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One of the best parts of costumed superheroes is seeing what new design they’ll wear next, and Batman has always taken this to ridiculous extremes. One of the most memorable examples is when Batman wore a rainbow costume while fighting crime. While it may seem absurd, the “Rainbow Batman” has left a lasting legacy, and it might just be time for DC to bring the costume back.
Batman has worn countless batsuits over the years, yet, strangely, one of the most memorable is the Rainbow Batsuit. This bizarre outfit first appeared in Detective Comics #241, created by Edmond Hamilton and Sheldon Moldoff.
The comic depicts Dick Grayson injuring his arm while saving a girl from a speeding car, an event that quickly becomes a media sensation. Fearing that someone might connect the injury between Dick Grayson and Robin, Bruce realizes there’s only one logical solution: he must dress up as a rainbow bat.
Batman’s Rainbow Suit Is ICONIC Among Fans
Detective Comics #241 by Edmond Hamilton, Sheldon Moldoff, and Stan Kaye.
For some reason, Batman forwent the logical solution of simply letting Dick stay home until his arm healed—as that would have been too easy. Instead, Batman opted to wear an increasingly colorful series of batsuits to distract criminals, making them so focused on him that they wouldn’t notice Robin’s injury. This led to Batman donning several brightly colored suits throughout the week, culminating in the infamous rainbow suit. It’s never fully explained why Batman had these multicolored suits ready to go.
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Surprisingly, the plan seemed to work. But what could have been a one-off in the tail end of the Golden Age of comics has surprisingly endured. The bizarre way Batman handled Robin’s injury stuck with fans, and DC has referenced it multiple times over the years. It was mentioned in the Trinity series by Francis Manapul, where Batman denied any memory of it, and even made an appearance in Batman: The Brave and the Bold animation.
DC Needs To Bring Rainbow Batman Back to Comics
Incorporating the Rainbow Batsuit in a Practical Way to Fit Batman’s Gritty Tone
If DC were to bring back the iconic Rainbow Batsuit, the key question would be how they could make it fit within the current tone of Batman’s gritty and dark comics. A flamboyant, brightly colored suit wouldn’t naturally align with the tone, so Batman would need a practical reason to wear it. Over the years, Batman has faced vampires and other supernatural threats, during which he showcased that the lining of his cape could emit UV light, repelling these dark creatures.
Perhaps a similar situation could arise, where Batman faces a monster that requires a weapon or strategy involving multiple colors. Maybe he would need to use a series of UV lights in different colors to defeat the creature, harkening back to the idea that certain characters or entities in the DC universe have specific weaknesses tied to different hues. This concept isn’t new—it mirrors how Superman’s strength and vulnerability are tied to the color of the sun. In this scenario, Batman could find himself using his UV cape trick, but this time it would flash in a spectrum of colors, recreating the iconic Rainbow Batsuit in a practical, battle-ready way.
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The Key to the Return of the Rainbow Batsuit: A Lantern Ring
The Emotional Spectrum of Lantern Powers Offers a Wide Array of Colors
While there’s no such thing as an actual Rainbow Lantern, there are hints of the concept. In Green Lantern #13 by Jeremy Adams and Fernando Pasarin, Kyle Rayner becomes the host of the Emotional Spectrum, which powers each individual colored lantern. This results in Kyle’s traditional green outfit becoming a rainbow of colors. Something like that could work similarly for Batman. The man had used both yellow lantern rings and green lantern rings in the past. A clever writer could find a way to make Batman take on the burden of every emotion, transforming his suit into the iconic rainbow imagery.
Batman has always found himself in some truly bizarre adventures, and no matter how outlandish something from his past may seem, a talented writer can always find a way to incorporate it into the story—just look at how Chip Zdarsky managed to bring back Adam West’s shark repellant bat-spray. If a writer wanted to resurrect Batman’s quirky Rainbow Batsuit, there are countless ways to make it work. They wouldn’t even need to reintroduce the full suit—just a reason for Batman to use its colors in a way that clearly nods to the classic look. As ridiculous as it may sound, DC should seriously consider bringing back Rainbow Batman.
Detective Comics #241 and Green Lantern #13 are both on sale now from DC Comics!
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