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Has comic-book Batman ever used his cape for gliding or did he only use the Batglider for such a feat?

Batglider

I know that the fairly recent incarnations of Batman allows for his cape to possess rigid enough properties for gliding:

  • Batman Beyond (Animated series)
  • The Dark Knight Trilogy (Movie series)
  • Arkham Asylum/City/Origins/Knight (Gaming series)

I'm guessing the gliding-with-my-cape thing is quite new as I don't remember seeing it happen in some of the older comics I've read, but maybe it did happen and I just missed it?

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  • 4
    I’m pretty sure he also did it in the Burton Batmovies. Possibly Batman Returns.
    – Paul D. Waite
    Apr 25, 2015 at 13:47
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    @PaulD.Waite - Then I will have to watch those movies again :)
    – user35594
    Apr 26, 2015 at 9:23
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    He definitely uses his cape to reduce the speed of his descent in Batman [1989], and I think he does it again in Batman Returns [1992]. But that's more like a parachute than a glider.
    – Wad Cheber
    Sep 13, 2015 at 2:27
  • Batman indeed glides in Batman Returns. Before gliding he deploys from his cape two long and rigid bat wings. When he lands he retracts them back behind the cape.
    – Triceratops
    Oct 3 at 15:24

2 Answers 2

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In a word, yes.

Batman - The Brave and the Bold #64 (1966)

enter image description here

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  • Cool, thanks for this!
    – user35594
    Apr 26, 2015 at 9:24
16

Bob Kane and his co-creator Bill Finger posited the idea of a Bat-type glider/cape as far back as 1939.

  • These early images of Batman drawn in 1939 show the gliding "creature of the night" theme is as old as the character itself.

enter image description here

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  • I can't make out the writing very clearly. Do you have a cleaner version of this pic?
    – Valorum
    Apr 25, 2015 at 8:38
  • @Richard Here.
    – Mr Lister
    Apr 25, 2015 at 13:39
  • @MrLister - Brilliant, cheers.
    – Valorum
    Apr 25, 2015 at 13:40
  • Brilliant stuff, very interesting!
    – user35594
    Apr 26, 2015 at 9:25
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    Correction, our current view of batman was created by Bill Finger... not Bob Kane, who was given a deal by DC to sell out his co-creator for sole rights.
    – user52950
    Sep 12, 2015 at 20:27

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