The Flash is hands down the fastest hero in all of DC Comics, with alternate and evil versions of him consistently popping up across the multiverse quicker than this Scarlet Speedster can sometimes handle. And now, in a cosplay design bringing to life the Batman x Flash hybrid villain of Red Death, fans are given a custom-made costume that would fit right at home in DC’s newly rebooted cinematic universe!
Shared on Reddit by Stephen Knott (u/knottAverage), this creative talent has finally put the finishing touches on a homemade Red Death design that took him two years to complete, only recently having the chance to debut it for all to see.
Mainly focusing on this Batman/Flash piece during that time, Stephen has created and worn other comic designs in the past, such as DC’s Red Hood, the X-Men’s Cyclops, and even Marvel’s Deadpool, all culminating in an epic Red Death look that gives professional film productions a run for their wardrobe budget, the Arrowverse’s divisive live-action version of Red Death included.
Red Death Gets A Live-Action Cosplay Design the DCEU Shouldn’t Ignore
Created by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo and originating in the Dark Multiverse, Red Death is a fusion of the minds and bodies of Batman and Flash after the former forcibly stole Flash’s speedster powers in a desperate and misguided attempt to keep his city safe. Recruited during 2017’s epic Dark Nights: Metal event by The Batman Who Laughs as part of his twisted group of Dark Knights, Red Death took the worst aspects of the characters he embodied and turned both Batman and Flash’s heroic missions into something neither would condone let alone allow to continue, with his badass all-red armored costume being the only silver lining for a villain who can quite literally murder and maim in the blink of an eye.
Dressed in Red Death’s aforementioned all-red costume that perfectly blends elements of Flash and Batman’s iconic character designs, Stephen shows off just how talented he is when creating a real-life version of one of the most visually appealing characters in recent DC Comics history. Designing a bodysuit of slatted blood-red armor plates, a full-faced, red-eyed, bat-winged helmet that meshes Flash’s aerodynamic cowl with Batman’s terrifying silhouette, and brandishing a silver chest logo that smashes Flash’s lightning bolt and Batman’s bat-symbol together, Stephen’s photos not only reflect a comic-accurate look that fans can appreciate but validates the long hours put into making this design as professional-looking as possible.
So while Red Death eventually suffered a gnarly death at the end of Dark Nights: Metal via energy explosion, Stephen’s spot-on cosplay revival makes a case for this Batman x Flash character to not only return on the page but the live-action space as well. Red Death is a version of The Flash that deserves more recognition, so here’s hoping the cosplay community finds a way to bring more members of DC’s evil Dark Knights crew to life in ways that do this Dark Multiverse design justice!
