The new Batwoman is coming to The CW in 2021. We got our first early look at Ryan Wilder the character last week when DC Comics dropped a preview of the upcoming Batgirl #50 special issue, in which Ryan will make her first appearance, but, today, we got our first proper look at Ryan as our live-action, on-screen Batwoman, set to appear in Batwoman Season 2.
Check it out…
“Ryan’s journey starts from a place of ‘What can this Batsuit do for me?’” said showrunner Caroline Dries of the new look. “But it’s not long before she realizes the power of its symbol and what it can do for everyone else in Gotham City. As Ryan embraces everything that makes her special, she adjusts the suit to fit her physically and figuratively. This meant creating a new body design and new cowl that was undeniably a statement that screamed ‘powerful.’”
The new Batsuit, like so many of The CW superhero costumes, was conceptualized by costume designer Maya Mani. It was created by Ocean Drive Leather.
“Maya Mani sent me her drawings and I loved it,” said Dries of the process. “The wig was something we never perfected in season one, and Janice Workman crushed it with this new take. Javicia and I saw various prototypes of styles and red ombres, and at one point we were trading our own iPad-doodled versions. Janice translated that into what we are looking at now. When I see it, I smile. It makes me feel inspired.”
We will see actress Javicia Leslie don it in the season’s third episode, after redesigning the one worn by her now-missing predecessor Kate Kane. (Therefore, Ryan will be donning Kate’s Batsuit for a few episodes as you can see from this costume test image released a few weeks ago)
While much of the Ryan Wilder Batsuit is similar to the Kate Kane Batsuit (which tracks, as both pull their inspiration from the comics), there are a few major differences in their looks. Let’s break those down…
The Black Wig
So long, red wig!
Perhaps the most notable change from the Kate Kane Batwoman costume to the Ryan Wilder Batwoman costume is the wig. While Kate donned a wig with straight, red hair traditionally worn by Batwoman in the comics, Ryan’s wig is natural, curly hair with red streaks.
Leslie, who will be the first Black woman to play Batwoman said of the new look: “I felt it was important that viewers could tell by the silhouette that Batwoman was a Black girl. With the form-fitting suit and beautiful Afro, we definitely nailed it!”
The wig was designed by Janice Workman.
Red Gauntlets & Belt
Ryan’s Batsuit is slightly more colorful than Kate’s; her forearm gauntlets are red rather than black. And, while Ryan’s belt remains red, it pops much more than Kate’s and features a new logo.
That pop is part of a general redesign for the overall look of the Batsuit, which features new materials and “laser etching to create more visual depth and a stronger silhouette,” according to the press release. Is that what’s happening?
Whatever it is, it’s working.
Shorter Boots
It’s not visible in the promo shots, but, according to the press release, Ryan’s boots are shorter? This will probably make mobility a bit easier, but also means Ryan will lose some protective cover. Maybe Ryan just likes the look of a short boot? Maybe they were the only appropriate boots she had lying around? We’ll have to wait and see.
What do you think of Batwoman’s new suit? Let us know in the comments below…