From Batmobile's missiles to wheels, how has Batman's tactical assault weapon evolved

The caped crusader is one of the most iconic superheroes to be created and over the years Batman has become an important part of the pop-culture. Since the Dark Knight started appearing in comics and on screens he was always accompanied by his tactical assault weapon, the Batmobile. Over the years several filmmakers and directors have put out their rendition of Batman and along with that, they have also managed to make the Batmobile one of the most iconic fictional vehicles of all time.

The Batmobile first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939), where it was depicted as an ordinary-looking red car. Its appearance has varied but, since its earliest appearances, the Batmobile has had a prominent bat motif, typically including wing-shaped tailfins. The vehicle has been customized over time and is the most technologically advanced crime-fighting asset in Batman's arsenal.

Using the latest civilian performance technology, coupled with prototype military-grade hardware, most of which was developed by Wayne Enterprises, Batman creates an imposing hybrid monster to lurk the streets of Gotham City. As we move forward let us take a look at the evolution of the vehicle throughout the years.

1. Batman (1989 film) / Batman Returns

Tim Burton's live-action films Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) presented the 'Keaton Mobile,' named after Michael Keaton, who portrayed the caped crusader in the movies. It was also known as the Tumbler. The car was designed by conceptual illustrator Julian Caldow and built by John Evans special effects team at Pinewood Studios in England. 

• Features

Tim Burton's batmobile was packed with assault weapons including Spherical bombs that could be deployed from the sides. Two M1919 Browning machine guns were hidden behind flaps in each fender. It also had a special grappling hook, once hooked on a structure it served as an anchor to allow the batmobile to make an extremely sharp turn at high speed. In Batman Returns it is shown to have a secondary mode referred to as the "Batmissile", where the wheels would retract inside and the sides of the vehicle would break off, converting the car into a thin bullet train-like form capable of squeezing through tight alleyways.

2. Batman Forever

As the Batman films were handed over to director Joel Schumacher from Tim Burton, the design for the Batmobile was updated significantly. Tim Flattery drew the winning design. Decorative lighting was added to the vehicle's rims, sides, and front edge, and the wing-shaped fins reached further into the air. Batman Forever starred Val Kilmer as the dark knight after Keaton stepped down from the role.

• Features

The car had a few unique features compared to its predecessor, such as being able to rotate its wheels through 90 degrees so that it could move in a perpendicular direction. The grappling hook from the previous batmobile was ramped up allowing the Batmobile to drive up walls, and the speed to perform large jumps from surface to the surface during chases across Gotham City's elevated freeways and gigantic statues.

 3. Batman & Robin

While Batman & Robin failed to impress the audience, the Batmobile created for George Clooney’s caped crusader impressed those fans. The design of the vehicle differed a little from the previous styles. The design featured neither a passenger seat nor a canopy. Like the Batman Forever car, this Batmobile also featured light-up wheels and engine panels. However, the displays were much more involved with this car, with red, orange, yellow, and blue lights, as well as special pulsating lights in the counter-rotating turbine intake.

• Features

On the Batman & Robin version, the arsenal of weaponry and gadgets present in the vehicle is controlled by an onboard voice-activated computer that surrounds the single-seat cockpit. From behind the wheel, the driver has access to a multifunctioning key command response system that delivers immediate weapon activation during an attack and defensive procedures.

4. The Dark Knight Trilogy

The Batmobile depicted in Christopher Nolan's trilogy of Batman films stands out from the previous designs of the vehicle. The vehicle had a tank-like appearance compared to the sleek automobiles seen in previous incarnations. The Batmobile made for Christain Bale's Dark Knight was described as a cross between a Lamborghini and a tank.

• Features

Nolan's version of Batmobile has several added mechanisms like a pair of autocannons mounted in the nose of the car between the front wheels, a Rocket launcher, Rear flaps to assist brakes, and an "Attack" mode in which the driver's seat moves to the centre of the car. 

5. DC Extended Universe

Zack Synder's Batmobile was first introduced in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, it was a combined inspiration from both the sleek, streamlined design of classic Batmobiles and the high-suspension, military build from the more recent Tumbler from The Dark Knight Trilogy. In the 2017 film Justice League, Batman owns a new four-legged tank vehicle called the "Knightcrawler", which was designed by his father during World War II.

• Features

Synder's Batmobile has the ability to raise or lower its suspension, depending on its combat or navigational situations. It also has a miniature jet engine afterburner to provide a quick thrust in pursuits and jumps. The outer body is absolutely bulletproof and can easily endure continued gunfire from miniguns. The Batmobile is also capable of self-governing control, should Batman ever need to leave the vehicle. An electric current runs along with the vehicle's surface plating, able to shock and incapacitate those unlucky enough to get too close.

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