The Many Looks of Batman: Comics & Animation

Besides Superman and Spider-Man, no comic book character is more recognizable amongst the general public than Batman.

2008 is quickly shaping up to be a massive year for the dark defender of Gotham City. A new big budget movie is set for release this summer. He's starring in numerous animated projects on television and DVD. And in the comics, the popular rumor suggests that he may die in DC's epic mini-series Final Crisis.

Whether or not he actually kicks the bucket in 2008, we figured now was an excellent time to take a look back at Batman's extensive wardrobe. The Caped Crusader has been around for a very long time - almost 80 years in fact. Nearly every iteration of the character has retained the same basic and striking visual features. That said, there are some wild, weird, and wacky Batman costumes floating around; from the campy, grinning Batman of the Silver Age to the grotesque, vampiric Batman of Red Rain.

In the first of our two-part feature, we examine the most memorable Batman looks from across the comics and animated series. Check back closer to the release of The Dark Knight for a history of Batman's live-action looks.

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