The Dark Knight Rises The TDKR Batsuit Discussion Thread VI

[The Guard]

Agreed.

 

[Boom]

You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who disagrees.

 

[Saint]

I have to say that my biggest problem with the TDK Batsuit is the way the cape hangs on the costume. I prefer Batman's cape to be more of a cloak, as opposed to hanging straight down on the back, like this drawing by Jim Lee

I agree with your post entirely; indeed, before we saw the Begins suit I was really hoping that they'd get the cape right. Sadly, TDK just made matters worse.

I think, more than anything, the cape and cowl are the elements of Batman that you just can't change--colours, trunks, the symbol, the bodysuit; all these are secondary concerns to the cape and cowl.

Incidentally, no scallops on the cape (in it's relaxed state) still sucks just as hard as it did in 2005.

 

[thedarks0ldier]

what do you guys think of this?:

From an artist to another fellow artist, that is amazing. Water colors?

 

[Godzilla2014]

I agree with your post entirely; indeed, before we saw the Begins suit I was really hoping that they'd get the cape right. Sadly, TDK just made matters worse.

I think, more than anything, the cape and cowl are the elements of Batman that you just can't change--colours, trunks, the symbol, the bodysuit; all these are secondary concerns to the cape and cowl.

Incidentally, no scallops on the cape (in it's relaxed state) still sucks just as hard as it did in 2005.

I agree, except I think that BB & TDK certainly has the material right. It's just the positioning of it and how it hangs. I would recommend that its corners come together right below the base of the neck. The scalloped edge in its relaxed state thing could also use changing, since appearing as a bat wing when hanging down is the primary reason Bill Finger gave Batman a cape instead of rigid wings as he did in Bob Kane's original drawings.

Other changes I might suggest are enlarging the symbol and giving it a slightly different finish, and making the utility belt black.

 

[TheBatman072]

From an artist to another fellow artist, that is amazing. Water colors?

Adi Granov.

 

[Saint]

I agree, except I think that BB & TDK certainly has the material right. It's just the positioning of it and how it hangs.

Yeah, I agree. They did a better job of it in BB than TDK, but as you say, it's not quite there yet; it needs to come together in the middle, like a true cloak.

Other changes I might suggest are enlarging the symbol and giving it a slightly different finish, and making the utility belt black.

Yeah, the symbol should be a more reflective black than the rest of the suit, I think. I'm indifferent to the black belt; it looks good, but I don't necessarily prefer it one way or another. I say do what works best for the belt and the suit you're using; in this case, if they were to make it black, they would have to give it a matte or brushed finished--shiny black wouldn't work for the belt, in my opinion.

 

[Godzilla2014]

Yeah, I agree. They did a better job of it in BB than TDK, but as you say, it's not quite there yet; it needs to come together in the middle, like a true cloak.

Agreed. I personally don't need it to completely come together in the middle, but it should definitely wrap around.
A great comparison of the way Batman and Superman wear their capes:

As one can see, Batman hides himself, the cape/cloak itself shrouds Batman's humanity and the limitations that result from it, just as it obscures his human outline. Superman, however, uses his to attract attention to himself.
Interesting note: If you notice, in the comics, much of their costumes are palette swaps of the other, Batman's costume is black where Superman's costume is red, and gray where Supes has blue, Despite the corresponding colors, the color scheme of Superman's costume is referred to being "blue and red", while Batman's color scheme is referred to as being "black and gray", and it's far more conceivable to make Batman all-black than it is to make Superman all-red. Why? Because Batman's cape and cowl/cloak and cowl hide the bodysuit beneath them, so they become the predominant visuals, so they are the things we remember.

Yeah, the symbol should be a more reflective black than the rest of the suit, I think. I'm indifferent to the black belt; it looks good, but I don't necessarily prefer it one way or another. I say do what works best for the belt and the suit you're using; in this case, if they were to make it black, they would have to give it a matte or brushed finished--shiny black wouldn't work for the belt, in my opinion.

Agreed.

 

[TheBatman072]

The TDK cape is capable of wrapping like the Begins cape did, there was just never any cause for it to.

 

[JAK®]

The TDK cape is capable of wrapping like the Begins cape did, there was just never any cause for it to.

Looking like Batman is not a priority.

 

[TheBatman072]

Looking like Batman is not a priority.

Batman's cape isn't always wrapped around him.

And a cape wrapping around him isn't the only thing that makes him look like Batman.

What a stupid statement.

 

[Godzilla2014]

The TDK cape is capable of wrapping like the Begins cape did, there was just never any cause for it to.

I didn't know that. Thanks!

Looking like Batman is not a priority.

It's not always wrapped around him, in fact he usually doesn't do that unless he's standing still.

Batman's cape isn't always wrapped around him.

And a cape wrapping around him isn't the only thing that makes him look like Batman.

What a stupid statement.

Agreed.

 

[JAK®]

Batman's cape isn't always wrapped around him.

And a cape wrapping around him isn't the only thing that makes him look like Batman.

What a stupid statement.

But his cape needs to hang over the shoulders at least some of the time. It's a big part of his look. It was completely absent in TDK.

 

[BatScot]

The TDK cape is capable of wrapping like the Begins cape did, there was just never any cause for it to.

If that's the evidential pic then this is not evidence of a cape that can wrap like the Begins cape could.

 

[TheBatman072]

But his cape needs to hang over the shoulders at least some of the time. It's a big part of his look. It was completely absent in TDK.

So?

There were a lot of things from Batman lore missing from TDK. We don't always have to see them.

 

[TheBatman072]

If that's the evidential pic then this is not evidence of a cape that can wrap like the Begins cape could.

It's meant to illustrate that there's enough fabric that it's capable of wrapping around him like the Begins cape(which is the same cape) did.

 

[FatmanReturns]

I don't see a need for a wrap-around cape whatsoever. It isn't as integral to the Batman character as many people here seem to think.

 

[Godzilla2014]

I don't see a need for a wrap-around cape whatsoever. It isn't as integral to the Batman character as many people here seem to think.

The cloak helps differentiate the character from many of his costumed colleagues like Superman, Thor, Captain Marvel, et cetera.

 

[Lando81]

JAK making stupid statements? Who'da thunk.

 

[BatScot]

It's meant to illustrate that there's enough fabric that it's capable of wrapping around him like the Begins cape(which is the same cape) did.

But that's not what it shows—what it does show is a cape covering the upper shoulder and no more than that. One also has to take into consideration the fact that Bale is crouched and that allows more slack for the cape to be pulled forward more so than it might be otherwise. Now truth be told not even the Begins cape was capable of a full wrap, i.e., covering the chest when hanging loose, nonetheless I've yet to see a pic of the TDK suit—this one included—that shows a cape wrap to the same degree that was possible with the BB cape.

 

[TheBatman072]

But that's not what it shows—what it does show is a cape covering the upper shoulder and no more than that. One also has to take into consideration the fact that Bale is crouched and that allows more slack for the cape to be pulled forward more so than it might be otherwise. Now truth be told not even the Begins cape was capable of a full wrap, i.e., covering the chest when hanging loose, nonetheless I've yet to see a pic of the TDK suit—this one included—that shows a cape wrap to the same degree that was possible with the BB cape.

I'm not saying that that picture demonstrates a Begins wrap, I'm saying that the potential is THERE for a Begins wrap.

There's still enough bunched up fabric behind him to give us a full Begins wrap.

 

[Unmasked]

He wraps his cape around like real bats do

It's that simple, really

 

[TheBatman072]

Here's another that demonstrates even more wrapping.

And there's still even more room for further wrapping.

 

[craigdbfan]

I have to say the mesh under the plating of the TDK costume is one aspect I do really like. If only it didn't have all those random puzzle armor pieces it'd be far better.

Keep the material but the armor plating needs more streamlining. That's the most we can probably hope for in a new suit (if there is one).

 

[TheBatman072]

I have to say the mesh under the plating of the TDK costume is one aspect I do really like. If only it didn't have all those random puzzle armor pieces it'd be far better.

Keep the material but the armor plating needs more streamlining. That's the most we can probably hope for in a new suit (if there is one).

The TDK suit is innovative. First of its kind, completely unique in design and function. The first batsuit to incorporate a defense system, actual lenses, armor AND a type of fabric.

It's a beauty.