than a lot of people...but he's proportioned so well that he always looked rather tall and hero-like in his heyday, even with plenty of muscle (which was also more toned and solid than really bulky, aside from Rocky I-II).

It's not an issue in the comics because they still draw him with a certain kind of physique and proportion that Bale doesn't quite have...and to be fair, I think Cavill for Superman also shares with Bale, so it could be tough for the upcoming Supes as well.

I'm all for Bale being in good, muscular shape...but unless he'll be spending much more time with his shirt off, I think his build has got to work in conjunction with the Batsuit (and perhaps a better cut of business suit) to leave room for adding and keeping it lean where it needs to in order to maintain a sense of physical stature. In BB, he overdid it a bit, and the suit unfortunately exacerbated that. If he stay lean-ish, then you can add width in the suit's shoulders and a little thickness in the upper chest, but then keep the lower torso and waist very slim to keep things 'elongated', and so on.

 

[superkong 500]

I would love for bale to be in BB shape and size again but I think that's not gonna happen.I atleast want him to be bigger than he was in TDK and with shorter hair. I think his begins size was a fluke do to the little time he had to get in shape he just bulked up as much as he could really fast and got both muscle and fat, then slimmed down while training(weights and such) and that's why he looked like that, he kinda got stuck in the middle, if you notice he has never been like that again and never was before, even in american psycho he was in great shape but didn't have the same amount of mass he did in begins. Heck he looked bigger and less ripped in the training montage scene and then looked more cut in the scene were he wakes up after his first night as batman("bats are nocturnal"). He was loosing weight while they were shooting, its in an interview with lindy hemming somewhere.

 

[kvz5]

I don't know if it's just the stuff he's wearing but he actually looked more buff in Terminator and Public Enemies compared to TDK. I think if he can achieve that size then it'll be good since it's the middle of his BB and TDK size.

 

[KalMart]

I would love for bale to be in BB shape and size again but I think that's not gonna happen.I atleast want him to be bigger than he was in TDK and with shorter hair. I think his begins size was a fluke do to the little time he had to get in shape he just bulked up as much as he could really fast and got fat, then slimmed down while lifting weights and that's why he looked like that he kinda got stuck in the middle, if you notice he has never been like that again and never was before, even in american psycho he was in great shape but didn't have the same amount of mass he did in begins. Heck he looked bigger and less ripped in the training montage scene and then he looked more cut in the scene were he wakes up after his first night as batman. He was loosing weight while they were shooting, its in an interview with lindy hemming somewhere.

Yeah, you could definitely notice a little fluctuating...no real surprise with the length of even tidy shooting schedules, and shooting out of sequence.

I agree with keeping his hair rather short as well..Strangely, I think he looked tallest in Harsh Times...partly because everyone else was short, but he was lean and had a buzz cut, which made his head look smaller (it's actually kinda' big to begin with). He also wore a suit-jacket with a wider shoulder cut. But anyway...I'm thinking a build somewhere between Am. Psycho and Reign Of Fire....or at most, between those and BB.

I don't know if it's just the stuff he's wearing but he actually looked more buff in Terminator and Public Enemies compared to TDK. I think if he can achieve that size then it'll be good since it's the middle of his BB and TDK size.

Shorter hair. But not getting as skinny as he did in The Fighter and The Machinist, obviously.

 

[GregComicFan]

You know... superhero comic book characters are simply not realistic....

I'm 5'9 1/2 and I just bulked up to 195lbs.

However, in order to get into a SWAT school next Spring, I am going to have to get back down to a lean and mean 170lbs.

If Batman isn't a hulking giant, to me, that just makes more realistic sense with what he does out in the streets.

 

[JAK®]

You know... superhero comic book characters are simply not realistic....

I'm 5'9 1/2 and I just bulked up to 195lbs.

However, in order to get into a SWAT school next Spring, I am going to have to get back down to a lean and mean 170lbs.

If Batman isn't a hulking giant, to me, that just makes more realistic sense with what he does out in the streets.

Oh yes, because everyone here wants Batman to be a hulking giant. I won't be satisfied until Bale looks like Brock Lesnar.

 

[Maximus]

You know... superhero comic book characters are simply not realistic....

I'm 5'9 1/2 and I just bulked up to 195lbs.

However, in order to get into a SWAT school next Spring, I am going to have to get back down to a lean and mean 170lbs.

If Batman isn't a hulking giant, to me, that just makes more realistic sense with what he does out in the streets.

A 210-220 pound Batman is completely realistic and what he should weigh.

I don't understand why you *have* to weigh 170 lbs to get into SWAT training? That is a very small person; 5'9 170? Are you kidding me? If you were to get into hand-to-hand combat with someone you'd get jacked up.

The SOCOM community such as Special Forces/Rangers/SEALs/etc. don't have a weight requirement that low, and it would be silly to have such a rule.

 

[JAK®]

5'9 170 isn't small.

 

[Maximus]

5'9 170 isn't small.

Eh, everything is relative I suppose. If we're talking about Batman and an enemy such as Bane, then it is small.

 

[JAK®]

Eh, everything is relative I suppose. If we're talking about Batman and an enemy such as Bane, then it is small.

Well obviously. People expect these characters to be larger than life.

 

[JAK®]

SWATs work in teams. You'd be surprised at how size means nothing. A big jacked up 230 lb. bodybuilder can do one thing very well and that's lift heavy weight repeatedly. It doesn't mean he can win in hand to hand combat. Given his size which is b/c of muscle growth due to heavy weight lifted in a limited range of motion, its more likely than not that he's not flexible enough to win in hand to hand combat against someone who is leaner, trained in it, and can use leverage and momentum to gain the advantage.

Bodybuilders lacking flexibility is a myth, the exercises that bodybuilders use (Squats, Deadlifts) use a high range of motion, so Bodybuilders are just as flexible as everyone else.

No, being a bodybuilder doesn't mean he can win in hand to hand combat, but it doesn't mean he can't either.

 

[JAK®]

No, a proper bodybuilder (as in, not your typical goon at the gym) does exercises with a full range of motion. Squats, for example.

The amount of flexibility I got through doing them was amazing.

 

[JAK®]

You're still wrong. That's not a full range of motion. If you were going through the entire range of motion for that particular limb with heavy weight you'd easily tear a ligament at the height of flexion/extension as it would not be able to handle that level of load. You're perceiving a full range of motion when in reality any exercise kinesiology jokster let alone someone with an orthopedic surgery pedigree will tell you its not really a full range of motion.

Are you talking about full range of motion for the limb itself or full range of motion for the particular exercise?

 

[The Batman]

It's never been that big of an issue if Batman is shorter than others as most of the other DC heroes are taller than him anyway.

That's not really true. Batman has always been documented as being 6'2, an inch shorter than Superman, who's always been depicted as having some height to him. by comparison, heroes like Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and Green Arrow have all been documented as being 5'11-6'1 in height.

 

[craigdbfan]

If we're going to be totally honest it totally varies between artist to artist really.

None of them stick to the 6'2 guideline that often or it fluctuates throughout the story.

Example being Jim Lee's Bruce Wayne who doesn't tower over the other characters then compare it to Graham Nolan's Batman which completely towers over most characters.

 

[KalMart]

As long as he looks tall and well-built on a very athletic level, but not like a weight-lifter who tries to get really big, he should be fine.

 

[The Batman]

Either way, the idea that Bruce is shorter than most DC heroes isnt really true, at least to my knowledge

 

[craigdbfan]

Again it varies. There isn't one standard as to how tall he can be including when he is with the JLA.

The only character he's taller than here are the females and Flash. While GL seems to be the same height and Superman and MM are both taller.

 

[The Batman]

Again it varies. There isn't one standard as to how tall he can be including when he is with the JLA.

The only character he's taller than here are the females and Flash. While GL seems to be the same height and Superman and MM are both taller.

For one thing, anyone who watches the show knows that this pic isnt entirely accurate. He IS taller than GL, who was often shown as being kinda short and stocky as well. His height in comparison to WW is the only thing that varies on the show. Sometimes, he does look taller than her, sometimes they look the same height...and this is besides the fact that she's wearing high heels. The only characters in the main 7 that were taller were Superman and MM.

 

[craigdbfan]

How is it not accurate and you just reiterated everything I posted with that picture.

Taller than Flash and most of the women and GL was around the same height with SM and MM being taller...

Thus it varying from artist to artist. I mean it happens within his own single continuity all the time anyway. Even though DC has him officially at 6'2 he is drawn in varying sizes depending on the artist.

Thats not really something up to debate but easily self proven within the comics and other forms of media Batman is in.

 

[JAK®]

Green Lantern looked pretty short in most episodes of JL/JLU

 

[KalMart]

How is it not accurate and you just reiterated everything I posted with that picture.

Taller than Flash and most of the women and GL was around the same height with SM and MM being taller...

Thus it varying from artist to artist. I mean it happens within his own single continuity all the time anyway. Even though DC has him officially at 6'2 he is drawn in varying sizes depending on the artist.

Thats not really something up to debate but easily self proven within the comics and other forms of media Batman is in.

Except the live-action movies. t:

I'm actually more concerned with how they're going to make lil' Tom Hardy look like a Hulk-ish Bane.

 

[The Batman]

Edit

 

[craigdbfan]

Except the live-action movies. t:

Keaton 5'9

Bale 6'0

 

[KalMart]

Keaton 5'9

Bale 6'0

I know, right? I've actually met Bale, and his real height is probably just under 6'...but near as makes no difference, really. It's his head that makes him not look particularly tall...unless he's lean and with a very short haircut.