One of the coolest superhero suits in the DC Comics Universe is the Batman Beyond suit, first seen in the animated show from 1999. Set in the futuristic Neo-Gotham, the Batman Beyond suit was different from previous iterations of the Batsuit because of its streamlined appearance, long ears, and lack of a cape. The appearance of the Beyond suit helped differentiate Terry McGinnis’s style of crimefighting from Bruce Wayne, who had previously relied on fear and intimidation that was achieved through his costume. As Batman Beyond later expanded into comics, writer Dan Jurgens expanded upon the existing lore from the show, filling in Terry McGinnis’s story with other details from the DC Universe. As chance would have it, Jurgens directly addressed the iconic look of the Batman Beyond suit and attributed the foundations of its design not from Bruce Wayne himself, but from an entirely different Batman altogether: Jim Gordon.

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In Batman Beyond #4, which saw Tim Drake filling in for Terry McGinnis as Batman in Gotham’s future, he was given the 1.0 version of the Batsuit by Barbara Gordon, revealed to be the same mecha suit that Jim Gordon wore during Batman: Superheavy from the New-52 (written by Dan Jurgens, art by Bernard Chang, colors by Marcelo Maiolo, letters by Dave Sharpe). In a series from Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, and Danny Miki, Jim Gordon had taken up the mantle as Batman after Bruce Wayne disappeared. Not surprisingly, Gordon wore a different Batsuit from Bruce Wayne, one that was composed of a slimmer, black suit without a cape that then was paired with a large mecha suit that provided additional armor. Because Tim Drake was wearing the 5.0 version of the Batman Beyond suit, it is clear that substantial improvements had been made to streamline Gordon’s suit over the years.

Tim Drake’s discovery of the 1.0 version of the Batman Beyond suit then places Gordon’s Superheavy mech and suit within a broader timeline in DC Comics that leads to the events in Neo-Gotham. Superheavy isn’t as widely known as a chapter in Batman history as other moments from the New-52, making details of its inclusion in Batman Beyond even more surprising. In this sense, Batman Beyond‘s harkening back to a lesser known story is a testament to the depth of Batman lore with regards to the different people who have taken up the cowl over the years.

Approaching Batman Beyond‘s Batsuit with Gordon’s Superheavy suit in mind, it makes sense why it would be based off of costume worn by someone else other than Bruce Wayne. Superheavy from its premise alone provided space for considering what the significance of Batman is without Bruce Wayne in the suit. It asked a question of to what extent the persona of Batman was an expression of Bruce Wayne’s personality, life experience, and response to his surroundings rather than static elements that every Batman after him needed to embody. By giving Gordon a new suit, and thus a new look to Batman, Superheavy showed that Batman could still be an identity that was made personal to to every person who wore the cowl, reflecting not only their experience, but also their objectives.

Batman Beyond has always been about envisioning a Batman without Bruce Wayne, and having Jim Gordon’s suit be the basis for Terry McGinnis’s fits in accordance with the series’s themes. Gordon’s suit being the original proves the extent to which Batman Beyond has never solely been Bruce Wayne’s project, but one belonging to different members within his circle. In this sense, Tim Drake’s discovery of the origins of Batman Beyond‘s suit speaks to how Batman has always been an identity formed from the collective imagination, than strictly from the personal.

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Jules Chin Greene
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Jules Chin Greene is an editor, filmmaker, and animator based in Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in English and Cinema Studies from Oberlin College, where she was awarded Excellence in Critical Writing for her thesis on Indigeneity and Anti-Imperialism in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In her free time, she enjoys roller-skating and horror movies. You can find her on Twitter at @JulesChinGreene.

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