Warning: contains major spoilers for Batman/Superman #19!
Batman has gone back to the wild west, but his outfit isn't complete - and fans will love the reason why it isn't. Batman/Superman #19 takes the titular heroes to new worlds where they recruit new allies to join the fight against Autuer.io. Yet the Dark Knight hasn't come fully equipped to the showdown - he's missing a six-shooter.
Superman and Batman's battle against Autuer.io - director of the Archive of Worlds - began in Batman/Superman #16. Since then, there have been two versions of Batman, Superman, and Lex Luthor, as well as several realities competing with the spotlight. Fans have already seen the World of the Knight and the World of Tomorrow, but DC's iconic heroes are traveling to other realities in the latest issue: Planet Rann and the Desert of Doom. While Batman is usually prepared for threats and can adapt to new challenges, he sticks out in the Desert of Doom.
Created by Gene Luen Yang, Emanuela Lupacchino, Kyle Hotz, Darick Robertson, and Steve Lieber, Batman/Superman #19 gives Batman the opportunity to revisit his no-gun rule. This is a rule that has stuck with the character since his earliest comic days. Although Batman has broken the rule a few times, he generally does a good job of sticking to it. This adventure is no exception. Even though he has the perfect excuse to have one and sees one of the best demonstrations of how effective a weapon he could have - he still refuses to carry or use a gun. El Diablo, on the other hand, fits the Western mold perfectly with his Zorro-Esque outfit and dual pistols.
While fighting Autuer.io's minions, El Diablo - a long-forgotten hero - jumps into action. He easily takes out three foes in rapid succession in a highly impressive display. Even Robin is impressed enough to ask Batman if the no-gun rule should still apply. The caped crusader definitely answers, "I'm sure" and the conversation ends there, no further questions asked. El Diablo definitely looks the part of a wild West Spanish hero, rocking a sombrero cordobés - otherwise known as a Cordovan hat - like Zorro. His outfit comes complete with a domino mask, a Spanish cape, and a pair of belts - including a bandolier belt.
Batman also looks the part without losing most of his signature look. He still has his cowl, though the upper ear portion has been replaced by a cowboy hat. Unsurprisingly, Batman's hat brim does stick up on either side, though the placement gives him more of a Wolverine silhouetted head than a Batman one. He also has a Bat-belt buckle, a bandanna, and the Bat symbol on his chest still shows. The only thing missing is the iconic weaponry, which he refuses to use. Even if they were somehow included in his outfit, he still wouldn't pull them out of the holsters except to potentially toss them aside - provided no one else could grab them and use them against him.
No matter how much Batman's style changes to match the reality he is in, he will still refuse to use six-shooters, no matter how much of a fashion faux pas it may be. This keeps him true to his history, his character, and fans will definitely appreciate that he isn't compromising this important aspect for the benefit of completing an ensemble or mirroring another hero. Batman sticks to his proverbial guns over real ones, proving that in most worlds he'll follow his own rules, even if it means his cowboy persona ends up being a little incomplete.