DC Definitively Settled Batman’s White Eye Debate 8 Years Ago

Summary

• Batman v Superman showed that the classic white eye look can be effectively adapted to live-action for a chilling effect.
• Ben Affleck’s Batman proved to be a terrifying figure with the eerie white eyes, staying true to the comic design.
• The challenge of adapting Batman’s white eyes to live-action was overcome with glowing lenses in the armored suit.

One DC Universe adaptation perfectly translated the classic “white eye” Batman look to the realm of live-action, proving that the look can be both believable and intimidating. In the Batman comics, the titular Dark Knight is often depicted without his eyes being fully visible – presumably for the sake of simplifying the illustrations. The fully-masked Batman is typically shown with simple white eyes when wearing his mask. This also applies to various animated iterations of Batman and his allies, and the looks have become quite popular among Batman viewers and readers.

Although some have wondered if (and how) the Dark Knight’s white eye look could work in a live-action adaptation, most live-action versions of Batman have never attempted to include it. The early Batman film serials and 1966 TV series all gave Batman fairly simple costumes, keeping them relatively close to the comic source material. Starting with the game-changing 1989 Batman film, however, Batman’s live-action suits have been various forms of high-tech armor, often with additions unique to the films themselves. Yet the white eye look would not make it to a live-action Batman film until partway through the DCEU timeline.

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice Shows How To Use His White Eye Design In Live-Action

2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition finally utilizes the white eye look for Batman on two occasions. The first occurs after Batman’s attack on the LexCorp Industries building. Lex Luthor watches security camera footage of Batman ambushing one of his security guards from above, and he is depicted with glowing white eyes in this brief moment. Later on, Batman constructs a heavily armored Batsuit to fight Superman, with the suit covering his eyes in white-glowing lenses. Both instances prove that Batman’s white eye look is not only possible, but can also be used to chilling effect.

While previous live-action iterations of Batman – such as Michael Keaton’s and Christian Bale’s iterations – certainly have their merits, Ben Affleck’s version is perhaps the best at effortlessly becoming a terrifying specter-like being. The use of the white eyes on the security camera footage makes Batman an eerie and otherworldly figure as he dispatches Lex Luthor’s security. When the white eyes return on Batman’s armored suit, they are not quite as intimidating, but certainly bring the look and feel of the comics – specifically the controversial yet influential The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller – to life.

Why Batman’s White Eye Design Is So Hard To Adapt From The Comics

The white-eyed look used in DC comics and animated Batman adaptations likely serve two purposes: to simplify Batman’s design, and to make him look more otherworldly for his intimidation tactics. This is difficult to adapt to live-action without giving Batman’s cowl eye lenses. Batman’s armored suit in the DCEU proves that glowing white eye lenses can work well onscreen, but they were only really used for a specialized Batsuit variant. If used on a standard suit, the lenses could restrict the actor’s expressions, though the security camera footage did manage to put the white eyes on the standard suit.

Behind-the-scenes photos show that Batman’s standard cowl in
Dawn of Justice
has retractable eye lenses that may glow white like the armored suit’s lenses. Batman might have deployed these lenses during his attack on LexCorp, hence the white eyes in the security camera footage.

Ben Affleck’s Batman Suits Showed The Importance Of Comic Accuracy

Ben Affleck’s standard Batsuit in Dawn of Justice also demonstrated how well a comic-accurate Batman costume translates to live-action. The trend-setting 1989 Batman film gave Michael Keaton an armored Batsuit that was jet black, save for its yellow utility belt and chest emblem. The suit was deservedly loved by many, despite being such a departure from the comics. Every live-action Batsuit that succeeded it kept the armored look and black color, until Dawn of Justice broke the trend by giving Ben Affleck a gray costume. Affleck’s standard Batman costume was among the many well-received elements of his Batman iteration.

Affleck’s Batman notably uses one of his many Batsuit variants in the first act of The Flash, sporting a costume with a much darker color scheme and bulky armor plating. The suit was mocked and criticized by some viewers, suggesting that perhaps Affleck’s original gray suit would have been a better choice for his final action scene. This is supported by both Batman suits in Dawn of Justice, which demonstrated how accurate comic coloring and details like the white eyes can work excellently on film.