The History of the Bat Suit

BATMAN

AND THE HISTORY OF THE BAT-SUIT



The 'bat-suit' is one of the most iconic superhero outfits of all time, if not the most iconic. And yet, there are so many iterations of the suit and its numerous features - the cowl, the cape, the bat symbol, the utility belt, the bladed gloves, the boots, and the briefs (or not) - that it's impossible to pin down a single version as the bat-suit.



Below, you'll find every single significant* bat-suit from the comics, the movies, TV, video games, and theater since the Caped Crusader's debut in May 1939. (*Note: We've excluded the hundreds of alternate universe iterations - 'The Dark Knight Returns' notwithstanding - the Clooney ice-suit from 'Batman & Robin,' any minor variations from the seventy-plus years' worth of comic book back issues, and so on...)



EVERY "SIGNIFICANT" BAT-SUIT EVER



A FITTING END FOR HIS KIND.

'DETECTIVE COMICS #27."

COMIC BOOKS, 1939



DEATH ... TO DOCTOR DEATH!

'DETECTIVE COMICS #30.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1939



NEVER AGAIN WILL YOU HARM ANY MORAL BEING!

'DETECTIVE COMICS #36'

COMIC BOOKS, 1940



COME ALONG, FELLA! YOU'RE COMING WITH US TO THE BAT'S CAVE!

'SERIAL BATMAN'

MOVIE SERIALS, 1943/49



THEIR RAY GUNS CAN'T HARM ME! ON THIS PLANET, I'M SUPER-BATMAN!

'GOLDEN AGE BATMAN.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1940s-50s



I'VE GOT YOU BEHIND BARS AT LAST, JOKER!

'YELLOW OVAL BATMAN.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1960s



GOOD GRAMMAR IS ESSENTIAL, ROBIN!

'ADAM WEST BATMAN.'

TV/MOVIES, 1966-1968



ALFRED! YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE THE RAP FOR THIS - MURDER!

'SILVER AGE BATMAN.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1960s-70s



QUICK, ROBIN! THE BAT-GAS!

'SUPER FRIENDS BATMAN.'

TELEVISION, 1973



WELCOME TO HELL

'THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1986



THAT'S THE LAW, NOT JUSTICE.

'MODERN AGE BATMAN.'

COMIC BOOKS, 80s-90s



YOU'VE EATEN GOTHAM'S WEALTH, ITS SPIRIT, YOUR FEAST IS NEARLY OVER. FROM THIS MOMENT ON, NONE OF YOU ARE SAFE.

'BATMAN: YEAR ONE.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1987



HAVE YOU EVE DANCED WITH THE DEVIL IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT?

'TIM BURTON'S BATMAN.'

MOVIES, 1989



BUT A KISS CAN BE EVEN DEADLIER... IF YOU MEAN IT.

'BATMAN RETURNS.'

MOVIES, 1992



I AM VENGEANCE! I AM THE NIGHT! I - AM BATMAN!!

'THE ANIMATED SERIES.'

TV/MOVIES, 1992-1995



THE OLD BATMAN WAS FOR OLDER TIMES. THERE'S NO PLACE FOR KID GLOVES NOW.

'AZRAEL BATMAN.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1993-1994



I'VE DECIDED IT'S TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW...

'BATMAN TROIKA.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1995



I'LL GET DRIVE-THRU.

'BATMAN FOREVER.'

MOVIES, 1995



THIS IS WHY SUPERMAN WORKS ALONE.

'BATMAN & ROBIN.'

MOVIES, 1997



RULE #1: YOU GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT. RULE #2: THEN YOU GIVE ME MORE. AND RULE #3: I MAKE THE RULES.

'NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES.'

TELEVISION, 1997-1999



WHAT DO YOU SAY WE FINISH THIS, MAN TO FREAKSHOW?

'BATMAN BEYOND.'

TELEVISION, 1999-2001



I HATE LOSING. I HATE RUNNING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.

'BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND.'

COMIC BOOKS, 1999



MY BRAIN'S NOT A NICE PLACE TO BE.

'JUSTICE LEAGUE/UNLIMITED.'

TELEVISION, 2001-2006



I'VE BEEN TO TOO MANY FUNERALS.

'BATMAN: HUSH.'

COMIC BOOKS, 2000s



WE BOTH KNOW YOU PUT YOURSELF ON ICE. I'M HERE TO BRING ON THE THAW.

'THE BATMAN.'

TELEVISION, 2004-2008



IT'S NOT WHO I AM UNDERNEATH, BUT WHAT I DO THAT DEFINES ME.

'BATMAN BEGINS.'

MOVIES, 2005



BEAUTIFUL, ISN'T IT?

'THE DARK KNIGHT/RISES.'

MOVIES, 2008/2012



BATMAN DOES NOT EAT NACHOS!

'BRAVE AND THE BOLD.'

TELEVISION, 2009-2011



I'M FINE. I EAT PUNKS LIKE THESE FOR BREAKFAST.

'BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM/CITY.'

VIDEOGAMES, 2009/2011



IT WOULD BE FAR EASIER TO CONSIDER THIS A DREAM. BUT HOW CAN I? FOR IN MY HAND, I HOLD THE BAT-RADA.

'BATMAN OF ZUR-EN-ARRH.'

COMIC BOOKS, 2009

ORIGINAL APPEARANCE: 1958



THIS IS IT. BATMAN AND ROBIN. TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME.

'DICK GRAYSON BATMAN.'

COMIC BOOKS, 2009-2010



HH.

'BATMAN INCORPORATED.'

COMIC BOOKS, 2010-2011



A SPECTACULAR, LIVE-ACTION ARENA ADVENTURE!

'BATMAN LIVE.'

THEATER, 2011



RELAX, THIS'LL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT.

'THE NEW 52 BATMAN.'

COMIC BOOKS, 2011-?



...

'EARTH ONE BATMAN.'

GRAPHIC NOVEL, 2012 BAT MAN The 'bat-suit' is one of the most iconic superhero outfits of all time, if not the most iconic. And yet, there are so many iterations of the suit and its numerous features - the cowl, the cape, the bat symbol, the utility belt, the bladed gloves, the boots, and the briefs (or not) - that it's impossible to pin down a single version as the bat-suit. AND THE HISTORY OF THE BAT-SUIT Below, you'll find every single significant* bat-suit from the comics, the movies, TV, video games, and theater since the Caped Crusader's debut in May 1939. (*Note: We've excluded the hundreds of alternate universe iterations - 'The Dark Knight Returns notwithstanding - the Clooney ice-suit from 'Batman & Robin,' any minor variations from the seventy-plus years' worth of comic book back issues, and so on..) EVERY SIGNIFICANT BAT-SUIT EVER COME ALONG, FELLA THEIR RAY GUNS CANT HARM ME! A FITTING END FOR HIS KIND. DEATH . TO DOCTOR DEATH! NEVER AGAIN WILL YOU HARM ANY MORAL BEINGI YOU'RE COMING WITH US TO THE BATS CAVE! ON THIS PLANET, IM SUPER- BATMAN! 00O00 ODIDO DETECTIVE COMICS #27." COMIC BOOKS, 1939 DETECTIVE COMICS #30." COMIC BOOKS, 1939 "DETECTIVE COMICS #36." SERIAL BATMAN." COMIC BOOKS, 1940 MOVIE SERIALS, 1943/49 COMIC BOOKS, 1940s-50s "GOLDEN AGE BATMAN. ALFREDI YOUVE GOT TO TAKE THE RAP FOR THIS- IVE GOT YOU BEHIND BARS AT LAST, JOKER! GOOD GRAMMAR IS ESSENTIAL, ROBIN! QUICK, ROBIN! THE BAT-GAS! WELCOME ТО НELL MURDER! "YELLOW OVAL BATMAN. COMIC BOOKS, 1960s TVMOVIES, 1966-1968 "ADAM WEST BATMAN. "SILVER AGE BATMAN. COMIC BOOKS, 1960s-70s TELEVISION, 1973 "SUPER FRIENDS BATMAN. THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS." COMIC BOOKS, 1986 YOU'VE EATEN GOTHAM'S WEALTH. ITS SPIRIT. YOUR FEAST IS NEARLY OVER. FROM THIS MOMENT ON, NONE OF YOU ARE SAFE. HAVE YOU EVER DANCED WITH THE DEVIL IN THE PALE MOONLIGHT? BUT A KISS CAN BE EVEN DEADLIER . IF YOU MEAN IT. I AM VENGEANCE! I AM THE NIGHT! I-AM BATMAN! THAT'S THE LAW. NOT JUSTICE. MODERN AGE BATMAN." COMIC BOOKS, 80s-90s COMIC BOOKS, 1987 BATMAN: YEAR ONE. TIM BURTON'S BATMAN. MOVIES, 1989 BATMAN RETURNS. MOVIES, 1992 THE ANIMATED SERIES. TV/MOVIES, 1992-1995 RULE #1: YOU GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOUVE GOT. THE OLD BATMAN WAS FOR OLDER TIMES. THERE'S NO PLACE FOR KID GLOVES NOW. PLL GET DRIVE-THRU. THIS IS WHY SUPERMAN WORKS ALONE. RULE #2: THEN YOU GIVE ME MORE. IVE DECIDED ITS TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW. AND RULE #3: I MAKE THE RULES. "AZRAEL BATMAN. COMIC BOOKS, 1993-1994 COMIC BOOKS, 1995 BATMAN & ROBIN." MOVIES, 1997 NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES. TELEVISION, 1997-1999 BATMAN: TROIKA. BATMAN FOREVER. MOVIES, 1995 IHATE LOSING. I HATE RUNNING. I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. WE BOTH KNOW YOU PUT YOURSELF ON ICE. IM HERE TO BRING ON THE THAW. WHAT DO YOU SAY WE FINISH THIS, MAN TO FREAKSHOW? MY BRAIN'S NOT A NICE PLACE TO BE. IVE BEEN TO TO0 MANY FUNERALS. BATMAN BEYOND. TELEVISION, 1999-2001 COMIC BOOKS, 1999 BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND. JUSTICE LEAGUE/UNLIMITED. TELEVISION, 2001-2006 BATMAN: HUSH. COMIC BOOKS, 2000s "THE BATMAN." TELEVISION, 2004-2008 IT WOULD BE FAR EASIER TO CONSIDER THIS A DREAM, ITS NOT WHO I AM UNDERNEATH, BUT WHAT I DO THAT DEFINES ME. BATMAN DOES NOT EAT NACHOS! IM FINE. I EAT PUNKS LIKE THESE FOR BREAKFAST. BUT HOW CAN I? FOR IN MY HAND,I HOLD THE BAT-RADIA. BEAUTIFUL, ISN'T IT? BATMAN BEGINS. MOVIES, 2005 "THE DARK KNIGHT/RISES." BRAVE AND THE BOLD. MOVIES, 2008/2012 BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM/CITY. BATMAN OF ZUR-EN-ARRH. COMIC BOOKS, 2009 ORIGNAL APPEARACE: 1958 TELEVISION, 2009-2011 VIDEOGAMES, 2009/2011 THIS IS IT. BATMAN AND ROBIN, A SPECTACULAR, LIVE-ACTION AR ADVENTURE! RELAX. THIS'LL ONLY TAKE A MOMENT. Н. TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME. DICK GRAYSON BATMAN. COMIC BOOKS, 2009-2010 COMIC BOOKS, 2010-2011 THE NEW 52 BATMAN." COMIC BOOKS, 2011-? "EARTH ONE BATMAN." GRAPHIC NOVEL, 2012 BATMAN INCORPORATED. BATMAN LIVE. THEATER, 2011 SCREENRANT.COM CREATED BY: BENJAMIN ANDREW MOORE TWITTER: @BENANDREWMOORE EMAI L: BAM@BENJAMINANDREWMOORE COM