Corona, CA: Superheros get a new set of Kia rides

Batman drives a hot little Kia Optima sedan with a flashy paint job, a mix of matte and shiny black with yellow pinstriping.

The Green Lantern prefers a Kia Soul crossover with deeply tinted green windows. And Aquaman's Rio five-door has fish scales and a hint of a running board that evokes fins.

To show how it can customize its vehicles, Kia Motors chose to create a special vehicle for each of the characters in DC Entertainment's Justice League. They were unveiled this week at the SEMA trade show in Las Vegas, the industry's big aftermarket parts show.

Rounding out the superheros, there was a Cyborg Forte five-door and a Flash Forte Koupe.

"They have a huge following. They are huge brands," says Michael Sprague, Kia executive vice president.

Kia handed out the vehicles to different customizers to see what they could do with them. They went to West Coast Customs, Rides and Super Street.

Each vehicle got wild, artistic paint jobs, special interiors and other touches. The biggest challenge was not allow imaginations to run wild. Designers needed to hold back, not throw on extra fins for Aquaman or add crazy features, "not make them cheesy," says Ryan Friedlinghaus, who runs West Coast Customs in Corona, Calif. He tried to "keep the brand authentic and keep it cool."