Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. HOMEPAGE

How Batman could create a suit to fight Superman

The newest "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" trailer offered fans a ton of new footage of the battle between the two titans, alongside new story details, and hints at a brand new villain.

Advertisement

Most notably, though, the trailer ended with a twist: Batman blocking a full-powered punch from Superman. 

How did Batman, aka the tech savvy but totally non-superpowered Bruce Wayne, trade blows with the impossibly strong alien?

clapbackbatman
Warner Bros/YouTube

We won't know until the movie comes out, but we can speculate based on what we've seen and how their fights have played out in the comics.

First, let's check out Batman's armored mech-suit. 

Advertisement
batman armor suit batman v superman sdcc 2015
Kirsten Acuna/Business Insider

Yes, it's durable, but it takes more than bulk to go toe-to-toe with the Son of Krypton. Historically, Batman has used a number of Iron Man-style upgrades cleverly embedded in the suit. Notice how heavy his gauntlets are in this redesign?

In Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight" comic series, Batman's gauntlets have Kryptonite (Superman's key weakness) embedded in the knuckles so his punches are more powerful. Entertainment Weekly confirmed Batman's mech suit will contain Kryptonite in some way, and if you look closely, you'll notice that the left hand gauntlet has something added to the knuckles.

batgauntlets skitch
Could that be storing some Kryptonite? Kirsten Acuna/Business Insider

The trailer also had several shots of the armor suits' glowing white eyes. It's not just for intimidation. When Batman faces Superman in the comics, he upgrades his cowl in order to get an edge. The helmet of Batman's suit has a much heavier plating that not only protects Batman's head but is made from material that blocks Superman's see-through vision in the comics, protecting Batman's identity. 

In the past, Batman has also installed high-tech upgrades like night vision and heat sensors into the mask. We haven't seen this yet, but there are many possibilities: Batman could use his upgraded vision to give himself a version of Superman's ability to see through walls. For example, in the "Arkham" video game series, Batman enables a version of X-ray vision in his mask that lets him see opponents' broken bones he can target in combat. 

Advertisement
batman-suit-armor
Warner Bros. /YouTube

The armored suit also retains Batman's utility belt. This means Batman will have access to some very cool gadgetry. In various comic iterations, we've seen grenades, surveillance equipment, and Kryptonite in the pouches.

Overall, the armored mech-suit Bruce wears in "Batman v Superman" is very similar to Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns." There, Batman uses acid, electric projectiles, and disorienting powder against Superman. What's most interesting about their melee in "The Dark Knight Returns" is that Batman uses these gadgets primarily as a distraction to enact a much larger plan. It has us curious as to what exactly Bruce has up his sleeves for "Batman v Superman."

batman superman the dark knight returns
DC/Photo of Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns"

And finally, there's Batman's iconic cape. While Superman's cape helps with dramatic, flowy entrances, Batman's cape has usually featured snazzy enhancements to help on his missions. In the comics, the cape is made of a lightweight version of bulletproof Kevlar, which is also flame-retardant. In 2005's "Batman Begins" film, the cape works as a sort of wingsuit. It lets Bruce glide around the city and makes him more aerodynamic. Just look at how much air he's able to get when fighting Supes:

crimebstp
Warner Bros/YouTube

 With all these enhancements to his armor and weaponry, Superman should be worried. 

Advertisement
clapback2
Warner Bros./YouTube

"Batman v Superman" comes to theaters March 25.

Movies
Advertisement
Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.

Jump to

  1. Main content
  2. Search
  3. Account