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Jesus Garcia
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 10 April 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 2414
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 7:07am | IP Logged | 1
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I'm a comic book fan that enjoys many genres: superhero, combat, romance, science-fiction, mystery, horror, suspense, fantasy, adventure.
Challengers of the Unknown in an adventure, non-superhero book in that the characters do not have superpowers. Yet they wear "costumes": more accurately they wear uniforms as a way of establishing for themselves that they are a team. The reason for the costume is self-evident.
The Batman is not strictly speaking a superhero (no superpowers) and costume is another tool in his arsenal: it is a bullet/knife retarding, stealth at night, element-of-surprise tool for Bruce Wayne.
Now, why Black Widow or Hawkeye would need a costume is more difficult to understand. It might be argued that the basic function of the superhero accoutrement is (1) to offer protection to the wearer, (2) empower them in some way (Iron Man comes to mind), or (3) distract witnesses into focusing on the outfit rather than the personal physcial characteristics of the wearer.
As to the notion that readers who are questioning the basic tenet that superheroes wear costumes are probably outgrowing superhero comic book: I reject that entirely. Posing a question and challenging the status quo is the beginning of wisdom.
I can enjoy a superhero comic book while noting the glaring improbabilities and absurdities. I don't focus on them. But when a discussion arises about the improbabilities and absurdities I gladly join in.
And I PREFER that there is some logical explanation behind the outfit. After all, if I am reading about superheroes operating in space, it's not much too for me to expect to see indications of where their anti-vacuum life support is. Unless I'm looking at Mandrake the Magician.
Edited by Jesus Garcia on 26 April 2013 at 7:30am
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Greg Woronchak
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 04 September 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1631
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 8:03am | IP Logged | 2
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I think that superhero costumes (or the 'reason' they wear one) is one of the wonderful conventions that suffers under scrutiny and analysis.
The way I see it, costumes are a 'visual shorthand'; they serve to present the hero or villain in a colorful, interesting visual manner. Once you start over-thinking them, that's probably a sign that one has outgrown the material, IMO.
Edited by Greg Woronchak on 26 April 2013 at 8:03am
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Erin Anna Leach
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 21 February 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 746
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 8:44am | IP Logged | 3
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I think the " costumes ", though I like the term uniform better, are needed. Superman needs his because it's the only clothing that fits snug enough to withstand all the things he does and be protected by his field. Flash, same reason. Batman I agree that he has a type of body armor that happens to fit and look like regular fabric. Then there is identity protection. Can you imagine the media circus alone if say the world knew who Batman really was? He wouldn't be able to live and work in Gotham any more, because the media would be hounding his every move. The X-Men should definately wear uniforms to conceal their identities, this way they can keep up the guise of them being teachers/ students at a school. Yeah, if you can't see the logic in uniforms for super heroes, you really shouldn't work in comic books.
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Stephen Robinson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 5835
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 9:26am | IP Logged | 4
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AARON: I think the " costumes ", though I like the term uniform better, are needed.
SER: I think it was JB who pointed out that the FF and the original X-Men have "uniforms." Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man have costumes.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 9:29am | IP Logged | 5
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I think it was JB who pointed out that the FF and the original X-Men have "uniforms." Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man have costumes.•• Yes, and altho it's contradictory, since he's the only one, I prefer to call Captain America's outfit a "uniform", too.
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Eric Morin
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 22 February 2007
Posts: 453
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 9:39am | IP Logged | 6
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Captain America's "uniform" may very well have been a uniform for the army of super soldiers that the military was trying to create. It just turns out that Steve Rogers was the only super soldier created and the only one to wear the uniform. Can you imagine a battalion of red, white, blue storming the beaches of Normandy?
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Stephen Robinson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 9:39am | IP Logged | 7
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I think the best answer to "Why a costume" is ... "well, that's the most FUN part!" Filmmakers and, frankly, actual comic book creators these days need to take a step back and look at things from the perspective of their 10-yr-old selves. Who didn't wear a towel around their neck and mime ripping open their shirt to reveal their Superman costume? Who didn't want mechanical webshooters (and make the "thwip" sound)?
Almost 5 movies and I've never seen Wolverine's costume... the one I thought was the coolest thing ever when I was 13.
If you're not going to do that, why bother? It's not a superhero movie. I remember when there was all this praise for THE DARK KNIGHT that compared it to HEAT. OK, HEAT is a good cop film, but it's not a superhero film and that's what I want a Batman movie to be.
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Rob Shalda
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 February 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 419
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 10:17am | IP Logged | 8
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 Not sure if this constitutes a costume or uniform?
Edited by Rob Shalda on 26 April 2013 at 10:18am
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 10:19am | IP Logged | 9
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Captain America's "uniform" may very well have been a uniform for the army of super soldiers that the military was trying to create. It just turns out that Steve Rogers was the only super soldier created and the only one to wear the uniform. Can you imagine a battalion of red, white, blue storming the beaches of Normandy?•• Yes --- but I'd rather not. Cap is one of the few characters to have largely escaped "de-uniquing". I'd rather not see him become Marvel's version of the Green Lantern Corps!
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Aaron Smith
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Joined: 06 September 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 10461
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 10:20am | IP Logged | 10
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Not sure if this constitutes a costume or uniform?
***
Costume.
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Ronald Joseph
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Joined: 18 April 2011
Location: United States
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 10:22am | IP Logged | 11
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I think the best answer to "Why a costume" is ... "well, that's the most FUN part!"
Indeed, it is!
Which begs the question:
How many of you have mentally designed your own costume? You know, for the day you somehow gain superpowers and decide to take up the fight for good (or evil).
At the age of 41 I still entertain the silly notions that "this is the spider that'll bit me and give me powers" or "it's raining...maybe I'll get hit by lightning and that'll give me my powers."
Mind you, I usually do it out loud to get a smile or laugh from my girlfriend and/or the kids, but in the back of my mind...I'm reeeeally hoping!
...am I the only one?
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Rob Shalda
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 February 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 419
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| Posted: 26 April 2013 at 10:24am | IP Logged | 12
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Yes --- but I'd rather not. Cap is one of the few characters to have largely escaped "de-uniquing". I'd rather not see him become Marvel's version of the Green Lantern Corps! *** 
I agree! This was as close as I ever want to see. No disrespect to Mr. Stern!
Edited by Rob Shalda on 26 April 2013 at 10:29am
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Topic Closed)
