http://www.louanders.com/2005_08_01_archive.html

I absolutely agree with the idea of a detachable cape. Is it really logical for Batman to get into a "duel"-like situation with a noted and dangerous villain, a situation where the cape serves no purpose as it originally is designed to scare the jesus out of people and submerge Batman in darkness for effect (and even with a martial art incorporating the cape, something along the lines of the way Chinese soldiers of the Ming era used those little red feathers on the ends of their spears to distract and confuse an opponent, the cape doesn't have much use in a situation where Batman is forced "into the light" to fight hand to hand, man to man, against Ras Ghul or Two-Face or Killer Croc), when Batman should simply remove the cape and get down to serious business.

Again, we're not talking about all close-quarters fighting, but a scenario in which Batman's stealth and guerilla tactics are negated. A "gladiator" situation.

Laugh if you will, but Adam West is still the best, and most functional, Batman that's made it to the screen, in terms of West's presentation of the character, in my view; West's persona was serious enough but not above the laconic humor JB has instilled in the character which connects him to being a superhero in COMICS and not a ninja psychotic, and also in terms of his, West's, presentation of Batman's ability to move, run, fight, leap, and whatever else he needs to do without looking like a clunky robot in a 60s Japanese Kaiju Eiga movie.

All the films have included one glaring fault (shared by the CGI Spider-Man in Raimi's films) and that is I don't buy it. I don't accept the armor, and I don't accept the CGI Spider-Man. And I love BATMAN BEGINS, but Nolan shot every fight scene with Batman in armor from somewhere up Batman's ass, so the terrible effect of a stuntman in a clumsy heavy suit could not be revealed.

For god's sake, why is it so hard to just use the above body suit and say, "It's Teflon-based, so it offers some protection," but still allows us to experience the kind of serious psychological need for death that Batman has that makes him fight heavily-armed criminals without a gun, that a gun killed his parents and is a symbol of righteous anger that he refuses to use himself.

I don't want to think of Batman having bullets bouncing off his "armor". I want him standing in the shadow while someone shoots where they think he is. And he waits. Just waits.

That's Batman.

Chad Carter wrote: Laugh if you will, but Adam West is still the best, and most functional, Batman that's made it to the screen, in terms of West's presentation of the character, in my view;

Bwahahahaha!

"Rance".

Bwahahahahaha.

The movie costumes are too clunky, and the Adam West one was silly looking (even without West's doughy frame filling it out). 

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I think it's a bit of an urban myth that West was "doughy." He was in pretty good shape. The whole idea of his having a "pot belly" might have stemmed from the MAD Magazine parody. And of course keep in mind that the belt would make Nicole Richie look tubby.

I think it's a bit of an urban myth that West was "doughy." He was in pretty good shape. The whole idea of his having a "pot belly" might have stemmed from the MAD Magazine parody. And of course keep in mind that the belt would make Nicole Richie look tubby.

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