Saturday, February 7, 2009

Batman's Utility Belt

This post is dedicated to the thing that holds up a hero's pants. For Batman it is his Utility Belt with it's numerous gadgets. Batman's Utility Belt has always had special place in my Dork heart.
 Fun Fact (clipped from Wikipedia): Batman historian Les Daniels credits Gardner Fox, (the first writer other than Bill Finger to write the adventures of Batman in Detective Comics), with introducing the utility belt concept in Detective Comics #29 (July 1939). In its first appearance, Batman's utility belt "contained choking gas capsules." Two issues after the utility belt debuted, Fox also wrote the first appearance of a bat-themed weapon, when the batarang debuted in the story "Batman vs. the Vampire" in Detective Comics #31 (Sep 1939).

A signed Batman Utility Belt prop from the 1960's Batman TV show.
The first Batman Utility Belt Toy from Ideal released in1966 Fun Fact: Recently this sold for $8,000 on Ebay. At another auction a mint condition one sold for $16,000.

Two different Batman's Utility Belt Toys from Remco released in 1978. This is the one I wanted as a kid.

Batman Utility Belt Toy from the Batman Begins toy line.

Two Batman Utility Belt Toys from The Batman animated series. A fun one with gadgets and an impotent one without any. Come on people Batman needs his props!
Random Batman Utility Belt Toy sold at Target. The coolest aspect of this belt is the fact that it had a Batsignal and that's something a kid can drool over.

A "realistic" Batman Utility Belt prop used for those adults who like to dress up like Batman.
A super expensive sit in a glass case Batman Utility Belt replica. I understand the appeal of Dorks for stuff like this, but "THE BELT!" shouldn't be high art! It's a working man's tool.
OTHER UTILITY BELTS

Robin's Utility Belt (from the comic book). This belt never made any sense. Why keep all the pouches on the inside. Stupid Robin belt! No wonder you never got a toy made .
Joker's Infamous Utility Belt (from the comic book). Now this was a cool idea a little evil tit for tat accessories.
Other Super Heroes Utility Belt Toy made by Remco released in 1978. Of course none of these made any friggin' sense. Wasn't the Hulk's belt just a tied rope and what does a man who can move planets need with gadgets. BUT whatever, I would have still loved to have had these as a kid.

Fun Fact (clipped from Wikipedia): Gadgets in the Belt from time to time.

Batarangs: A customized throwing weapon used by Batman. Interpretations of the weapon have varied from the boomerang to the shuriken. Recent interpretations have shown a large array of different types and sizes for different effects (i.e. blunt impact, edged, slashing).

Bat-cuffs:Bat shaped handcuffs, resembling the kind used by Special Forces units. These restraints are made of a lightweight diamond-impregnated nylon overlaying a banded steel core. Using a one-piece design, they slide closed and have to be cut off. Batman has given a special tool with a diamond-edged cutting implement to the Gotham PD for removal.

Bat-monitor with Tracer: Used to track enemies Batman can't follow closely.
Bat-Micro camera: A miniature camera

Bat-Communications device:Often an earbug, but sometimes handheld.

Bat First aid kit.
Bat-Grappling hook and Grapnel Gun: Used to fire a bat-shaped hook attached to a high-tensile wire line in order to scale sheer surfaces and/or swing across gaps. Grapnel Gun is similar to a grappling hook, the line gun uses a strong clamp attached to a high-tensile wire for scaling surfaces and/or traversing gaps. It can be recovered by releasing the clamp and rewinding the cable. It was based from one that is designed as compact climbing gear for commando units.

Bat-Night vision goggles: Using Starlite infrared lenses to see thermal output in low light or non-lit situations. Currently built-in to Batman's cowl.

Bat-Flashlight: A simple flashlight. Batman uses it in numerous episodes of the animated series, usually when looking for clues, or through private files in the dark.
Bat-Kryptonite ring: Stored in a lead box, it is reserved for emergency use against a rogue Superman and/or other Kryptonians.Bat-Lock pick: Sometimes kept in the gloves instead.
Bat-Master Key: Sometimes mistakenly called a skeleton key is perhaps the simplest tool in Batman's utility belt.


Bat-Miniaturized toolkit.

Bat-Rebreather: Allows Batman to breathe underwater or in a vacuum. Depending on the writer and/or artist, it may also be incorporated with the gas mask.
Bat-Marble: Rolled down stairs to imitate footsteps. Depicted as a magnetic metal ball in the "Hush" storyline arc.Bat-bolas:Thrown around the feet of Batman's enemies to tie them with a composite-nylon cord. Often causes an escaping opponent to trip. With the push of a button in Batman's glove it can deliver an electric shock.

Bat-Cryo Capsules: Small capsules that release a cryogenic acid upon the breaking of the shell.Bat-Darts:Tipped with tranquillizers.

Bat-Miniature smoke grenades.

Bat-Smoke pellets: Often used to quickly provide cover for Batman's stealthly exits and entries. Knock-out gas pellets are used as well for non-lethally incapacitating opponents. Lachrymatory and regurgitant agents are deployed by throwing or breaking open the small hardened-gelatin spheroid capsules.

Bat-Stungun/taser: used by Batman to stun his enemies with an electrical shock to temporarily paralize them.
Bat-Goo gun:A hand held foam projector that fires an adhesive-like substance to incapacitate opponents.

Bat-Stun (Flash-Bang) grenades: Emits bright light and loud sound to blind and stun enemies.

Bat-Thermite grenades: An incendiary used to burn through obstacles. In Batman: Year One, the thermite charge ignited accidentally and destroyed the utility belt. Although they are identified as Thermite, it is safe to assume that Thermate is used instead. (The former is a World War II technology which has largely been replaced by the latter.) In Judgement on Gotham (1991), Batman is equipped with a phosphor-based incendiary device.

Bat-Collapsible sword: seen in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, sharp enough to cut through steel objects such as Clock King's robots. Resembles a Lightsaber.

Bat-Saw: used in Batman & Robin to cut through Poison Ivy's vines, slightly resembles Gabriel Van Helsing's tojo blades.
Bat-Flamethower: a miniature flamethower that was used on BatBane in the "Ghosts of Batman arc".Bat-Acetylene torch:A strong miniaturized laser used as a cutting tool.Bat-Heater: mini bat shaped tool used to melt ice.Bat-Cache of cash.

Bat-Evidence bags: Bags in which to hold evidence.

1 comment:

kemal j said...

where is the shark spray? hahahaha