'Batwoman' star Javicia Leslie's new batsuit revealed

Gotham's first Black Batwoman is here and she's got a new suit to boot

CW and Warner Bros. TV just released the first look at the new batsuit on Batwoman, worn by its new star Javicia Leslie, according to E!Online.

The new Batwoman Ryan Wilder (Leslie) will first wear Kate Kane's (Ruby Rose's) suit in episode two, and then her redesigned version will make its debut in episode three.

The decision has been taken to mark the arrival of a new hero in Gotham.

Leslie and showrunner Caroline Dries promised during DC FanDome that the suit would be redesigned for the first Black Batwoman, particularly in terms of the silhouette. That's clear from Ryan's incredible bat-wig, which is a big change from Kate's red mane.

"Ryan's journey starts from a place of ‘What can this Batsuit do for me?' But it's not long before she realises the power of its symbol and what it can do for everyone else in Gotham City," Dries said in a statement. "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 suit was designed by Batwoman costume designer Maya Mani and created by Ocean Drive Leather. The wig was created by Janice Workman and the makeup styled by Cory Roberts.

"Maya Mani sent me her drawings and I loved it," Dries continued. "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."

Leslie also admitted to loving the suit. "I love the fact that Ryan is becoming her own Batwoman—it's her style, her swag, and her moment!" she said. "It was an honor to be able to collaborate with Caroline and Maya. 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!"

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