View Poll Results: Batman should be drawn...

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  • sleek and svelte

    33 50.77%
  • bulky and muscular

    32 49.23%
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  1. #1
    The Fastest Post Alive! Buried Alien's Avatar
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    Default Batman: svelte or bulky body shape?

    From the time that Neal Adams took over the art for the BATMAN franchise at the dawn of the Bronze Age until late 1980s, most illustrators of Batman favored a svelte Batman as portrayed by Adams. After Frank Miller's THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS was published, there has been a gradual drift towards a bulkier, more muscle-bound Batman, which is how the character seems to be predominantly drawn today. Do you prefer the more svelte or the bulkier Batman?

    Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)
    Last edited by Buried Alien; 11-19-2019 at 04:27 PM.
    Buried Alien - THE FASTEST POST ALIVE!

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  2. #2
    see beauty in all things. charliehustle415's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buried Alien View Post
    From the time that Neal Adams took over the art for the BATMAN franchise at the dawn of the Bronze Age until late 1980s, most illustrators of Batman favored a svelte Batman as portrayed by Adams. After Frank Miller's THE DARK KNIGHT RETURN was published, there has been a gradual drift towards a bulkier, more muscle-bound Batman, which is how the character seems to be predominantly drawn today. Do you prefer the more svelte or the bulkier Batman?

    Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)
    Gimme that Ed McGuinness thickness

    Last edited by charliehustle415; 11-19-2019 at 05:39 PM.

  3. #3
    Ultimate Member SiegePerilous02's Avatar
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    Definitely svelte.
    I like Adams and Rogers more than Miller.

  4. #4
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    I remember a book about comics at the time pointing out that the Bob Kane Batman in 1939 was scrawny just like Neal Adams Batman. I think some took it a bit far--Dick Giordano and Irv Novick made Batman too long and lean and he almost seemed clumsy that way. I never took it that the bulky Batman was bulky because he had muscle--I took it that he was bulky because he had aged and put on a few pounds. Mazzucchelli Batman looks thin, because he's young; Miller Batman looks fat, because he's old.

  5. #5
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    At 6’4 he more or less has the same build as the rock how he remains so flexible and quick???

  6. #6
    A Wearied Madness Vakanai's Avatar
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    Both. Simply, at this point both look iconic to me and have great stories attached to one look or the other.
    Helps I don't have a "back in my day" early version I read to cling on to - I started out with the animated versions then moved over to the comics. Neither Adams nor Miller defined Batman for me, and both did great work.

  7. #7
    Astonishing Member Tzigone's Avatar
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    I think they all have sometimes been drawn as way too thick/muscular (really to the point of grotesqueness on occasion). In general, I'd prefer Batman as a good fighter (nowhere near world's greatest) and great detective. I don't generally care for the one-blow knockouts or incredible human strength. Again, a very good fighter, but not impossibly strong for human. So in between svelte and bulky to me - partially driven by what I want from the character, and partially by what I like the look of. I'm willing to ignore the flexibility he simply shouldn't have with that kind of bulk (I'm thinking of this video - humor). But this is still too bulky.

    BvS made me think of the idea of Batman that, becoming increasingly consumed with his mission, bulked up more and more as time went on.
    Last edited by Tzigone; 11-19-2019 at 04:20 PM.

  8. #8
    Extraordinary Member CPSparkles's Avatar
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    voted bulky. I'm not a fan of bulky men however I see Jason and Bruce seem like they would be more Arnie while Dick and Damian seem like they would be slimmer and quick moving

  9. #9
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
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    Sleek and svelte. If the extremes are young Bruce Lee vs young Arnold Schwarzenegger, then Mr. Wayne is closer to Mr. Lee's body type than Mr. Terminator's.

    Truthfully, the ideal body type would be Hugh Jackman during his Wolverine days.

  10. #10
    Mighty Member SixSpeedSamurai's Avatar
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    At 6'2 210 lbs, he'd be closer to Arnold who was between 225 and 250 in his competing days. At Bruce Lee bulk, he'd be in the 180-190 lb range.

    My favorite Batman is Breyfogle, and I'd guess he'd maybe go middle of the road between svelte and bulky.
    Pulls: Batman, Detective Comics, SiKtC, Catwoman, Nightwing, Titans, Godzilla, Wonder Woman, Batman & Robin, Brave and the Bold, No/One, Kill your Darlings, and Deviant.
    My runs: Batman #230-, and Detective #420-

  11. #11
    Spectacular Member bat1987's Avatar
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    The latter for sure. Not DKR bulk, mind you, that's the other side of the spectrum. Jim Lee, Clay Mann or Jason Fabok style works perfect for me.

  12. #12
    Ultimate Member Ascended's Avatar
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    It's not really a deal breaker either way but I prefer bulky. Especially for an older Bruce who's been in the costume for a while.
    "We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."

    ~ Black Panther.

  13. #13
    Savior of the Universe Flash Gordon's Avatar
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    Bulky and huge like Frank Miller's Batman, because it's a comic book and meant to be fun and exaggerated.

    Ben Affleck looked like Batman walked off the page, let's be honest.

    Though, I think Christian Bale pulled it off best in film. Made it believable in a thematic sense.
    Last edited by Flash Gordon; 11-20-2019 at 12:14 PM.

  14. #14
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    I imagine a mix of both leading more towards svelte. Save pure svelte for Dick and Jason, and bulky for Bane and Croc.

  15. #15
    Death becomes you Osiris-Rex's Avatar
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    I remember Bob Kane complaining about Batman now being drawn like an ad for Sloan's Liniment because of all the bulging muscles.

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