The Batman's Bulletproof Armor Subverted Superman's Invulnerability

Gotham City's protector had a special bulletproof armor that evoked Superman's invulnerability, and showed one big difference between the two heroes.

The Batman's armored Batsuit made its hero remarkably bulletproof while simultaneously showing his unique strengths compared to other DC universe characters. The film featured various gadgets and equipment that Batman used to wage his war on crime. But his armor was possibly one of the film's most controversial inclusions, especially among longtime Batman fans.

The film followed the story of Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman, as he investigated a mysterious serial killer in Gotham City. Although the film was critically acclaimed for its fresh interpretations of the Batman mythos, not all of its changes were well-received. Some Batman fans argued that the film's version of the Batsuit made the hero too much like another popular DC character.

RELATED: Batman Has Three Groundbreaking Film Franchises, Thanks to Its Ability to Innovate

The Batman featured a protective Batsuit that made Batman almost as impervious to bullets as Superman himself. During the film, the caped crusader stormed the Iceberg Lounge to save Catwoman from her murderous father. Although the nightclub's guards detected Batman's intrusion and armed themselves with guns to kill him, he outsmarted them by cutting the building's power. Batman then ambushed them in the darkness while they stumbled around in confusion. The dark knight's bulletproof suit shielded him from every bullet that hit him as he faced the gunmen head-on. Batman's armor was crucial in helping him defeat the attacking guards and reunite with Catwoman. Although Batman's armor scene displayed his nearly indomitable power as a vigilante, it did not make him a Superman imitation. The Batman's bulletproof action scene was similar to another scene in Superman Returns when the Kryptonian used his invulnerable physique to protect security guards from an attacker's bullets.

The Batman, however, portrayed such invulnerability differently from the Superman character. Superman Returns demonstrated that Superman's bulletproof body made him a comforting shield for all of humanity. But Batman used his armor to terrorize and confidently attack criminals from the shadows, effectively transforming himself into an unkillable monster that criminals couldn't destroy. His bulletproof action sequence demonstrated the character's unique strength as a walking nightmare whose invulnerability embodied humanity's fears of sheer helplessness. The Batman's bullet resistance did not make him more like Superman, but rather the opposite, focusing on his ability to terrorize humanity instead of benevolently comforting them.

RELATED: The Brave and the Bold Should Avoid Using Batman’s Greatest Villain

Batman's protective suit had limitations that distinguished the hero from Superman. The Batman demonstrated this aspect when the dark knight rushed to Gotham Square Garden to save the new mayor from the Riddler's assassination attempt. He breached the building with explosives and battled the Riddler's armed assassins atop the catwalk above the mayor's stage. While Batman's armor protected him from most of their gunfire, it didn't save him from a surprise shotgun blast from one of Riddler's followers. The powerful attack sent him flying away from the platform, and he had barely enough time to grab hold of the nearest ledge. As Batman hung helplessly from the platform, the gunman reloaded his weapon and aimed it at Batman's head.

However, Catwoman arrived in time to defeat the gunman and save Batman's life. The Batman's shotgun scene was shocking in the narrative because it highlighted the limitations of both Batman's armor and personal mortality. While Superman could've shrugged off the effects of that shotgun blast quite easily, Batman was knocked backward by the sheer power of the weapon, leaving him in a position where he could've died. Despite his bulletproof armor's protection, it did not make him an all-powerful god-like Superman. Instead, the armor was just another tool in his arsenal. Batman is a compelling character in the film because he is still a vulnerable man with flaws and limitations, and the shotgun scene powerfully demonstrates Batman's humanity.

The Batman's incredibly strong armor made him nearly as durable as Superman. That being said, his bulletproof suit subverted Superman's power to highlight the major difference between the characters. Batman's armor illustrated his vulnerability and unique role as one of Gotham City's most terrifying nightmares.