Since 1943, there have been 15 incarnations to date for live-action movie serials, TV, or theatrically-released major motion pictures according to my Texas math.
Personally, I’ve liked most all the Batsuits and there’s only really one that I downright hated (the blue/silver “Freeze Suit” from BATMAN & ROBIN).
Now, with Matt Reeves’ THE BATMAN (or whatever it’ll ultimately be called — though I really like “The Batman” as a title) ramping up and moving towards a June 25, 2021 release date, were fixin’ to get another one.
So, what’s the new Batsuit going to look like?
Will Reeves and company continue on with the rubber/foam latex suits we’ve essentially had (though they all looked different to varying degrees), or is something new planned?
ALSO READ: THE BATMAN‘s Coming & New Way For DC on Film – Let the Good Time’s Roll! by Bill “Jett” Ramey
I don’t think I want to see the all-black, sculpted, molded muscles/armor again and I sure as hell don’t want spandex/tights (though I can make an argument that the suit Adam West wore for the 1960s TV series and 1966 movie is the most comic book-accurate of ’em all). And yes, I know the suit that Ben Affleck wore in BATMAN v SUPERMAN was inspired by Frank Miller’s THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, but it was also puffy AF and made him look like the GD Michelin Man at times.
So, I got to thinking (which can sometimes be dangerous) about how to do something that’s new and fresh, modern, can work in live-action, but yet is still “comic book accurate.” Maybe something that’s got a cloth/”kevlar” look and a military vibe? Something kinda like this…
It’s got that cloth/”kevlar” look I was talking about, and it also includes protective padding and “armor.” And as I was looking at ‘ol Captain America, this comic book version of the Batsuit came to mind…
That image, of course, is Batman by my friend and longtime friend of BOF, the great and talented Lee Bermejo.
This is a totally the look I’m suggesting and would love the new Batsuit for Reeves’ THE BATMAN to go with!
I reached out to Lee and here’s what he said about his take on Batman’s threads…
I’ve always seen the Batsuit as being functional, urban soldier attire mixed with all the standard Batman bells and whistles. It needs to maintain the basic color design scheme always present in the classic Batman look, so grey and black with a touch of yellow (or in my case, tanned leather). I like the idea that it can look sleek yet maintain a ‘looser fit’ look in certain places to allow for some movement. Don’t see tights as being very functional for a guy that needs to be able to handle multiple types of situations. I DO like the idea of some sort of armor present. Lately, I have reverted back to chainmail to take him to more of his dark ‘knight’ roots, but I also like the aesthetic that kevlar plating or something of that nature. A guy who plans on surviving the night. That said, I think the simpler the shapes are the better. The moment the suit becomes too complex you start to lose the basic structure of that classic Batman look.
Spot friggin’ on Lee and I agree 100%.
A movie Batsuit that isn’t made out of molded rubber, that’s more “practical” (and probably a lot more comfortable for the actor wearing it), has that military vibe, is different from its predecessors, but is still very much “Batman” would definitely work.
Chalk this up as me banging the drum!
Heck, I once got ’em to make The Joker look like one of Lee’s drawings (which was done exclusively for BOF back in the day), so perhaps history will repeat itself! 😉
Or not.
What do you think? Would this approach work? What do you want to see in the new Batsuit on film? Post your take in the comments section below…just don’t say you want to see him in tights for goodness sakes. – Bill “Jett” Ramey
THE BATMAN hits theaters on June 25, 2021. CLICK HERE for all of BOF’s coverage!
