It takes a very specific kind of man to go swinging haphazardly about the skyline of Gotham City in the dead of night wearing skin-tight spandex and his panties on the outside yet STILL manage to be intimidating.
That man is the Batman.
He may be scowling nearly perpetually and speaking in a gravelly voice, but don't let that fool you, our caped crusader is something of a fashionista – he boasts a wardrobe so chocked to the brim of various bat-suits it'd make any High Schoolgirl blush with envy.
The Arkham Games have made a great point of including some of the more iconic of these suits among the available attire in their past games – but what haven't we seen yet that we'd like the deceptively extravagant crime-fighter to don in his constant vigil against crime that we'd love to appear in the newly released Arkham Knight over the course of its shelf-life?
The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh
Originally seen in Grant Morrison's storyline 'Batman R.I.P.' – The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is a suit that a crazed Batman pieced together out of discarded cloth and other pieces of garbage after having his mind broken using a post-hypnotic trigger placed by an evil psychiatrist and named after his mishearing of his Father's last words.
Before that, it was the suit worn by an alternate Universe Batman that brought the then-mainstream-continuity Batman over to his world to fight giant robots and aliens.
Yeah, comic books are wacky.
Confusing as it's origins may be, there's no doubt how cool it would be to see a tattered purple cape fluttering about the skyline of Gotham City as a manic red and yellow Batman put the boots to crime-lords.
Zebra Batman
What's black, white and red all over?
Of all the silly answers to this question you've probably heard over the years, did you ever expect Batman?
Born – like most ridiculous things in comic books – in the ever-ludicrous Silver Age Zebra Batman is a variant of Batman given his appearance by the same machine that fueled one of his aptly-named but short-lived adversaries of the time, Zebra Man. Repelling solid matter and with no control of his ability to do so – it may be game-breaking to include this power, no harm can come of the appearance only, right?
It may be a little silly to see a humanoid zebra gliding around a game that usually maintains a serious tone, but isn't that what alternate costumes are for? A little off-the-wall, zany fun in a world otherwise densely populated with gravelly voiced anger and bullets?
The Troika Batsuit
Batman is a little different from the usual cape. He doesn't preach morality or justice in the same way they do – he does abide a strict code of it, but he's also willing to do things and commit acts in the name of that code and pursuit of that justice that would make the other Heroes shudder and wonder who's side this guy was on.
The Troika batsuit encapsulates that entire air about Batman that suggests he's a world apart from your usual vibrant and brightly coloured Superhero – and it does so by doing away with the typical outside-the-suit panties.
Clad pitch black from head to toe and blending in with the night better than ever before, the only thing on the Bat in this outfit not following the night-time theme are his belt and characteristic symbol on his chest.
Batzarro
The gun-toting 'World's Worst Detective' Wayne Bruce. Complete with upside-down bat-symbol splayed proudly across his chest.
Fairly similar to the usual batsuit and so not requiring much work to add in – a certain bonus for Rocksteady – this get-up would still provide an interesting new garb to fight crime in. Even if it would be best-advised to leave out the guns as a gameplay feature.
White to counter the natural grey of the Batsuit with the aforementioned upside-down symbol and a devious, Jokerish grin beaming eerily from the cowl – if nothing else, it's bizarre.
Mask Of Tengu
Donned by Bruce Wayne when he went under Lady Shiva's tutelage in an attempt to recapture his past abilities to do battle with the twisted vision of Batman currently watching over Gotham – the Mask of Tengu provides a very distinct kung-fu vibe whilst remaining in the typical bat-theme.
Though, it may provide its share of issues – namely a distinct lack of a cape to employ in the enjoyment of the game's trademark swooping and gliding around. But hey, when did logic ever stop Batman from cracking skulls? A 200+lb man taking to the air with the grace of a sparrow is silly enough in itself, lets not bog the affair down with petty things such as reason.
The Suit Of Sorrow
Created in 1190 during the crusades and given to a knight, pure of heart – the Suit of Sorrows promptly drove him insane.
Talia Al Ghul later gave this suit as a gift to Bruce Wayne, who did a little better under it's mental duress than the Knight, yet still wound up depositing it in the vast vaults of storage in the Batcave as he felt it made him more violent.
For all it's potential mental threats, one positive thing can be said of the Suit of Sorrows – it's downright awesome looking.
Modified somewhat to fit the bat-vibes that Bruce so loves to radiate, the Suit still includes protection in the form of chain-mail and a spectacular knightly look.
Anything you feel I missed or think should be included in the Arkham Knight? Feel free to let me know below.
Published: Jun 24, 2015 06:45 am