Batmanis no stranger to having a bunch of different Batsuits he can use in times of need, as it’s pretty normal for superheroes to have different versions of their costumes and suits for different occasions. But one Batsuit is far deadlier than the others, and ir seems to be a favorite of cosplayers.
While there’s definitely no shortage ofBatmancosplayers, not every cosplayer is interested in portraying Bruce Wayne’s version of the Dark Knight. As posted by photographerssusanonyskoanddinosaur_man2002in Instagram, cosplayergideoncallingrecently showed off an incredibly impressive cosplay of not Bruce Wayne’s Batman, but of Jean-Paul Valley’s - also known as Azrael.
While some people have issues telling Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson apart as Batman, that’s never been a problem with Jean-Paul. Azrael’s Batman outfit has always been significantly differentand remarkably more dangerousthan the usual outfits that Batman wears.
Batman: Sword of Azrael#1 by Dennis O’Neil, Joe Quesada, Kevin Nowlan, Lovern Kindzierski, and Ken Bruzenak
While some people might think that the Bat-Family is bignowadays, it was absolutely huge back in the ’90s. Characters like Orpheus, Onyx, and Azrael were all regular characters who worked alongside Batman. Azrael started out as a genetically engineered baby for the Order of Saint Dumas, a religious zealot group. Thankfully, Azrael managed to break free from the order andended up joining Batman.Azrael was moved by Batman’shumanitarian efforts and felt that fighting crime in Gotham would be a much better use of his time.
Batman’s Violent ’90s Replacement Returns to Gotham as the Perfect Wild Card
With Batman facing the gallows in Detective Comics, Azrael dons his armored Batsuit once more to send the Orghams' plans spiraling out of control.
After Batman had his back broken by Bane, he needed someone to look over Gotham in his absence. Not wanting to burden Nightwing, Bruce passed the mantle ofBatman onto Azrael. Unfortunately, it was revealed that Azrael was absolutely out of his mind. While he started out by wearing a regular Batsuit, he eventually createdhis own Batman costume that was highly weaponized,including a Gatling gun that fired batarangs from his wrist as well as a lot of blades - far more blades than Batman usually has on the sides of his gauntlets.
Azrael’s Batman Is Instantly Recognizable by Fans
Even Decades Later
A lot of contemporary superhero movies feel the need to modernize or change a superhero costume before bringing it to the big screen. But this Azrael-Batman cosplay perfectly proves that changes aren’t always necessary. This Azrael suit is almost completely accurate to the comics, and it looks great. It has Azrael’s ridiculously large robotic arms, as well as the blades all over the suit. It looks fantastic, and it’s recognizable to anyone who’s even a passing fan of ’90s-era Batman. While there’s currently no news on Azrael appearing in live-action,this cosplay definitely proves it could work if he did.
Azrael was a fantastic antagonist for the Bat-Family after he went over the edge….
Batman has had so many different successors and different suits over the years, but Azrael has always stood out as the most unique. He was an over-the-top murderous Batman who nearly destroyed both the man and the legacy behind the mantle. Azrael was a fantastic antagonist for the Bat-Family after he went over the edge, as evidenced by the fact that his suit is still recognizable despite not appearing in comics for nearly thirty years. Of all the suitsBatmanhas used over the decades, Azrael’s will always be both the most dangerous and most recognizable.
Sources:gideoncalling,susanonysko,dinosaur_man2002
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
