Nike and DC Comics have never come together for an official collaboration, yet the Caped Crusader has more ties to Beaverton than you might think. Most prominent in that category is the special retooling of the Air Jordan 6 and Air Trainer III for Michael Keaton’s Batman Returns. The Nike Air Max 90 slips into its Batman costume, appearing in the classic black and yellow (or “Buffed Gold,” as Nike calls it) colors most commonly associated with DC Comics’ Caped Crusader.
Certainly additional gold-on-black monikers would’ve applied here, but the addition of ripstop panelling as a foundation makes the grungy, crime-fighting lean all the more fitting. Flashes of “Buff Gold” on branding hits throughout the shoe, including a forefoot mini-Swoosh and the “Nike Air” tag on the heel, further reinforcing the comic book ties and brightening up the profile a bit in the process.
Moreover, this mainline look lands among a crowded group of colorways coming to light, a major push no doubt aligning with the silo’s 35th anniversary. Taken alongside the Air Max 90 “Camo Pack” and Air Max 90 “Racing,” this “Batman” do-up ensures that there’ll be plenty of options for Air Max 90 purists throughout 2025. The Nike Air Max 90 “Batman” is expected to land in the near future, arriving with the usual $130 sticker price.
Nike has produced a few Batman-themed sneakers previously, like Air Max 95s and even another Air Max 90 in 2022 (Robert Pattinson made his Batman debut in the same year).
As with the many on-screen versions of the comic book character, it’s time for yet another Nike sneaker to rise up and put on the cape. And this time, the Nike Air Max 90 answers the signal…again.
