Batman’s recent debut in the DCU supports my biggest hope when it comes to the live-action catsuit in The Brave and the Bold. Having been featured in the animated series Creature Commandos, Batman is briefly shown during a flashback sequence in Gotham City. While most of his full appearance is hidden in shadow with details intentionally being hard to make out, there is one key element that has me very excited for Batman’s eventual live-action debut.
Batman’s animated debut in the DCU is connected to the origins of Doctor Phosphorus (Alan Tudyk) shown in Creature Commandos episode 6. A nuclear scientist turned irritated Gotham crime boss following the death of his family, Batman’s involvement helps explain how Phosphorus entered Amanda Waller’s custody as a member of Task Force M. To that end, this first look at the DCU Dark Knight has been very excited about what we can perhaps expect from this new Batman (and his iconic cowl) with the upcoming live-action movie The Brave and the Bold.
Batman’s DCU Debut Comes With An Exciting Tease For The Dark Knight
Comic-Accurate White Eyes/Lenses
Mirroring the classic intros from Batman: The Animated Series, Batman is shown on the rooftop as lightning strikes, briefly illuminating his silhouette that’s largely in shadow as he crashes Phosphorus’ party with his gang at The Ice Lounge (a likely nod to Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge). That said, the expected features are all there, including his pointed ears, cape, cowl, and utility belt. However, there’s not a lot of detail to be seen, such as the overall color of the costume, the bat logo design, etc.
That said, one feature from Batman’s DCU debut that can be seen are the white eyes/lenses on the cowl, a comics-accurate feature seen both on the page and in most animated depictions of The Dark Knight. It’s one of my favorite elements of Batman’s original comic look, especially when the eyes are the only thing Batman’s foe can see when he’s in the shadows, adding an extra layer of intimidation and fear as Batman seeks to bring justice to the superstitious and cowardly. It helps make it seem as though he might be more than human. However, Batman’s white eyes are a much rarer look when it comes to live-action.
Permanent White Eyes For Batman’s Cowl Would Be A Big Live-Action First
Past Batman Movies Have Only Offered Brief Teases
In the past, there have only been two times when Batman has received white eyes in live-action, albeit temporarily. The first was at the end of 2008’s The Dark Knight when Christian Bale’s Batman uses the sonar tech developed by Lucis Fox to locate the Joker, as well as to map out where all the hostages and the arriving SWAT teams were. That said, the white eyes offering sonar vision are removed almost as quickly as they appeared and weren’t ever seen again in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
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Likewise, 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice by director Zack Snyder only sort of brought back the white eyes. Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight had glowing white eyes as part of the power armor he used to fight Superman, rather than being part of his typical costume seen throughout the rest of the movie and in future DCEU films. As such, there has yet to be a live-action Batman with permanent and comics-accurate white eyes on his cowl, which is why Batman’s DCU debut in Creature Commandos has me so excited.
What James Gunn Has Said About Animated DCU Depictions (Compared To Live-Action)
“It’s Not Far Off…”
It’s important to note that the DCU’s animated Batman appearing to have white eyes is not a guarantee that the live-action version will have the same in The Brave and the Bold. After all, DC Studios’ James Gunn confirmed in a recent interview with @BrandonDavisBD that most of the animated depictions being shown right now offer a rough idea of what their live-action counterparts will eventually look like, seeing as how the intention is for all of it to be part of the same DCU continuity, regardless of the particular medium:
All in all, Batman having permanent white eyes is certainly something Gunn and DC Studios could walk back when the time comes to design the live-action batsuit for The Brave and the Bold. That said, I’m really hoping they don’t and that the eyes remain the same, offering a key comics-accurate element that has barely been shown with live-action versions of Batman before. It would certainly help make the DCU Batman more distinct, especially because Robert Pattinson’s Batman will reportedly still be around with Matt Reeves’ The Batman trilogy existing in its own separate universe.
The final episode of Creature Commandos is set to air Thursday, January 9th on Max.
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This animated series follows a covert team of monstrous inmates recruited for perilous missions deemed unsuitable for humans. United by secrecy and necessity, the Creature Commandos tackle extraordinary threats, serving as the ultimate option when traditional forces fall short.
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The Brave and the Bold is the first Batman movie in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe, which reboots the Dark Knight after Ben Affleck’s take on the character. It introduces Bruce Wayne’s son, the Robin Damian Wayne, and draws inspiration from Grant Morrison’s work on the comic book character.
