10 Disastrous Superhero Redesigns
5. Azrael Batman
The nineties was a time of transition for many comic book characters - usually into terrible new costumes - and nowhere was that more true than with Batman. Christopher Nolans final film in his trilogy of Caped Crusader adventures, The Dark Knight Rises, drew heavily from the classic Kinghtfall storyline which debuted towards the beginning of the decade; whats rather telling, though, is what they chose to leave out.
Much like in the comic, the hulking villain Bane snaps Bruce Waynes back, which puts him out of commission as Batman before he can heal. In the comics, though, he doesn't just let Gotham fend for itself. Rather than letting former Robin Dick Grayson don the cowl, however (which would make a lot more sense, and actually did happen - to great effect - during Grant Morrisons recent run on the character), that duty befell Azrael.
You know, Azrael? The guy who was trained as an assassin by a fringe Christian organisation? He was one of the most nineties characters going, and when he became the Dark Knight, he made some characteristic changes to the costume. Which included more colours, glowing red eyes, armour, and shoulder spikes that looked like a kids mash-up of Batman and a He-Man villain.