The Dark Knight Rises The TDKR Batsuit Discussion Thread

[JAK®]

These drawings have more impact than the TDK suit ever did;

And while it would be foolish to just point to them and say "make the costume like that", Nolan needs to look at them and remind himself why the Batman costume works and his ones don't.

 

[Lando81]

No.

 

[Savage]

Oooh yes he does.

 

[Lando81]

Oooh yes he does.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The more traditional you go, the less practical the actual suit will be. There for the suit will always be some sort of armor on screen unless the movie ends with Batman getting stabbed through his flamboyant nipply skin-tight cloth. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the TDK suit because it looks good while also being practical and relevant to the story.

 

[Ledlunar]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The more traditional you go, the less practical the actual suit will be. There for the suit will always be some sort of armor on screen unless the movie ends with Batman getting stabbed through his flamboyant nipply skin-tight cloth. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the TDK suit because it looks good while also being practical and relevant to the story.

^^^
I agree

These movies are taking a "real" approach to the Characters, saying if someone could become Batman "hey it might be like this" wait for the reboot after TDKR and you will maybe get your spandex Batman and perma-white joker.

 

[Mr. Earle]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The more traditional you go, the less practical the actual suit will be. There for the suit will always be some sort of armor on screen unless the movie ends with Batman getting stabbed through his flamboyant nipply skin-tight cloth. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the TDK suit because it looks good while also being practical and relevant to the story.

 

[Lando81]

Cartoons and Toys? You'll have to be more convincing than that.

 

[Mr. Earle]

Unfortunately its the only pic i could think of an armoured take on the batsuit from the comics. I mean its armoured there too, but they just draw it like bodypaint and show kevlar whenever its damaged, so it doesnt really look like how an armoured suit. This does though and it could easily be done in real life with some thick material that would look like armoured cloth. The suit in Arkham Asylum is like that but i dont like posting it because aside from that factor its ghastly and Batman's proportions are all wrong.

 

[DarkJester]

This topic is so old and yet it still drags on, resurfacing every time a new Batman film rolls around. You have the diehards who swear by one movie's suit, the comic fanboys who refuse to accept that the classic costume will never be used as-is, the people who nitpick parts of certain suits or want some kind of mash-up between suit x and suit y. Can't we all just accept that the design team on these films is not listening to us? :P

That being said... the 89 suit was a good start and was perfected in Returns. The "anatomical" version could've been improved on its own, but the "armored" look we got in returns looked a lot cleaner and more professional and was a refreshing improvement.

We can all agree that anything Schumacher touched was ****.

The Begins suit was easily a better suit than TDK as far as appearance goes, but both suits have severe flaws. The Begins cowl imo (and I'm probably in the minority here) looked ****ing ******ed. I don't care if the big thick neck and the forward slant made him look more "beastly", it was gigantic, ridiculous and looked pretty God damned uncomfortable (leading to cringe-worthy scenes of Bale's face pudging right out of the damn thing and talking like his face was being squeezed). It would seem that in order to fix the ******ed cowl in Begins, Nolan and co. set out to make an even stupider looking one in TDK, not to mention the puzzle piece suit that turned the symbol on Bats' chest into a Where's Waldo search. The only positive that suit had was comfort/athleticism for the actor/stuntmen, leading to much better fighting and overall movement.

Personally, if they just improve upon the TDK suit, I'd just like to see less. Tone down the chest/abdomen region as far as how busy it is, bring the bat symbol back into prominence (something I love about the Begins suit) and re-design the cowl so he doesn't look like a bobble-head toy. Those are my long-winded 2 cents.

 

[Lando81]

This topic is so old and yet it still drags on, resurfacing every time a new Batman film rolls around. You have the diehards who swear by one movie's suit, the comic fanboys who refuse to accept that the classic costume will never be used as-is, the people who nitpick parts of certain suits or want some kind of mash-up between suit x and suit y. Can't we all just accept that the design team on these films is not listening to us? :P

That being said... the 89 suit was a good start and was perfected in Returns. The "anatomical" version could've been improved on its own, but the "armored" look we got in returns looked a lot cleaner and more professional and was a refreshing improvement.

We can all agree that anything Schumacher touched was ****.

The Begins suit was easily a better suit than TDK as far as appearance goes, but both suits have severe flaws. The Begins cowl imo (and I'm probably in the minority here) looked ****ing ******ed. I don't care if the big thick neck and the forward slant made him look more "beastly", it was gigantic, ridiculous and looked pretty God damned uncomfortable (leading to cringe-worthy scenes of Bale's face pudging right out of the damn thing and talking like his face was being squeezed). It would seem that in order to fix the ******ed cowl in Begins, Nolan and co. set out to make an even stupider looking one in TDK, not to mention the puzzle piece suit that turned the symbol on Bats' chest into a Where's Waldo search. The only positive that suit had was comfort/athleticism for the actor/stuntmen, leading to much better fighting and overall movement.

Personally, if they just improve upon the TDK suit, I'd just like to see less. Tone down the chest/abdomen region as far as how busy it is, bring the bat symbol back into prominence (something I love about the Begins suit) and re-design the cowl so he doesn't look like a bobble-head toy. Those are my long-winded 2 cents.

No.

 

[DarkJester]

No.

Lol. I love vague responses. I didn't hate the TDK suit by any stretch, but it's really far from perfect. Does it make sense for the film? Absolutely, but that doesn't make the problems with it non-existent. The head was too big with that tiny little neck and the suit overall was just really busy, which I wouldn't mind so much if the bat symbol were more prominent.

 

[Mr. Earle]

Jester you say that this thread is tired and goes in circles and that they dont listen to us anyway and then you go and post your own opinion. That sir is called being a hypocrite. In any case if you dont like this thread, just unsubscribe from it. Its easy.

 

[DarkJester]

Jester you say that this thread is tired and goes in circles and that they dont listen to us anyway and then you go and post your own opinion. That sir is called being a hypocrite. In any case if you dont like this thread, just unsubscribe from it. Its easy.

Actually sir, it's called poking fun at myself, because (quite obviously) despite saying that I posted a 3 paragraph opinion on the matter. The hypocracy of it is the joke. Why so serious, Mr. Earle? Didn't you get the memo?

 

[Mr. Earle]

I guess i must have missed it. Damn it Fox!

 

[Lando81]

Actually sir, it's called poking fun at myself, because (quite obviously) despite saying that I posted a 3 paragraph opinion on the matter. The hypocracy of it is the joke. Why so serious, Mr. Earle? Didn't you get the memo?

The only memo I got was the one saying you're a *****ebag. Turns out it was right.

 

[DarkJester]

The only memo I got was the one saying you're a *****ebag. Turns out it was right.

Says the guy calling someone a *****ebag. I'm not out to hurt anyone's feelings or be an *******. Don't harsh the Hype mellow, dude. I explained how I meant what I said to Earle, and very clearly he's over it (responding with a joke). Insults are just not needed.

Just relax man, it'll all be okay.

 

[JBElliott]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The more traditional you go, the less practical the actual suit will be. There for the suit will always be some sort of armor on screen unless the movie ends with Batman getting stabbed through his flamboyant nipply skin-tight cloth. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the TDK suit because it looks good while also being practical and relevant to the story.

Neither of the suits in the Nolan movies were practical. The cape would insure Batman's death within a week as would the big hole around his mouth; Nolan's Batman would either trip on his cape or get shot in the face very quickly. The moto-cross looking suits in the Nolan movies don't provide any realistic protection.

 

[J. Senoah]

The whole "this suit is practical" arguement is moot to me. It's a man dressed as a bat solving and stopping crime. It's fantasy.

I don't like TDK suit at all because it looks ridiculous and far too busy. When I see it, I don't think of a bat; I think of a silly-looking RoboCop-like suit. The plot can try to justify the suit all it wants, but in my opinion, it looks terrible. I'd rather have a less practical, but more intimidating suit. I found that the Begins suit was nearly perfect. Is it practical? No. Just like most of the stuff in that movie (or TDK for that matter), but it looks way better and isn't too outlandish.

 

[Mister Meddle]

Neither of the suits in the Nolan movies were practical. The cape would insure Batman's death within a week as would the big hole around his mouth; Nolan's Batman would either trip on his cape or get shot in the face very quickly. The moto-cross looking suits in the Nolan movies don't provide any realistic protection.

I also heard the suit isn't really that flexible and it was still pretty heavy.

 

[Godzilla2014]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The more traditional you go, the less practical the actual suit will be. There for the suit will always be some sort of armor on screen unless the movie ends with Batman getting stabbed through his flamboyant nipply skin-tight cloth. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the TDK suit because it looks good while also being practical and relevant to the story.

^^^
I agree

These movies are taking a "real" approach to the Characters, saying if someone could become Batman "hey it might be like this" wait for the reboot after TDKR and you will maybe get your spandex Batman and perma-white joker.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Neither of the suits in the Nolan movies were practical. The cape would insure Batman's death within a week as would the big hole around his mouth; Nolan's Batman would either trip on his cape or get shot in the face very quickly. The moto-cross looking suits in the Nolan movies don't provide any realistic protection.

I've talked about this before, but the mouth opening isn't that impractical. Soldiers don't wear gas masks except for in NBC situations, and SWAT teams usually only wear an unarmored baclava to conceal their faces. Most (if not all) training for police and military (people for whom potentially having to shoot another person is in their job description) teach them to aim for center mass (the torso and hips), not the head. In THE DARK KNIGHT, the cape can be retracted into a backpack if necessary, thus addressing that point. Finally, in-universe, the Batsuit is a kevlar bodysuit with ceramic plating, the same armor technology that protects our soldiers from enemy fire, from pistol cartridges to full-sized rifle cartridges. That comes in handy if the bad guys pull out assault rifles, a scenario becoming increasingly likely as submachine guns are being rendered obsolete by assault rifle carbines.

 

[storyteller]

I will say this, the Batman and Robin Batman suit minus the bat nipples does make him look like a BAT MAN. It looks like he's a creature and I think thats a direction Nolan sorta went with in begins with the cape and cowl. The TDK looks like armor and they may not be the route to go. Though if the costume evolves again I think going that route would have been good for the first film. In this film Batman may not need to be faster. He needs the defensive capabilities of the first suit if not more and less the agility given by the second. The second suit was god for quick attacks but Bane isn't the Joker with tons of goons. He's a singular opponent who shouldn't allow Batman to utilize his speed as such.

 

[Godzilla2014]

I will say this, the Batman and Robin Batman suit minus the bat nipples does make him look like a BAT MAN. It looks like he's a creature and I think thats a direction Nolan sorta went with in begins with the cape and cowl. The TDK looks like armor and they may not be the route to go. Though if the costume evolves again I think going that route would have been good for the first film. In this film Batman may not need to be faster. He needs the defensive capabilities of the first suit if not more and less the agility given by the second. The second suit was god for quick attacks but Bane isn't the Joker with tons of goons. He's a singular opponent who shouldn't allow Batman to utilize his speed as such.

The Batman and Robin Batsuit makes him look more like a BatMAN to me. He doesn't look like a nonhuman creature, it makes him look like a dude in a silly expensive Halloween outfit. THE DARK KNIGHT Batsuit looks like something much more fitting to the character. He looks like he is here to kick ass not entertain children. The TDK Batsuit just looks more threatening and intimidating than the B&R one.

 

[J. Senoah]

The Batman and Robin Batsuit makes him look more like a BatMAN to me. He doesn't look like a nonhuman creature, it makes him look like a dude in a silly expensive Halloween outfit. THE DARK KNIGHT Batsuit looks like something much more fitting to the character. He looks like he is here to kick ass not entertain children. The TDK Batsuit just looks more threatening and intimidating than the B&R one.

While I disagree with the B&R suit looking like an actual bat (too shiny and flashy for my taste), I don't understand how anyone would find TDK Bat pads intimidating. It looks waaaay too overdone. It's silly. I don't like the skinny neck, though I understand the reasoning for it. I hate the way the cape is connected; it lost its cool factor and now looks dorky since it doesn't cover his shoulders, and that is a shame since BB perfected the cape. I also dislike all the armor pads scattered all over Batman's body. It looks sloppy and incomplete, like the way the suit looked in Batman Begins before he actually finished it and turned it into the batsuit.

I will say this, the Batman and Robin Batman suit minus the bat nipples does make him look like a BAT MAN. It looks like he's a creature and I think thats a direction Nolan sorta went with in begins with the cape and cowl. The TDK looks like armor and they may not be the route to go. Though if the costume evolves again I think going that route would have been good for the first film. In this film Batman may not need to be faster. He needs the defensive capabilities of the first suit if not more and less the agility given by the second. The second suit was god for quick attacks but Bane isn't the Joker with tons of goons. He's a singular opponent who shouldn't allow Batman to utilize his speed as such.

I wouldn't mind if DKR was supposed to take place a year or so after TDK, starting off the film with a new suit. The changes made to the suit don't have to be explained, just make it look better.

On another note, I think the most "logical" Batman, at least for his cause of being theatrical and scaring criminals, would be the Demon Batman from Batman Begins:

-While it may seem a little too extreme, it distinctly is Batman in overall design, except now it's actually believable that criminals would be terrified of him and question if he were human or actually a giant Bat.

I know there is no chance of this happening, but wouldn't it be cool if in Batman 4, they found a way to make Batman look both like Batman and an actual bat-man?

 

[antsman41]

Most realistic comic batsuit was Risso's from Broken City.

Spoiler

This ain't the best representation of it, I can't find the panel where he is taking it off from the first issue but it shows that the suit is "chainlink hockey pads" that he wears as a skeleton and act like a bulletproof vest over his main body parts, then puts on a hockey jersey like or underarmor like fabric that is the actual batsuit.

It caters to the realism folks, and gives us the "comic" suit...

 

[J. Senoah]

^Tights will never translate well into live-action, even with armor underneath. Some things just look better drawn out.