What would you like to see in the rumoured new costume?

[BubbaGump]

All black or a really dark grey suit are the only color options that would truly get rid of the trunks.

I agree. I think the trunks break up his body visually, without them there would be too much grey, his legs could appear to be longer & it might even excentuate his , um...."package" (I'm having flashblacks of B&R).

A dark suit gets rid of the need for trunks, though I really have no problem with them. I think they're classic.

 

[The Guard]

You know...I'd actually kind of like to see a costume that has a little more "bat" and a little less man. Something drastic. Not as drastic as Stan Lee's Batman, but a black suit that has more of a "feral" look to it.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

i agree

 

[Saint]

You know...I'd actually kind of like to see a costume that has a little more "bat" and a little less man. Something drastic. Not as drastic as Stan Lee's Batman, but a black suit that has more of a "feral" look to it.

Lujho once described a subtly organic costume that sounded really cool.If Batman's universe were self-contained, that'd be cool, but would be problematic, say, in Justice League.

Accordingly, I think it's best use a light touch on all aspects of the batcostume--he can't look too superheroic, or he looks out of place in crime stories; he can't look too soldier-esque, or he's out of place in horror stories; and he can't look too creature-esque, or he's out of place in superhero stories.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

Accordingly, I think it's best use a light touch on all aspects of the batcostume--he can't look too superheroic, or he looks out of place in crime stories; he can't look too soldier-esque, or he's out of place in horror stories; and he can't look too creature-esque, or he's out of place in superhero stories.

BRILLIANTLY PUT

 

[The Guard]

Lujho once described a subtly organic costume that sounded really cool.If Batman's universe were self-contained, that'd be cool, but would be problematic, say, in Justice League.

Why?

Accordingly, I think it's best use a light touch on all aspects of the batcostume--he can't look too superheroic, or he looks out of place in crime stories; he can't look too soldier-esque, or he's out of place in horror stories; and he can't look too creature-esque, or he's out of place in superhero stories.

Then he must be out of place. Because he's been in crime and horror stories for years, and he's almost always had a variation of the "basic superhero outfit".

 

[Saint]

Why?

For the sake of being tonally and aesthetically appropriate.

Then he must be out of place. Because he's been in crime and horror stories for years, and he's almost always had a variation of the "basic superhero outfit".

Only half true: while the superhero aspect is arguably dominant (something I would like to see evened out in a redesign) the costume is especially flexible, allowing for adaptation to fit the story. For example, Kelley Jones' Batman is appropriate for horror stories and Mazzuchelli's Batman is more appropriate for crime stories. If you stray to far into one of the three areas, though, then it becomes more difficult to adapt the costume to the others.

Obviously you could really invest in one area, like horror, and still make Batman work in the other areas. It would be a different dynamic, though, to have horror-Batman in the JLA. Nothing wrong with that; I just prefer a more balanced approach.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

Saint, where did you go to school...

Superhero HS? did you follow that up w/ Comicbook University?

you must've taken Batman 101...

 

[The Guard]

For the sake of being tonally and aesthetically appropriate.

See, the thing is, you've got Batman and his briefs and his color coded superhero outfit running around in Frank Miller's Batman stories. And in Doeg Moench's horror stories. And in Brian Azzarello's more gritty crime dramas. And in...everyone's. I fail to see how it would be any more difficult to change it up tonally from story to story if he looked a bit more like a bat, which would really only serve those stories well to begin with.

Only half true: while the superhero aspect is arguably dominant (something I would like to see evened out in a redesign) the costume is especially flexible, allowing for adaptation to fit the story. For example, Kelley Jones' Batman is appropriate for horror stories and Mazzuchelli's Batman is more appropriate for crime stories. If you stray to far into one of the three areas, though, then it becomes more difficult to adapt the costume to the others.

The costume is only really flexible because it's been put into different genres as is. But you're not talking about changes to the basics of the costume in those stories. You're talking about art styles. Kelley Jones draws Batman with the same basic costume design as everyone else (albeit with freaking massive ears and everything else), his art style is just different. Ditto Dave McKean's take on Batman in ARKHAM ASYLUM. Batman still has the same basic suit. And isn't that what we're talking about here? A suit design?

Whether he's in horror or crime stories, the purpose of Batman's costume is to intimidate evildoers. A costume that intimidates those people...it won't matter what genre you put it in, because it can always be adapted to fit that style. The work done by Kelley Jones is a great example. You've got the same basic costume design, it's just in a different style.

Obviously you could really invest in one area, like horror, and still make Batman work in the other areas. It would be a different dynamic, though, to have horror-Batman in the JLA. Nothing wrong with that; I just prefer a more balanced approach.

Batman's supposed to be scary and intimidating, yes? I don't see the difference. I'm not advocating ten foot ears and a sixty foot cape in the JLA. .

 

[Comics N' Toons]

long ears are cool...but not to long... batman returns length WAS PERFECT

the cape looks best when it can surround him.... as long as it's long enough for that i'm good


BTW... did anyone know that fan-favorite Shadow artist Mike Kaluta draws batman....

NOT BAD!

 

[Saint]

See, the thing is, you've got Batman and his briefs and his color coded superhero outfit running around in Frank Miller's Batman stories. And in Doeg Moench's horror stories. And in Brian Azzarello's more gritty crime dramas. And in...everyone's. I fail to see how it would be any more difficult to change it up tonally from story to story if he looked a bit more like a bat, which would really only serve those stories well to begin with.

The costume is only really flexible because it's been put into different genres as is. But you're not talking about changes to the basics of the costume in those stories. You're talking about art styles. Kelley Jones draws Batman with the same basic costume design as everyone else (albeit with freaking massive ears and everything else), his art style is just different. Ditto Dave McKean's take on Batman in ARKHAM ASYLUM. Batman still has the same basic suit. And isn't that what we're talking about here? A suit design?

Whether he's in horror or crime stories, the purpose of Batman's costume is to intimidate evildoers. A costume that intimidates those people...it won't matter what genre you put it in, because it can always be adapted to fit that style. The work done by Kelley Jones is a great example. You've got the same basic costume design, it's just in a different style.

Yes--and what I'm saying is that the reason to suit is so adaptable to these different interpretations is because it is well balanced between the three aspects I mentioned. The same costume can be drawn so that it doesn't scream "horror," or so that it does scream "horror" and doesn't scream superhero. What I mean is that the balance is necessary so that the suit can be stylized so that, when appropriate, it won't scream whatever you don't want it to. Spawn's current costume, for example, will always say "horror." I don't think such a leaning is desirable for Batman.

I may be making over-estimating the significance of it, though.

 

[The Guard]

No, I get where you're coming from. I don't know that the suit design I propose would "scream" horror or any of that. I think Batman's visuals will always need to be scary/intimidating just because of the concept of the character. And so you can still, regardless of how scary looking it might be, fit it into any of the genres.

When you say "Spawn's current costume", what are you referring to? Haven't read it in ages.

 

[Doctor Baywatch]

Discussions about Batman's costume that go like "No yellow oval!!! It makes no sense". The truth is: nothing about Batman's costume makes sense.

 

[Saint]

No, I get where you're coming from. I don't know that the suit design I propose would "scream" horror or any of that. I think Batman's visuals will always need to be scary/intimidating just because of the concept of the character.

Well, obviously. I'm not talking about minimizing those elements, just balancing.

When you say "Spawn's current costume", what are you referring to? Haven't read it in ages.

It's hard to find good images because these days they rarely show him clearly, and the costume is a little fluid. Here are examples:

 

[CLARKY]

Lujho once described a subtly organic costume that sounded really cool.If Batman's universe were self-contained, that'd be cool, but would be problematic, say, in Justice League.

Indeed. personally, I found the JL a little too much linear. I prefer to stay focused on the character and develop their world and have a mix later ; and at this moment I think the visual dynamic is better.
Imagine a Fleischer's Superman with the Nolan's armored Batman, with the Jim Lee's GL mixed with the tv serie Flash. Each one developed separately, and then put into the mix.
I like the idea.

 

[The Guard]

It's hard to find good images because these days they rarely show him clearly, and the costume is a little fluid. Here are examples:

Oh. So...Spawn's head when his mask is off with the costume design on it. That's kinda cool.

 

[Saint]

Yeah, that's the gist of it.

 

[gqxsensazn]

Is that supposed to be Spawn's new look? I liked the original mask when it was just his eyes, but I guess it gives him a more demonic appearance.

 

[Comics N' Toons]

that's been spawn's look for a while now... it always has screamed horror.... but even the darkest take on batman will never be as dark as Spawn.... Bats lives in Gotham where crime happens..... Spawn deals in a more supernatural element because he's immortal....


Comparing Al Simmons to Bruce Wayne is understandable because they are both tragic characters, but Spawn to Batman?????

they are very different! It would be one thing if Kids WB adapted Spawn to a kids tv show, but since it can't be done... well it just proves that Batman will never be as brutal as Spawn

 

[I am vengence]

I used the Batman Beyond image posted above and used photoshop to edit it. Batman is all black. The cape, logo and belt is gray. The logo wraps around Batman's neck and makes the cape. The cape is more wing-like. The colors are more urban camouflaged then before. It's a mix of the classic costume and the one seen in Batman Beyond.

 

[The Guard]

Todd MacFarlane has admitted many times that Batman was an inspiration for Spawn, along with The Spectre.

 

[Cobblepot]

Not done by me, but I love it!

 

[antonydelfini]

Guys, a Tony Daniel sketch that appeared in a Newsarama interview with Dan Didio regarding R.I.P. Is that the new costume? The cowl looks very different from Tony's past drawings, and the symbol looks like the Dark Knight movie symbol.

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Batman/RIP/BM676_1.jpg

 

[Saint]

Looks like the regular costume to me.

 

[Cobblepot]

I dunno, doesn´t look any drastic. Symbol is differnet though.