Why do super heroes/villians wear capes? Super Man, Captian Marvel, Martian Man Hunter, Sentry, Gladiator. Bat Man uses his cape for things sometimes. But besides looking cool, it seems like the cape might be a bother.
Why the cape?
Apparition says:
"Nighthunter says:"because they look cool, they don't need anything else lol"no clothes?"
touche
What Nighthunter said: "They look cool." I think it's the image of a flowing cape that gives readers and viewers a sense of pride and empowerment. Wonder Woman doesn't wear a cape, though if you look at issue 13, she's wearing a cape on her cover, and along with her pose, gives a feeling of Wonder Woman's presence being a strong one.
Hell_Spawn says:
"spawn uses his cape to fly and it takes the form of an axe called agony (axe agony)in the video games spawn has featured in. it also kills people at spawns will. spawns flying: spawns cape as axe agony: and spawns cape killin a guy:
Post Edited:2008-01-21 01:43:31
Post Edited:2008-01-21 01:48:27"
spawn always looks cool
originally capes were a mechanic of art to depict motion. Later writers found purposes for their character's to have capes. Batman's cape acts as form of misdirection, disguising his weapons and has protected him from harm and assisted him in gliding, Supes cape is made from his Kryptonian blanket and has super qualities. but mainly they look cool and add drama.
Capes kill people. One guy got sucked into a turbine. Another's cape snaggged a missile. Capes are evil!!!!!
Marvel has a mojor lacking in the capes. Most the poeple that do are Batman/Superman version characters.
Moon Knight - Batman
Sentry - Superman
Hyperion - Superman
Gladiator - Superman
There are others that have them that aren't based off of them but not nearly as many as DC seems to have.
Thor wears a cape (along with most of his copys), Adam Warlock did(not sure if his new version does), Dr Strange, Vision, Storm (at times), Dr Doom (more of a hooded cape), Stryfe, Magento, Quasar, Scarlet Witch, Cloak, Kang, Hobgoblin, Mephisto, White Queen (90s), are some others in marvel that wear capes or have in one variation :)
But of course for every one I named there are tons more that do not.
Thinking about this I also like the example from the Incedibles and why they dont wear capes. Jet engine ftw
Sling Shot says:
"originally capes were a mechanic of art to depict motion. Later writers found purposes for their character's to have capes. Batman's cape acts as form of misdirection, disguising his weapons and has protected him from harm and assisted him in gliding, Supes cape is made from his Kryptonian blanket and has super qualities. but mainly they look cool and add drama."
Sounds right.
This thread is an excuse to post Mr. Majestic's fur-lined cape:
On a Marvel thing, I think it's funny that the troops sent to stop heroes are called "Cape-Killers" when most Marvel heroes don't actually have capes.
Hell_Spawn says:
"spawn uses his cape to fly and it takes the form of an axe called agony (axe agony)in the video games spawn has featured in. it also kills people at spawns will.spawns flying:spawns cape as axe agony:and spawns cape killin a guy:
Post Edited:2008-01-21 01:43:31
Post Edited:2008-01-21 01:48:27"
spawns cape is something else. its alive, a living part of spawn, which is why it changes shape.
I think I know about Storm and Black Panther. Storm & BP often wear capes. I think that it is because capes can also be seen as a sign of royalty or political power. Besides that, the majestic flow of a cape can't be pulled off by everyone (if Professor X ever wore one, that would be a damn shame) but for the ones who do pull them off, with their posture and body movements, capes can add to the actual feel of the character.
I agree with that. On the other hand, there are characters that were born to wear a cape and shouldn't be taken off them unless is circunstancial. An exapmle of it could be Dr Strange or Dr Fate.
zzzzzzzzzzz
I think it's just for looks, but on TV, capes do seem to get in the way a lot. Sucked into stuff, grabbed by bad guys, stuck on things, stuff like that.
SilverZeo says:
"If hero wear capes to be cool, then why do they wear color undies? I mean look at the first Robin outfit, and Supes too. What do you think that means?"
They were probably cold down there....LOL
Because wearing a flag would look ridiculous and that's the only kind of cape he could wear. Even Citizen V was pushing it.
It's regal and scary?
I imagine it creates a bigger target for baddies to shoot at, thereby making physical injury harder to attain with a gun?
I have a question about the Superman's blanket thing... didn't John Byrne's revamp in the 80s wipe that out? In the first few issues of the new Supermasn, it was revealed he had like a 'natural force field' that protected him from bullets etc, and also protected his clothing, and his cape was constantly in tatters (this tactile telekenesis is also where Superboy's powers come from) Has that gone back to the old way....
Andferne says:
"There's actualy a exsplanation for the capes in the MMO City of Heroes. I wish I remembered what they said about them and thier importance (I beilive it was more like a symbol). Once you hit level 20 you had to do a quest to unlock capes so your character could wear them. "
It is a symbol in MMO City of Heroes the story behind it is that Hero 1, the hero that gave his life in the first Rikti invasion to turn the tide in the war, wore a cape. And because of his sacrifice Statesman declared heroes to stop wearing capes in honor of him. This is why capes was not in issue 1 and 2 and i believe capes came in in issue 3 or 4 and the reason behind it is that Statesman soon believe that we actually should be wearing capes in honor of Hero 1. So at leave 20 you get a mission to go to protect a time capsule(believe it is Hero 1's) from the Rikti and you would be honored to wear a cape.
Please Log In to post.
Log in to comment