The Dark Knight Rises The TDKR Batsuit Discussion Thread

[mrbrownie]

It's not looks over anything else. Comic books are a visual medium. As are movies. If Batman doesn't look cool then what's the point of even putting him in a bat-gettup? Might as well draw characters with realistic muscles and women with almost flat chests (Have you SEEN what female athletes look like?). Realism is great but don't sacrifice the fantasy element. If you're going to dress someone up like a bat, make them look awesome.

Wait, didn't the Prima bailerina from TDK had well-endowed breasts... YOU LIE!

 

[mrbrownie]

reading this makes me thank the skies for nolan... its chumps like you that allow for the trash that joel put out... going for looks over anything else... trying to sell em toyS!

Assuming he meant well executed and loyal aesthetics, I don't think Schumacher's movies have that, they might look flamboyant and not hideous in the general sense but they're certainly not fanboy-satisfaction-guaranteed. And, the "to sell toys" angle, can be applied to the new TDK suit.
I'm even going to say that Schumacher's movie aren't trash, they are for a totally different audience (market), but they're not certainly trash.

 

[Godzilla2014]

If we're talking TDK context, easy, to hide the openings on the plates.

Why the hell would that matter? It's not as though they would be too easy aim at, and hiding them would not mean that they aren't there.

And, didn't Spider-man looked with enough muscle definition in Raimi's movies?

James Acheson, costume designer for SPIDER-MAN, used several tricks to enhance muscle definition, like printed muscle shading that would not work for Batman.

 

[mrbrownie]

Why the hell would that matter? It's not as though they would be too easy aim at, and hiding them would not mean that they aren't there.

Then why the hell would it matter that he did cover himself up?

James Acheson, costume designer for SPIDER-MAN, used several tricks to enhance muscle definition, like printed muscle shading that would not work for Batman.

Why wouldn't it, it's not like you can't print lighter colors so instead of shading you brighten up.

 

[JBElliott]

Alfred: You're going out in that? It's just a piece of cloth!

Bruce: Watch this.

[Bruce places the cloth tunic over a mannequin, puts it in front of a firing range, pushes a button and a dozen automatic weapons unload on the mannequin knocking it to the ground. After the firing ceases Bruce walks to the mannequin and picks it up, dusts it off and shows it to Alfred, the cloth and mannequin are completely unscathed.]

Bruce: It's a kevlar based nano-material with kinetic redistribution capability. [pause and smile] Plus it breathes a lot better than the old suits.

Alfred: Harumph, it still looks like cloth to me. [turns and walks away]

 

[Godzilla2014]

Then why the hell would it matter that he did cover himself up?

Huh?

Why wouldn't it, it's not like you can't print lighter colors so instead of shading you brighten up.

No it wouldn't. The muscle shading is meant to look like shadows between muscles.

 

[mrbrownie]

Alfred: You're going out in that? It's just a piece of cloth!

Bruce: Watch this.

[Bruce places the cloth tunic over a mannequin, puts it in front of a firing range, pushes a button and a dozen automatic weapons unload on the mannequin knocking it to the ground. After the firing ceases Bruce walks to the mannequin and picks it up, dusts it off and shows it to Alfred, the cloth and mannequin are completely unscathed.]

Bruce: It's a kevlar based nano-material with kinetic redistribution capability. [pause and smile] Plus it breathes a lot better than the old suits.

Alfred: Harumph, it still looks like cloth to me. [puts on a

face, turns and walks away]

Aww, that's better.

 

[mrbrownie]

Huh?




No it wouldn't. The muscle shading is meant to look like shadows between muscles.

So why don't you just contrast the dark suit with brighter shades.

 

[Godzilla2014]

So why don't you just contrast the dark suit with brighter shades.

Because shadows are darker areas. That's the way light works.

Alfred: You're going out in that? It's just a piece of cloth!

Bruce: Watch this.

[Bruce places the cloth tunic over a mannequin, puts it in front of a firing range, pushes a button and a dozen automatic weapons unload on the mannequin knocking it to the ground. After the firing ceases Bruce walks to the mannequin and picks it up, dusts it off and shows it to Alfred, the cloth and mannequin are completely unscathed.]

Bruce: It's a kevlar based nano-material with kinetic redistribution capability. [pause and smile] Plus it breathes a lot better than the old suits.

Alfred: Harumph, it still looks like cloth to me. [turns and walks away]

You are not going to get protection from assault rifle fire with a practical thickness of kevlar. This is why the Bat-suit has ceramic plates in it, like soldier's body armor. The ceramic plates work by breaking the bullet due to its hardness.

 

[Mr. Earle]

Bruce, at least this incarnation of him, doesn't seem to be concerned too much about the aesthetics of his bat-suit so long as it is practical and the reason he chose to look like a bat is because he uses it as a symbol to induce fear in the criminals he fights. I don't see how a fabric over-suit will help him to that end. I'm not saying that it is automatically going look like Adam West's costume, but it would be pretty hard to make it not look like a leotard, which would be counterproductive to Batman's goal of inducing fear in the hearts of criminals.

Bruce might not care but we do. Bruce is a fictional character and does whatever we say he does. Just like he keeps running around without a gas mask when the supervillain he faces is know for his use of toxins. But he must look like Batman, ergo mouth uncovered.

have you considered that the movie suit is black for the same reason, that the people who make the films just like the way it looks? Or even in universe, given that there are arguements that grey actually works better at night than black, and that one of the worlds greatest tactical minds would know this, that Batman goes with the black because he likes it?

"Does it come in black?"

I am the one who pays for a ticket and therefore the one they want to appease so my opinion should matter more than Lindy Hemming's.

True, my mistake:
"...damn! Bale sure appears really short in TDK***!"

He does because they keep him around people shorter than him. They should at least give him heels like RDJ wears.

 

[DaveMoral]

Why the hell would that matter? It's not as though they would be too easy aim at, and hiding them would not mean that they aren't there.



James Acheson, costume designer for SPIDER-MAN, used several tricks to enhance muscle definition, like printed muscle shading that would not work for Batman.

Umm, the spaces between the armor plates on the TDK suit are large enough that Batman was stabbed at least twice in the course of that film, in the heat of a battle. Knife wounds are pretty much a guarantee in that outfit. Also, when Harvey shot him I wasn't clear on whether or not he actually took the bullet or if it hit the armor plate. If it hit the plate it was damn close to the edge of it. An added layer of kevlar material over the existing armor plating gives that much more protection from stabbings(yep, kevlar helps protect against knives especially slashes), it covers the plates so someone taking aim isn't going to find any weakpoints as they might be able to with the other suit. Kevlar also adds another layer of protection from small arms fire.

 

[Mako]

Rugman?

More like StaticTVMan t: all kidding aside I do like that design

 

[moe]

Bruce might not care but we do. Bruce is a fictional character and does whatever we say he does. Just like he keeps running around without a gas mask when the supervillain he faces is know for his use of toxins. But he must look like Batman, ergo mouth uncovered. I am the one who pays for a ticket and therefore the one they want to appease so my opinion should matter more than Lindy Hemming's.

He does because they keep him around people shorter than him. They should at least give him heels like RDJ wears.

he doesn't wear a gas mask because he took the antidote... if there was no antidote.. he would have probably put it on.

 

[Godzilla2014]

Bruce might not care but we do. Bruce is a fictional character and does whatever we say he does. Just like he keeps running around without a gas mask when the supervillain he faces is know for his use of toxins. But he must look like Batman, ergo mouth uncovered.

I think that we should allow Bruce to do as he would. Stuff like that should make sense in the context of the film. And furthermore, I wouldn't mind Batman wearing a gas mask when he knows he is going to fight a guy who uses chemicals.

Umm, the spaces between the armor plates on the TDK suit are large enough that Batman was stabbed at least twice in the course of that film, in the heat of a battle. Knife wounds are pretty much a guarantee in that outfit. Also, when Harvey shot him I wasn't clear on whether or not he actually took the bullet or if it hit the armor plate. If it hit the plate it was damn close to the edge of it. An added layer of kevlar material over the existing armor plating gives that much more protection from stabbings(yep, kevlar helps protect against knives especially slashes), it covers the plates so someone taking aim isn't going to find any weakpoints as they might be able to with the other suit. Kevlar also adds another layer of protection from small arms fire.

They aren't that large (he was stabbed in the same place twice). And there's not much hiding them would do to prevent that from happening. The types of kevlar that protect against knives don't do so well against bullets, and vice a versa. The plates themselves are attached to a kevlar suit, so an extra layer of kevlar is not necessary. Also keep in mind that Batman usually is in the shadows or moving quickly, and most of his enemies don't know of the weak points, so shooting between the plates is easier said than done, and not worth the trouble if you are using a pistol or submachine gun, because it would be stopped by the kevlar anyway.

 

[Saint]

Just like he keeps running around without a gas mask when the supervillain he faces is know for his use of toxins. But he must look like Batman, ergo mouth uncovered.

He was inoculated, he didn't need a gas mask. Lucius says this outright. Story logic is, in fact, important.

 

[Saint]

You are not going to get protection from assault rifle fire with a practical thickness of kevlar. This is why the Bat-suit has ceramic plates in it, like soldier's body armor. The ceramic plates work by breaking the bullet due to its hardness.

That's why he said the material would be able to redistribute kinetic energy. One of the reasons ceramic plates are used is because the plate shattering causes the kinetic force of the bullet to disperse, rather than being transfered to the wearer. Thus, the wearer is saved from brutal internal injuries that might occur if he were merely wearing something that stopped penetration.

In JBE's example, the material would possess the ability to dampen that impact and stop penetration, thus protecting the wearing on both counts. Of course, no such material exists and it would be fictional. Personally, I think it's too advanced and far too powerful for Batman.

Basically, it would make Batman invulnerable. If this material can disperse the kinetic energy of gunfire so completely that it doesn't damage the mannequin in any way, then it's functionally the same as giving Batman superpowers. Sorry, JBE, but as much as I dislike armour plated Batman, I'll take him over a version who can survive a hail of gunfire without a scratch.

The ideal solution, as is usually the case, is somewhere in the middle.

 

[Godzilla2014]

That's why he said the material would be able to redistribute kinetic energy. One of the reasons ceramic plates are used is because the plate shattering causes the kinetic force of the bullet to disperse, rather than being transfered to the wearer. Thus, the wearer is saved from brutal internal injuries that might occur if he were merely wearing something that stopped penetration.

In JBE's example, the material would possess the ability to dampen that impact and stop penetration, thus protecting the wearing on both counts. Of course, no such material exists and it would be fictional. Personally, I think it's too advanced and far too powerful for Batman.

Exactly. Something that far in advance of what actually exists is too much for Batman.

Basically, it would make Batman invulnerable. If this material can disperse the kinetic energy of gunfire so completely that it doesn't damage the mannequin in any way, then it's functionally the same as giving Batman superpowers. Sorry, JBE, but as much as I dislike armour plated Batman, I'll take him over a version who can survive a hail of gunfire without a scratch.

The ideal solution, as is usually the case, is somewhere in the middle.

I like the armor plated look, but I can understand the desire to be like the comic books.

 

[BatScot]

Exactly. Something that far in advance of what actually exists is too much for Batman.

But that something in the middle does exist and continues to be improved upon. An example is something like d3o, which is a material that hardens upon impact and is commonly used by athletes today to give them some added protection from blunt trauma impacts. Now d3o isn't going to stop a bullet, but neither is Batman's cape going to allow him to ride the thermals. It's all about taking something that does exists and enhancing it within the fictional narrative. Liquid armor, impact hardening plates, etc. et voilà a batsuit that could look less obviously armored yet be armored while at the same time being more 'technically' advanced than any reason we've yet been given for the make up of a batsuit. This is what most people are thinking of when they argue for a more "traditional" looking batsuit. This ain't your father's spandex.

 

[Godzilla2014]

But that something in the middle does exist and continues to be improved upon. An example is something like d3o, which is a material that hardens upon impact and is commonly used by athletes today to give them some added protection from blunt trauma impacts. Now d3o isn't going to stop a bullet, but neither is Batman's cape going to allow him to ride the thermals. It's all about taking something that does exists and enhancing it within the fictional narrative. Liquid armor, impact hardening plates, etc. et voilà a batsuit that could look less obviously armored yet be armored while at the same time being more 'technically' advanced than any reason we've yet been given for the make up of a batsuit. This is what most people are thinking of when they argue for a more "traditional" looking batsuit. This ain't your father's spandex.

When did I say something in the middle doesn't exist? Also, memory cloth is currently being researched by DARPA, so it may just not exist yet.

 

[Wade Garrett]

I went a little overboard on the white outlines, but theyre just meant to show seams, not like white piping or anything.

 

[TheBatman072]

Batron. Legacy.

 

[circa81]

Guys, lets face it, if if Batman was going to be actually realistic, many classic elements would be different. His eyes and mouth would be protected, i.e, fully covered mask. He wouldn't just use a dinky belt to hold all his stuff, he'd have goodies hidden all over his body, or he'd a least paint the belt black. Also, he'd go out with some kind of weapon and not just rely on his fists, like every other warrior has ever done. Doesn't have to be lethal, could be as simple as escrima sticks.

 

[TheBatman072]

Guys, lets face it, if if Batman was going to be actually realistic, many classic elements would be different. His eyes and mouth would be protected, i.e, fully covered mask. He wouldn't just use a dinky belt to hold all his stuff, he'd have goodies hidden all over his body, or he'd a least paint the belt black. Also, he'd go out with some kind of weapon and not just rely on his fists, like every other warrior has ever done. Doesn't have to be lethal, could be as simple as escrima sticks.

He's demonstrated a lot of this already.

One, the shock in the mask. Defensive but still.

He's not just using his fists. Look at his gloves. They've got built in brass knuckles.

Also, his batarangs, and he can even use his grapple gun offensively as well.

Not to mention the mini-mines, and everything else we saw in the Batsuit display case in TDK.

 

[Wade Garrett]

Batron. Legacy.

Heh, I figured someone would say something to that extent, I drew some inspiration from those designs, but mainly I was just trying to achieve a black and gray color scheme without having the trunks.

 

[Saint]

Guys, lets face it, if if Batman was going to be actually realistic, many classic elements would be different. His eyes and mouth would be protected, i.e, fully covered mask. He wouldn't just use a dinky belt to hold all his stuff, he'd have goodies hidden all over his body, or he'd a least paint the belt black. Also, he'd go out with some kind of weapon and not just rely on his fists, like every other warrior has ever done. Doesn't have to be lethal, could be as simple as escrima sticks.

Batman's eyes are protected (lenses built into the cowl), he doesn't use a "dinky belt" (at least not as drawn by most modern artists), he does hide equipment all over his body (most often seen in the boots and gloves), and he carries weaponry every night--from non-lethal grenades to batarangs, bolas, and other special weaponry.

I don't disagree with your point, I just wanted to point out that Batman does incorporate a lot of what you suggest in the comics.