The iPhone 5 was a thinner, sleeker version of the iPhone 4. I can't remember who said it, but the black iPhone 5 looks like the iPhone Batman would use if he used an iPhone. (He probably uses some super-slick Batphone from Wayne Enterprises that runs on a forked version of Android.)
However, as good as it looked, it wasn't anywhere near the best-looking or most important design Apple made. The iPhone 5S looks better than the iPhone 5. The black iPhone 5 scratched easily, taking some of the luster off its black design.