This Might Be the Weirdest Batman Ever (and We Need Him Back ASAP) 

He’s mysterious, dark, and brooding. Batman, a vigilante who seeks to uphold justice, reminds of us everything we see in the night. But did you know that there is a side to Batman that many aren’t familiar with, a bright side of the hero we all know and love? This particular Batman, known today as “Rainbow Batman”, made his debut in Detective Comics #241 and the bizarre and fun tale has found a special place in our hearts. But while Rainbow Batman is one of the most unusual takes on the character to date, there have been various nods and adaptations surrounding him throughout the years – and he’s a version we want to see back ASAP.

Introducing: Rainbow Batman

The first time we meet Rainbow Batman is in Detective Comics #241, released in 1957 from Edmond Hamilton and Sheldon Moldoff. How and why does he become the multi-colored hero we never thought we needed? Well, the answer is simple… The Dark Knight becomes bright and colorful to distract from Robin’s injured arm. 

Yes, you heard that right. In issue #241, Dick Grayson injures his arm at the beginning of the issue when he is saving a young girl. Batman becomes increasingly concerned that everybody will put two and two together and link Dick Grayson to Robin, uncovering his identity entirely. To take the attention off of Robin’s injury and preserve his secret identity, Batman begins wearing vibrant and colorful costumes while out with Robin as a way to pose as a distraction from the sidekick’s injured arm.

[RELATED: Forget Robin, This is Batman’s Best Sidekick]

But the story gets even more intense (and intensely colorful) for our rainbow-loving fans: Batman eventually wears a costume complete with each color of the rainbow at once. He does this as he is fighting the criminals who caused Dick’s injury. When Dick’s arm is completely healed, Batman goes back to donning the traditional costume that we famously recognize, hanging up his bright attire for the darkness once more. 

If this sounds a little outlandish, don’t worry readers, you’re not alone. Even Robin appears baffled at one point in the comic, asking Batman, “Why?” in reference to his wearing of various colored suits. When you consider the fact that he did it for the sake of his sidekick, it makes the strange tale of Rainbow Batman a story of loyalty and friendship that is sure to warm your heart.

Rainbows Return to Batman with the Rainbow Creature 

Rainbow Batman wasn’t the only rainbow character we would witness in Batman comics over the years. Three years after the emergence of Rainbow Batman, another character would barrel through with the colorful vibrancy that brings us joy and gives us a wild story, too. This character, appearing in the 1960 issue Batman Volume 1 #134, would strike fear in our souls rather than warm our hearts, however. His name? The Rainbow Creature. 

The Rainbow Creature, which emerged from a volcano in South America, is an enemy of both Batman and Robin that has an assortment of colors ranging from red to blue for skin. The colors correspond with various powers and turns white when one of those powers is used. It uses colors for the following powers: 

• Red: Fire projection
• Blue: Freezing nearby objects
• Yellow: Vaporizing nearby objects
• Green: Making organisms temporarily two-dimensional (which it uses on both Batman and Robin as it makes an escape in the comic) 

Both Rainbow Batman and the Rainbow Creature eventually make the leap from page to screen, appearing in a later episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, where Batman uses a multi-colored costume to become immune to any attacks inflicted by the Rainbow Creature. Nothing is cooler than seeing a prismatic Batman kick kaleidoscopic keister!    

Rainbow Batman Returns!

That’s not the end of all things Rainbow Batman, though. There have been several nods toward the character in recent years, including in the 2014 release of LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. A downloadable expansion was released in-game that allowed players to play as Rainbow Batman and Rainbow Raider, giving him the ability to deflect laser beams when wearing the special costume. Then, in 2019, DC Collectibles announced that Rainbow Batman would be getting his own figure at San Diego’s Comic-Con International. Other figures have since depicted the character over the years, including a Batman Rainbow Funko! Pop figurine. 

Rainbow Batman has proven to be a version of Batman that we won’t soon forget and every bit as enigmatic as when he wears his original dark costume. He is not only a Batman you can love in June, but instead all year round. Now if we could only get him to show up on the pages of DC Comics once again…

What do you think? Let us know in the comments!