The Bulletproof Shield & How it Can Boost Your Batman Factor

A Bulletproof shield will often come in handy when in sticky situations. When there’s a bunch of bullets coming at you, nothing else can protect you better than your own bat-shield. With no bracelet from Themyscira to protect you, and no steel skin or super-speed to track bullet trajectory, Batman had to do whatever he had to do to survive in a dangerous situation, hence the bat shield. 

Before the introduction of Batman’s full-body Kevlar suit and bulletproof cloak, he used the bulletproof shield. It’s made with bulletproof glass. It made its appearance in the comic The Bird’s Last Jest, and He Meets His Match, the Grisly Ghoul. It made its film debut in the 1996 Batman movie. 

What Does the Bat Shield Do?

Obviously, the bat shield protects you from bullets. It doesn’t help you fly, neither can it be used to glide on the ocean. It just protects you from bullets, nothing more. It also serves a dual role in shielding from any other weapons. A bad guy may have a gun, or a bat and the shield can help you.

One of the sweet things about learning from Batman is that what protects him can help you. You can’t learn from Superman because you’re not made of Steel. But Batman cannot afford to be hit by a bullet because he does not have superpowers.

Where Does the Shield go after use?

Hot debates have poured out on where the bulletproof shield goes after use. Does it go inside the utility belt, or does the batman leave it behind? In reality, Adam West tucks it behind him till the camera is off him. In the DC universe, however, it is speculated that he places it under the bat cloak. 

You want to put your shield in your house in a place that is easy to get to and find. You always don’t want it out of the open so an intruder can grab it because that would be a huge issue. The shield is meant to be protection and a weapon for you and your family.

History of Shield Use

Since the beginning of time, the shield has been used for protection during violent engagements. It has been the most important armory piece for close to two thousand years, if not more.  In an era where a stray arrow or bullet can easily hit you, the importance of a shield cannot be overstated.

In fact, it is considered a great crime to lose a shield during a time of war in the old Roman Empire. Shields have been made with different materials such as wood, plywood, bronze, gold, metal, and silver. Here are a few historical overviews of shields over the years. 

The Greek Shield 

The Greeks were known to use shields made with wood and bronze. They were known as hoplites. They were large and created in a concave shape. The shield’s design is done so that a leather strap or cord grip is adjoined to the back of the shield to be easily carried about with the left arm. Its weight was approximately 15.5 pounds. Because of its size and weight, it could sometimes hinder the soldier’s movement. 

In the Spartan world, losing a shield is dishonor because it protects the line, not majorly for personal protection. Remember, the movie sometimes hinders the movement of the soldier. 

In the Spartan world, losing a shield is dishonor because it is used to protect the line, not majorly for personal protection. Remember the movie 300? Try to remember how far they got because of their shield formation.

Now imagine if one of them lost his shield during an attack. That will spell trouble for the whole segment of soldiers as he will become the weak link for penetration. 

The Roman Shield

The Roman shield is majorly made with plywood covered with leather, enhancing its strength and flexibility. It is also known as the Roman Scutum. The Scutum is about 2 meters wide and 4 meters tall. Its design curvature is sharp, and people say it is practically semi-cylindrical in nature.  It also has a horizontal handgrip that makes the shield easier to wield. This shield type was said to have defined how other nations’ shields should look with its assured protection from different kinds of attacks like sword attacks and arrows. 

The Celtic Shield 

This is a shield-type that is has taken its place as a historical heritage. They are made of bronze and were said to be quite durable when compared to the caliber of weapons used on them at that point. There were three types of these kinds of shields namely 

The Clonnoura:  a tiny shield by all standards. Its dimensional measurement was a mere 22.8 by 14 inches. Its weight was about 8 pounds

The Fayum: This shield has an approximate dimension of 50.25 by 25.4 inches, weighing about 22 pounds

The La Tene: These are more moderate shields with dimensions 43 by 24 inches with a weight of a 14 pounds

The Glass Bulletproof Shield

 This glass was discovered by chance in the 17^th century. It first emerged in England when the molten glass was placed inside cold water in a cast, making it indestructible. Now it is used for cars like the bat-mobile for protection, museums to take care of their artifacts, and the police for shields against bullets and stones in the advent of a riot.

Using The Bulletproof Shield as a Weapon

People don’t talk about it enough because the shield can also be used to do damage. It’s not just for protecting yourself, but you can also swing the shield at an opponent. By definition, a shield is hard, and human flesh is soft, making for a painful interaction if someone is hit with one.

Being skilled in combat means understanding how you can use your weapons to your advantage. You can see a sword or a spear and use it for both offense and defense, even though they are typically offensive weapons. The same is true of the shield. It can be used for offense, even though it is typically a defensive weapon.