The Batsuit Master Thread

[OP84CC82]

Although, if a cloth suit were to be used instead of what we seem to get now, a design similar to the one in the Batman: Gotham Knight segment, Working Through Pain, would be perfect.

 

[DaveMoral]

This is one of the biggest contradictions by a Batman fan I've seen in my entire life. You might say that you are supposed to suspend your disbelief in order to absorb all of the outlandish stuff a film might put forth (such as giving Gotham a much more gothic look and allowing outlandish villains like Ivy and Freeze) but start wanting realism when it comes to Batman's costume just so they can hide the fact that they just don't like some designs and want to put some bogus reason behind it.

Frankly, I'm not calling for realism at all. That's not my concern. My primary concern is a costume design that reflects the comic book costume more accurately and takes into consideration how that might actually come about without over designing it.

What you quoted is actually a critique of Nolan's drive for "realism" in his costuming and how it contradicts itself by way of the actual way in which the "realistic" "functional" Bat suit ended up being designed... I.E. with armor plates on the legs and hip girdle that would hamper Batman's ability to fold at the hips because the titanium dipped kevlar plates cover the entire area of the hip joints and crotch such that the rubber material it's actually made of bunches in an awkward way when kneeling or any other activity that requires folding of the hip joints.

Moving towards a cloth Bat suit with actual ballistics armor worked into it would have actually more readily accomplished the goal of functionality and realism than the faux knight armor we ended up with.

 

[regwec]

I think there are probably shades of blue that would work, but nothing as vibrant as what you see in the comics.

I think it is silly to say that anything as neutral as a shade of colour "wouldn't work" in a movie. It all depends on the movie constructed around it, and more specifically the colour palette and visual tone in which the costume will exist.

In the picture I posted, Norm Breyfogle contrasts rich, primary colours with deep blacks and a sense of glaring urban haze. A shadowy, dramatic Batman with a costume accented by ice blue works really well in that context. It would be just as effective in a more stylised film.

 

[bunk]

I think it is silly to say that anything as neutral as a shade of colour "wouldn't work" in a movie. It all depends on the movie constructed around it, and more specifically the colour palette and visual tone in which the costume will exist.

In the picture I posted, Norm Breyfogle contrasts rich, primary colours with deep blacks and a sense of glaring urban haze. A shadowy, dramatic Batman with a costume accented by ice blue works really well in that context. It would be just as effective in a more stylised film.

I find the possibility of a Batman movie with that sort of color palette so unlikely, I can't bring myself to even bother with it. Maybe I'm just not dreaming big enough.

 

[darklord1967]

I'm never quite comfortable with batman's relationship to the blue color design. Batman's costume was always intended to be black not blue. It was the primitive inking pattern of the early comic days where they couldn't shadow black and had to throw blue into there.

I'm glad that frank miller was able to bring back the black suited batman. Even now in comics when the suit is more blueish i still assume they have a black suit in mind.

I agree that the original intention by The Batman's creators was probably that he would wear a black (cape and cowl). However, I also think that the various film Producers, Directors, and Production Costume Designers have gone to the other extreme with these ALL-black movie costumes with a complete lack of contrasts or visual interest. The Batman's original creators did not intend that either.

As for Frank Miller, yes he did bring back the black-caped and cowled Batman (in The Dark Knight Returns). But I think it only fair to point out that, TDKR also features virtually every historic combination of the post-1940 Batman costume... including the blue cape and cowl and yellow oval bat versions.

And I think my buddy Regweg is certainly onto something with a more saturated color pallette in a future Batman film. It is the context and style of the film that will determine if it works or not. And I, for one, believe it could. The films "Dick Tracy" and "Sin City" certainly proved that saturated comic-book like colors would be fun and acceptable to an audience if presented properly.

 

[OP84CC82]

I actually had an idea, why not say that Bruce put all of these materials (kevlar, armored plates, impact-absorbing materials, etc.) in between two layers of fabric? You don't even have to show the outline of the stuff in the actual costume, just say it's there. One other thing I'd like to recommend is the placement of a zipper in the costume. I know it might not make any sense, but you could easily put a zipper in the back of the costume just to sort of explain how he can get out.

 

[DaveMoral]

I actually had an idea, why not say that Bruce put all of these materials (kevlar, armored plates, impact-absorbing materials, etc.) in between two layers of fabric? You don't even have to show the outline of the stuff in the actual costume, just say it's there. One other thing I'd like to recommend is the placement of a zipper in the costume. I know it might not make any sense, but you could easily put a zipper in the back of the costume just to sort of explain how he can get out.

I'm not keen on any overt zippers. Even on his back. What I like is a hint that this thing opens in layers like the Cap suit does in TA. It's got what appears to be a jacket like closure on the chest. Something similar could work, and we obviousky assume the TA Cap suit has some kind of body armor worked into the design in part because of the military cut and in part because of CA:TFA's Cap suit.

The same could work for Batman. In fact, by my reckoning the perfect way to work this in is have, at the least, the Batman scenes have Batman narrating his thoughts. He gets shot, falls down and his narration is saying "kevlar stopped the bullet. The force cracked a rib and knocked the wind out of me" or something along those lines. Then pan down, show the blown open outer layer of the suit with body armor underneath.

 

[bunk]

Ironically, Bane's "utilitarian" style armor has its own Batman aesthetic. It actually looks way more believable as something that could stand up to everyday use.

Spoiler

 

[Young Superman]

I would not mind if WB/DC used the "Hush" Storyline Batsoit.

 

[regwec]

That's just the standard pre-RIP Batsuit, made to look especially pretty by inker Scott Williams and especially by colourist Alex Sinclair, who gives the cape and cowl a beautiful panther-like gloss.

Yeah, it looks great.

 

[Mr.?]

I would not mind if WB/DC used the "Hush" Storyline Batsoit.

This is one of my favorite suits, I think this would work well.

 

[Young Superman]

This is one of my favorite suits, I think this would work well.

I agree of course, but if they do made up using the black and grey version of the Batsuit. I hope they base it on the "Year One" version by David Mazzucchelli.

 

[bunk]

How do we feel about brown tones instead of shades of gray or blue?

 

[Majik1387]

No brown, no undies.

 

[Caekzor]

And no spandex.

 

[Marx]

I wouldn't mind something along the lines of Captain America's suit in a future incarnation. I'm just ready Batman to return to a more gothic take...

 

[Lencho01]

I would not mind if WB/DC used the "Hush" Storyline Batsoit.

Something like this?

[YT]6FcspYEOo1I[/YT]

 

[Two-Face]

What do you guys think of AC armored Edition Batman for Wii U?

 

[darklord1967]

Nope . Doesn't work for me. That design moves even deeper into the concept of Robocop in a bat-cape. And it is far too hulking.

 

[DaveMoral]

What do you guys think of AC armored Edition Batman for Wii U?

It just looks like Batman Live to me.... and... well, yeah. No.

 

[regwec]

It's worse than Batman Live. It looks like Batman is inflatable. Yuck.

 

[Majik1387]

It looks very "90s extreme armor" Batman.

 

[JAK®]

The armour itself is actually quite subdued, similar to the Batman Returns suit. It's more subtle than TDK's suit anyway.

It's the size of the Batman wearing it that makes it look completely ridiculous. But that's really not much different than the awful Jim Lee drawing posted earlier.

 

[Two-Face]

Agree with you guys. his arms look too big other wise it's ok suit but I still don't like it.

Here's the full trailer for those haven't seen it:

[YT]TRr6JG15RK4[/YT]

In case it doesn't work here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRr6JG15RK4

 

[Majik1387]

The armour itself is actually quite subdued, similar to the Batman Forever/& Robin suit. It's more subtle than TDK's suit anyway.

It's the size of the Batman wearing it that makes it look completely ridiculous. But that's really not much different than the awful Jim Lee drawing posted earlier.

Fixed.