See the Evolution of the Batsuit

  • Lewis Wilson as Batman and Douglas Croft as Robin in Batman in 1943.
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  • Adam West in the television series Batman in 1966.
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  • Michael Keaton in Batman in 1989.
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  • Michael Keaton in Batman Returns in 1992.
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  • Val Kilmer in Batman Forever in 1995.
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  • George Clooney in Batman & Robin in 1997.
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  • Christian Bale in Batman Begins in 2005.
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  • Christian Bale in The Dark Knight in 2008.
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  • Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises in 2008.
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  • Ben Affleck in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016.
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By TIME Photo and Eliza Berman
March 24, 2016 5:33 PM EDT

When comparing one Batman movie to another, the focus tends to remain on the man inside the suit. And as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters this weekend, all eyes are on Ben Affleck‘s newly-minted Dark Knight. But over the course of more than seven decades, the suit itself has cycled through as many changes as the casting of the actors who have worn it. There have been minor alterations—pointier ears here, sturdier boots there—but the biggest difference is its metamorphosis from cloth to armor, clothing to combat gear. The only way to give Batman a fighting chance against the Man of Steel, it seems, is to shroud the man in steel himself.

 

Write to Eliza Berman at eliza.berman@time.com.

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