Batman-uary: Bat-Baby

Batman-uary
Bat-Baby

Ah, the Silver-Age of comics... back when Batman could be turned into a baby (well, in this case, a child about four-years old) and still go out and fight crime in the dark streets of Gotham.  Sure, why not?  It's Batman #147 (1962), wherein one of the stories, 'Batman Becomes Bat-Baby", features a sci-fi ray which de-ages Batman into the titular Bat-Baby.  It's exactly the kind of story you would expect it to be.

The original covers to Batman #147 (1962) and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 (1986)

Yes, this is an actual panel from Batman #147

It's Bat-Baby, complete with short-pants and suspenders--this time as a parody of the iconic "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" first issue cover.  Again, sure, why not?  It amuses me... and Lord knows it doesn't take much to amuse me.

There are so, so many different Batman costumes and transformations from which to choose--some of which I shall highlight in January.  It's another dumb thing I'm starting that I'm sure will become another yearly tradition on my even dumberer Blog--like the Unwanted Valentines, March M.O.D.O.K. Madness, 31 Days of HELL-O-Ween, Sithmas, and so forth.  Ugh, I think I'm trying too hard.

For all those people who complain about whether something is canon or not... it's a Fool's Game.  Just enjoy the parts you like, ignore the parts you don't; both will be changed in the future, for better or worse.

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STEP ONE: I created a 3,000px x 4,500px canvas at 600dpi in Clip Studio Paint and did the digital pencils in a light blue layer color.  The composition seems so weird to me, without the sky and lightning in the background.

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STEP TWO:  Here are the inks.

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STEP THREE:  And here are the colors, including the iconic lightning background.  I could have gone with the silhouette, but that would sort of obscure the fact it is supposed to be Bat-Baby, which is kind of the purpose of this mad exercise...

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Done digitally in Clip Studio Paint.
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