10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Batmobile

5. The Modern Age Batmobile

Batmobile Arkham Asylum Comic 600x400
DC Comics

The '90s saw a change in Batmen and Batmobiles that evolved to fit the continually worsening situations that led to Gotham falling into a No Man’s Land. After Bane shattered Bruce Wayne’s spine and Bruce appointed Jean-Paul Valley to take over as Batman, Valley created his own version of the Batmobile. Detective Comics Annual #6 was part of the Bloodlines crossover.

The major style point of this Batmobile was a pair of nacelles that came from the sides and go up and over the car like a pair of enormous wings. Yellow Bat-symbols adorned each side and the rear hatch and the wheel hubs are hidden under armor plating. In Batman #503, a ferocious design with sharpened fenders and massive exhaust ports ended Valley’s tenure as Bruce forcefully took the mantle of the Bat back.

Batman #526 saw one of the most enduring designs and a favorite among artists. Designed by J.H. Williams and Mick Gray, its all-black design has a raised scalped motif on the hood that looks like the end of Batman’s cape. Two large and pointed fins protruded above the rear wheel wells and an enclosed canopy. When the city fell into chaos after a devastating earthquake, the team used a Humvee complete with non-lethal riot control gear.

Contributor
Contributor

John Wilson has been a comic book and pop culture fan his entire life. He has written for a number of websites on the subject over the years and is especially pleased to be at WhatCulture. John has written two comic books for Last Ember Press Studio and has recently self-published a children's book called "Blue." When not spending far too much time on the internet, John spends time with his lovely wife, Kim, their goofy dog, Tesla, and two very spoiled cats.