Batman's Belt Series

BATMAN’S BELT

SERIES: EPHESIANS 6 (ARMOR OF GOD: BELT OF TRUTH)

INTRO: Batman is one of the most loved superheroes of all time in the United States. And one of the interesting things that people find out about him while studying his past and present predicament, is that Batman is one of the only superheroes to be completely void of any type of superpower. Instead, he makes up for this shortcoming with a giant host of technical weapons from cars to helicopters to his belt.

So, when I looked up details about the Batman Utility Belt, I kind of have to admit that I was shocked to find out that Wikipedia has it’s own page dedicated to this tool. Following is a list of the gadget items that have appeared in this super-belt:

BATMAN’S UTILITY BELT (as listed in wikipedia):

▪ Batarangs:[9] Perhaps the most famous piece of equipment used by Batman, it is a customized throwing weapon used by Batman. Interpretations of the weapon have varied from the boomerang to the shuriken.[10] Recent interpretations have shown a large array of different types and sizes for different effects (i.e. blunt impact, edged, slashing).

▪ Bat-lasso:[11] 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-cuffs:[12] 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

▪ Bat-Tracer:[13] Used to track enemies Batman cannot follow closely.

▪ Communications device:[14] Often an earbug housed in an ear of Batman's cowl, but sometimes handheld.

▪ Bat Line: A device that shoots out a steel line in both directions making a zip line. In the 2009 video game Batman: Arkham Asylum it is called the Line Launcher.

▪ Bat-Darts:[15] Tipped with tranquillizers

▪ Bat first aid kit:[16][17]

▪ Cryo Capsules:[16][17] Small capsules that release a cryonic acid upon the breaking of the shell.

▪ Bat Goo gun:[18] A handheld foam projector that fires an adhesive-like substance to incapacitate opponents.

▪ Grapple gun:[19][20][21] 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.

▪ Night vision bat-goggles:[22] Using Starlite infrared lenses to see thermal output in low light or non-lit situations. Currently built-in to Batman's cowl.

▪ Batlight: A simple but powerful flashlight. Batman uses it in numerous episodes of the animated series, usually when looking for clues, or through private files in the dark. Sometimes replaced by an infrared version that provides illumination viewable only through special eyepieces in Batman's cowl, which allows him to see in the dark without becoming visible himself.

▪ Flamethower: a miniature flamethower that was used on BatBane in the "Ghosts of Batman arc"

▪ Kryptonite Bat ring: Stored in a lead box, it is reserved for emergency use against a rogue Superman and/or other Kryptonians.[23]

▪ Batcetylene torch:[24] A strong miniaturized laser used as a cutting tool.

▪ Line gun: (Grapnel Gun)[25][26][27] 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 pick: Sometimes kept in the gloves instead.

▪ Bat Marbles: Rolled down stairs to imitate footsteps. Depicted as a magnetic metal ball in the "Hush" storyline arc.

▪ Micro bat-camera[28]: A miniature camera

▪ Bat smoke grenades[29]Grenades can contain smoke or any other noxious gas such as anesthesia

▪ Miniaturized bat-toolkit[30]

▪ Bat Breather:[31] Allows Batman to breathe underwater or in vacuum. Depending on the writer and/or artist, it may also be incorporated with the gas mask.

▪ A Master Bat-Key (sometimes mistakenly called a skeleton key) is perhaps the simplest tool in Batman's utility belt.

▪ Bat pellets:[32] 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 tazer, used by Batman to stun his enemies with an electrical shock to temporarily paralyze them

▪ Bat (Flash-Bang) grenades:[33][34] Emits bright light and loud sound to blind and stun enemies.

▪ Thermite Bat grenades: An incendiary used to burn[35] 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.