On display at San Diego Comic-Con as part of Batman's 75th anniversary are a number of props and costumes from the Caped Crusader's numerous films, but the main attraction is the costume that fans have yet to see in action -- the cape and cowl to be worn by Ben Affleck in "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice."
Judging from pictures, the "Batfleck" costume won't be the heavily armored costume seen by millions of moviegoers in Chris Nolan's "Dark Knight Trilogy."
DC Entertainment co-publisher and artist Jim Lee has experience drawing Batman, having done so in the "Batman" and "All-Star Batman and Robin" comics, and evaluates the cape from the perspective of someone who knows Batman inside and out.
Lee told USA Today that the cape offers "a very low drag coefficient," and that there aren't as many sharp edges and ridges as seen in other Batman film costumes. He also adds that the costume has a "boxer's physique to it, which suggests that Batman's more of a brawler than he's been before.
Director Zack Snyder has said his upcoming film will draw inspiration coming from the iconic "The Dark Knight Returns" graphic novel, so Lee's statement about the "boxer physique" definitely seems to ring true. The climactic battle of "The Dark Knight Returns" has Batman and Superman engaging in a brutal one-on-one slugfest, and judging from the the title of the movie alone one would expect the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight to come to blows. How well this unarmored Batman fares against the might of a Kryptonian is up in the air, but he is sure to have some tricks up his sleeve. That is, after all, why the character has endured for so many years.
"The fact that he can outthink anybody, I think that's' the most relatable," Lee says. "Here's a guy without any powers, yet he has the great toys we talk about, but his mind is his greatest weapon."
Also on display at the convention are a number of batarangs across multiple Batman films, the masks worn by the Joker and his goons in "The Dark Knight," and the Batman costumes of Michael Keaton, George Clooney, Val Kilmer and Christian Bale. It's all part of the celebration says DC co-publisher Dan DiDio.
"This being Batman's 75th anniversary, a great way to celebrate it is by seeing how Batman looked through the years because this is something people recognize," DiDio says. "Millions of people see these movies and it's great to be able to show these at the premier show for pop culture."
"Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" will hit theaters on May 16, 2016.
