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Classic:


Nightwing:


Arctic:


I left out the Flying Grayson's suit, since he hadn't technically adopted the name Robin when he wore it. So out of the three suits listed, which is your favourite?

For me, the classic costume takes the top spot. But I like the Nightwing costume too. The arctic suit's a distant, distant third.

I always thought it was a shame Robin only wore the classic outfit for one sequence at the end of Batman Forever. I think it might have been better if he'd worn if for the first half of Batman & Robin too, then adopted the Nightwing costume – as well as the name 'Nightwing' – when he went solo following his disagreement with Bruce.

Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Sun, 12 Feb  2017, 21:45


I always thought it was a shame Robin only wore the classic outfit for one sequence at the end of Batman Forever. I think it might have been better if he'd worn if for the first half of Batman & Robin too, then adopted the Nightwing costume – as well as the name 'Nightwing' – when he went solo following his disagreement with Bruce.

That would have been much better.

I vote classic.

The BF suit is my pick. It successfully translated the classic design into modern times.

(https://www.batman-online.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F38.media.tumblr.com%2Ffabdc33771bec8fe405e4870309bafb4%2Ftumblr_n7zqr91LLg1qcxje5o2_500.gif&hash=2bd9ef88e4c9288443c30a2f215f9769a739b589)

If I didn't know the correct context, I could easily guess this is Robin posing at the end of a fashion show catwalk.

As much as I like the BF Robin outfit, what I think we're supposed to surmise is that Dick had no real design input into that outfit. Alfred "took the liberty"... but he took liberties Dick might not have chosen for himself.

The Robin outfit from B&R is more in line with Dick's sensibilities. It's a less busy design overall, it has a lot of bat-like characteristics but he very much has his own identity.

Besides, the colorful BF Robin outfit would look a bit strange paired with Clooney's entirely black outfit. There's pretty much no color whatsoever with Clooney's Batman suit so Robin's suit needed to change too.

Still, that BF Robin suit holds a special place in my heart. It felt like the movies were more firmly embracing comic book elements that I loved. Putting Dick in what was basically Tim Drake's outfit was less jarring than it might have been after three years of BTAS so overall it worked pretty well for me. I just think the B&R outfit is a more personal statement for Dick than the BF outfit.

But wouldn't it be more appropriate for Dick to make a statement and assert his independence at the point in the story where he rebels and breaks away from Batman, rather than so soon after he's become his sidekick? I don't think Bruce and Dick really became equal partners until the end of the film, when Batman trusted Robin to save himself during the final battle. Until then Batman was still being overbearing and treating Robin like his apprentice/sidekick. And Dick seemed ok with that arrangement at first. He didn't really start to diverge from Batman's leadership until the situation with Ivy came up.

I think you're right about the Nightwing suit reflecting his identity. It incorporates the red robin symbol from his motorcycle helmet, which in turn symbolises his rebellious streak. But the classic costume symbolises something too: it represents Dick belonging to a family and being part of a team. The design is based on his Flying Graysons uniform, which Dick discarded after his family were killed. He never expected to be part of another team/family after that and so instructed Alfred to get rid of it. "I won't need it anymore." But then he found a new team, a new family, with Bruce and Alfred. And he started wearing those same colours again. I don't think he should have discarded them until he broke away from that team and became fully independent. And the best point for him to have done that IMO would have been after his and Batman's bust-up at the ice-cream factory.

Quote from: thecolorsblend on Wed, 15 Feb  2017, 15:25


Besides, the colorful BF Robin outfit would look a bit strange paired with Clooney's entirely black outfit. There's pretty much no color whatsoever with Clooney's Batman suit so Robin's suit needed to change too.

Psssst...it was blue.

I love the contrast or whatever between Batman's dark grey/black suits and Robin's more colorful costumes when they are together. I think it's a good metaphor for the point they are in their lives and careers and outlooks. Whatever the media is, when Dick becomes jaded and strikes out on his own, the Nightwing costume is a much simpler, less colorful outfit a lot like Bruce's.

That's a good point about the darker outfit reflecting his jadedness. The more colourful costume reflects the renewed hope and purpose he finds in being a crime fighter.


The darker costume represents him outgrowing that initial excitement and moving into a more cynical, rebellious phase. But that's a gradual process of maturation. It feels too abrupt for him to wear the green and red suit for one sequence, then go straight to the black costume. At least to me it does.

I don't think it would have been a problem seeing the green and red outfit next to Clooney's costume.  As Catwoman says, the Clooney suit is blue. It's actually a lighter colour than Robin's Nightwing suit, which is rather odd when you think about it – Batman is wearing a lighter coloured costume than Robin.


All the costumes in the Schumacher films tend to reflect the colour of the lighting anyway, so I think they would have blended together quite nicely.

The BF suit used to be my favourite but the Nightwing suit from B&R has really grown on me. 

I'm judging a suit on its aesthetics, not its backstory.

I'll repeat what I said in the Schumacher Batsuit thread:

I can't help but feel I like the Nightwing-looking suit in B&R. It fitted Dick Grayson's rebellious nature in that film, a symbol in trying to shed away from his sidekick identity.

Quote from: Silver Nemesis on Wed, 15 Feb  2017, 23:10
I don't think it would have been a problem seeing the green and red outfit next to Clooney's costume.  As Catwoman says, the Clooney suit is blue. It's actually a lighter colour than Robin's Nightwing suit, which is rather odd when you think about it – Batman is wearing a lighter coloured costume than Robin.

Agreed. Robin could have started with the classic colours, and later "upgraded" to his black Nightwing suit.

I prefer the BF because it was a 90s update of the classic Robin look. Also, IMO the Nightwing suit looks better without a cape.

(https://s2.postimg.org/3qo3b98eh/robin_comparison.jpg)

(https://s2.postimg.org/jq6qut4g9/classic_robin_with_clooney.jpg)

Those are excellent comparison pics, Azrael. Did you create them yourself?

Quote from: Azrael on Fri, 17 Feb  2017, 14:30
Also, IMO the Nightwing suit looks better without a cape.

I was just thinking the other day that it would be interesting to see what the Nightwing suit looked like with the cape detached. Ideally with the person wearing it brandishing Escrima sticks.

Thanks, yes, these were edited to contrast the BF Robin suit with Clooney's blue outfit. Hope I got the heights right. Here's an edit with cape removed.

(https://s8.postimg.org/5cu5wnolx/robin_x3.jpg)

There are batsuit workshops that manufacture a version of the Nightwing suit which is basically a modified B&R design.

(https://s12.postimg.org/xlpvcxxb1/14727632_168756743585864_5229087537162616832_n.jpg)

You've got some ace picture editing skills. That image on the right is beautiful. It's the perfect live action Nightwing costume. Imagine if Dick had worn the classic green and red outfit right up until the scene with the Robin-signal, only to then emerge from the armoury wearing this and proclaiming himself 'Nightwing'.

Quote from: Azrael on Sat, 18 Feb  2017, 12:35
(https://s8.postimg.org/5cu5wnolx/robin_x3.jpg)

It makes me wish Warner Bros had gone ahead and made that Nightwing spinoff they were developing in the late nineties. I expect they would've learned from the mistakes of B&R and opted for a tone more in line with that of the Burton films. We could have seen O'Donnell's Nightwing take to the rooftops of Blüdhaven to begin his solo career. A lesser known comic villain like Blockbuster would have been perfect for the antagonist, while Michael Gough's Alfred could have appeared in a supporting role. There's no way it would have been worse than the 2004 Catwoman movie. It would have given fans something to tide them over while they awaited the Nolan reboot, as well as offering O'Donnell a more dignified send-off from the franchise.

Catwoman was a missed opportunity.  Not saying it's a bad movie, it may have its fans.  It just has nothing to do with the comics.  I don't know why WB went with that script.

Quote from: Azrael on Sat, 18 Feb  2017, 12:35
Thanks, yes, these were edited to contrast the BF Robin suit with Clooney's blue outfit. Hope I got the heights right. Here's an edit with cape removed.

(https://s8.postimg.org/5cu5wnolx/robin_x3.jpg)

There are batsuit workshops that manufacture a version of the Nightwing suit which is basically a modified B&R design.

(https://s12.postimg.org/xlpvcxxb1/14727632_168756743585864_5229087537162616832_n.jpg)

Outstanding work Azrael. I kind of think O' Donnell was initially cast with the vision to have him assume Nighwing. All the signs point that way, he drops the name in Forever then phases into the character in Batman and Robin. Seeing him in Nighwing colours just looks right to me.

Thanks man.

I always thought the B&R Robin suit would look better without a cape. The red they used looks OK, the Nightwing colours would be better, but it's maybe the cape that looks extraneous.

I like the Nightwing suit, of course you have to remember he is not Nightwing yet.  Batman and Robin could almost be a Nightwing origin movie.