Why the batman needs a cape?

[Yalpsoc]

I guess that Superman needs cape because he will look handsome when he is flying, but Batman can not fly, why does he need the cape?

[Batfanman]

“Criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot.
So my disguise must be able to strike terror into their hearts.
I must be a creature of the night.
Black. Terrible.
I shall become A BAT!” --
Bruce Wayne, DETECTIVE COMICS #33 (November 1939)

[dell]

I'm going with it just looks cool.

[Wayne Faucher]

Actually, having worked on a LOT of Batman comics, I've often wondered about it myself. I always assumed it would be harder to get a fix on his figure if it was obscured by a big billowing cape. Especially in the dark, where he can usually be found...

[AndyFish]

When American Comic Books were born in the mid 1930s the Circus was a huge form of entertainment in a world starved for color-- and the superheroes mimicked the costumes of the strongmen and the acrobats who wore tights and capes.

Plus it just looks cool.

Batman's original incarnation-- even on the cover of his first appearance, had more wings than a cape. On Detective Comics #27 the cape seems to be attached to his arms-- which would be even more impossible to use in a practical manner.

[SprangFan]

Visual/marketing reason: It looks cool.

Contextual excuse: It helps scare the bad guys.

Historical reason: Batman was inspired by pulp heroes the Shadow, the Spider and Zorro, who all used capes to dramatic effect.

Personally, I think it adds to the whole "vampiric" quality of Batman's visuals. No, bats don't have capes, but vampires do (classic vampires, I mean, not the "Sparkling Archie" underwear models of modern pop culture). Neal Adams drew the cape arguably better than anyone and he has said many times that his inspiration came from Christopher Lee's "Dracula" films, where the cape practically took on a life of its own, and anyway was an indispensible tool for the actor, who if you pay attention is given hardly any dialog in the entire series, and so had to "act" with his face, posture and props.

I know capes aren't practical for street-fightin' superheroes, but Batman wouldn't look right without it (with all apologies to Batman Beyond fans).

[Aussie Batfan]

Without the cape, wouldn't he look more like 'Ratman' than 'Batman' - with just a set of pointy ears??
The cape completes the image of the Bat....
Terry

[That_weirdo_Cage]

To possibly add more detail to the answer which has already been given repeatedly, the cape was worn (at least in-continuity) to enhance the resemblance to a giant bat. The scalloped edges of the cape, those delightfully flowing curves and points, mimic the shape of the sections of skin stretched over the bones in a bat's wings. Even on the TV show, we see him periodically holding up the sides of the cape, to provide a bat-like silhouette.

A cape could also be used to confuse an attacker about the size, shape, or body position of the cape's wearer. It could be used as camouflage, to hide more effectively in a shadowy or darkened area. Swoop it around, and it might be visually disorienting. Possibly it would be harder to aim a gun effectively at the vulnerable areas of a Batman who was creatively using his cape in one of these ways.

The Bat-capes are fun to draw, IMO. Those swooping, swirling curves and points can be used for decorative or compositional effects. The areas of light and shadow in the illustrated cape can be used to enhance an image.

Wearing a cape would also have drawbacks, of course. A long cape could easily cause one to slip or trip. It could get snagged on objects, knock things over and make unwanted noise, become trapped in doors. You could get sucked into that jet engine, as in The Incredibles. Wearing a cape like Batman's might take some practice.

Superheroes seem to be losing part of their history, particularly the costume design link back to those circus acrobats mentioned above. TV and film adaptations are changing the perception of superhero costumes. Kids these days, they don't get how wonderfully nifty superhero costume design has been, over the years. In those Golden Age years, costume design was all over the place, gaudy and weird, full of color and flair. I'm gonna walk away now, muttering to myself grumpily about "kids these days".

[That_weirdo_Cage]

Without the cape, wouldn't he look more like 'Ratman' than 'Batman' - with just a set of pointy ears??
The cape completes the image of the Bat....
Terry

Sometimes those stylized bat-ears on the cowl seem to be treated more like devilish horns. He could be Scary Horn Man, Devil Guy, Demon Man, I dunno what. It's interesting how Bat-design evolves over the years, or is stylistically reinterpreted by some artists. Hmm.

For some reason I am now thinking of Dave Sim's Batman parody from Cerebus, the Cockroach. "I shall become... a roach!" "Hsssss!"

[Lou Szabo]

Great topic. I remember as a kid the whenever Batman's shadow was cast, it was always in the shape of a Bat with wings spread. I'm glad they attached the cape in the show to his back as it might swing around on him whenever he might bend over. In the comics is appeared part of the cowl so little chance in the comics of it spinning around.

There's a variety of Batman items that made it into crime fighting, most significantly the Utility belt. One has to wonder if the cape will make it someday.

[Yellow Oval]

And, lest we forget, like Frank Costanza's lawyer, Batman doesn't follow the trends!

[Yalpsoc]

Without the cape, wouldn't he look more like 'Ratman' than 'Batman' - with just a set of pointy ears??
The cape completes the image of the Bat....
Terry

Haha, maybe you are right, but where is Batman's tail? He is supposed to have one accordding to the image of bat.

[Yalpsoc]

I'm glad they attached the cape in the show to his back as it might swing around on him whenever he might bend over. In the comics is appeared part of the cowl so little chance in the comics of it spinning around.

I agree with this point! This is a very significant reason I think.

[Yalpsoc]

And, lest we forget, like Frank Costanza's lawyer, Batman doesn't follow the trends!

Haha... true, people love different.

[dell]

And why does Robin have a cape? And a rather small, fairly useless one at that.