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The History of the Batmobile

Hieronymus

21:51 / 02.08.04

Stumbled on this NY Times article regarding the bubbling hype for the new Batman Begins Batmobile and I found myself hooked into reading the linked website within the article, which details all the various Batmobiles since the very first one. It's an interesting look at how various interpretations of Batman manifested themselves in the vehicle he drove (some I've never ever seen before), from the cherry red, right off-the-showroom convertible Bats first drove in 1941 to the fighter-jet tech of Batman Beyond and riot-tank look from The Dark Knight Returns.

Is there any particular look that has always struck you as truer to the character than the others?

Mr Tricks

22:25 / 02.08.04

here's another read

Personally I never quite understoof why he would race around in a car in the first place. It alwasy seemed to make more sence for him to fly into the city from his mansion and then spend his time swinging from roottop to rooftop.

having a motorcycle might be useful for the highspeed chase and allow him to move through heavy traffic. I'm particularly fond of that BAT GYRO... or the Year one hand glider myself.

Lord Morgue

10:33 / 03.08.04

For me, you can't beat the Burton film version. Simple, elegant, powerful lines. The rococco excesses of Shumaker's films were just too much.
I do like a couple of the later designs from that site, though. Specifically, the "muscle car", the four-wheel steering version, and the similar model right after.
I kind of like that period in the early 80's when Bats was driving stock muscle cars- I reckon an Evil Black Hemi, like in the Phantasm films, would suit him.

We're The Great Old Ones Now

15:36 / 04.08.04

I liked the batmobile in Dark Knight Returns. So I love this one. Batman is partly about being scary, partly about being smart, and partly about being just a frail human who bats with the big boy alien mutant gods. So he needs a tank. A big, heavyweight mobile operations base. With teeth. Which can go through walls and would frighten the S.A.S.

COBRAnomicon!

15:41 / 04.08.04

I've always loved the Burton film version, too, but the design has some practical problems that bug me now. Like, the jet intake on the front goes right into the cockpit. I suppose ventilation's important if you're all sweaty from fighting crime in a batsuit, but still...

Billuccho!

16:46 / 04.08.04

I liked the Brefogle-era version, myself, of which there doesn't seem to be a decent picture of on that site. I always thought it was sleek and cool. The animated series version was good, too, and so was the Burton one.

Lord Morgue

10:05 / 05.08.04

H.R. Giger's design was freaky- can you imagine that big metal "X" screaming through the streets of Gotham, rearing and arching to pass over traffic, gun pods blasting, Bats sitting in the cockpit directing the monster like Picnic on Bald Mountain...
Shit, I think the Joker would take one look, and get a job at McDonald's, or something.

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