Is it time to Update Superhero Wear?

Lord Poe · Post by **Lord Poe** » 2003-07-20 12:56pm

On http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com, they are praising a new Batman 8 minute short that "gets it right". There's a few pix of Batman Year One, and well....

Looks a lot like the Adam West Batman to me.

A guy in long johns and trunks simply doesn't look right in RL. I like what they did in X-men, giving them uniforms that are a BIT more believable than the comic versions. And Spiderman can be forgiven, because he desined his original costume to be flashy for TV before he knew he was going to fight crime for a living.

But what about Superman and Batman? Those trunks over the tights thing is just awful. Looks ok in the comics, but when you see a RL guy trying to pull it off....ugh.

I'm not endorsing the rubber suit Batman either. But what should a "modern" Batman look like? Should he have kne and elbow pads? A cloth costume with a bullet-proof vest underneath? SHOULD he have a cape? How practical ishis mask? I mean, if a guy with a machete starts cutting people up in a Gotham City rampage, does it really sound reasonable for Bruce Wayne to try tio struggle into a rubber costume for an hour before confronting the bad guy?

As for Superman, the trunks and cape have to go. The cape should be shredded every time he flies fast anyway? I saw Superman in his Krypton persona, and thought that was an excellent costume. Thoughts?

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-07-20 01:07pm

For comics...it's good, but I agree most costumes do not transfer well into movies/TV because of what the colors are(inking helps more then most imagine so does the variety and muting a color a colorist can use, but most of all the penciller can make an inhuman physique)

For Bats I liked the simple Black costume...the original colors do not hold up, and the nor do most of the costumes.

For Supes...a more streamlined desgin would be nice. The cape can stay...but the colors are not too bad, but yellow in any form does not translate well.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2003-07-20 01:09pm

Though for a true modern Batman...I envision more Spec Op gear...honestly. His sheer array of weaponry all on him in small pockets.

For Supes...I would say the Kryptonain outfit is a good start.

Dizzy D · Post by **Dizzy D** » 2003-07-20 01:18pm

Ghost Rider wrote:Though for a true modern Batman...I envision more Spec Op gear...honestly. His sheer array of weaponry all on him in small pockets.

For Supes...I would say the Kryptonain outfit is a good start.

You mean the Midnighter and Apollo ?

thecreech · Post by **thecreech** » 2003-07-20 01:23pm

yes an update is needed for hero's. and i agree with GR yellow is the worst

Kitsune · Post by **Kitsune** » 2003-07-20 10:56pm

Ghost Rider wrote:Though for a true modern Batman...I envision more Spec Op gear...honestly. His sheer array of weaponry all on him in small pockets.

Well, I would modify it to be a bit more "Stylish" with bat ears and such but I think somethink like what you say woudl be the best.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-07-21 12:36am

I think it looks pretty good for a RL version of the original costume. At least they got someone who is actually rather built to wear it instead of all the pencil necks that played bats in the movies.

Of course the trunks over the tights do looks stupid, not as bad as they do on Superman but bad. I think the Batman outfit would look worse if it were just a grey leotard though. I remember seeing a Elseworlds version of Superboy's outfit where he ditched the red trunks but put something like red stripes up the legs of the blue suit.

I agree with GR that Batman's costume works best in all black or black and very dark grey with the yellow bat symbol on the chest.

I really didn't have a problem with the bat suit in the first Batman movie. It sort of made practical sense that he have this ultra high-tech boddy armor on. If someone was actually going to do what Batman does I don't see how they could survive for long without having a lot more than just bad-assed martial arts skills. Although, I am hoping that any future Batman movies will show him as the martial arts guy he is supposed to be (hopefully without too much flamboyancy and no "wire work").

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-07-21 12:39am

Ghost Rider wrote:Though for a true modern Batman...I envision more Spec Op gear...honestly. His sheer array of weaponry all on him in small pockets.

Kind of like how the Ultimates line updated Captain America and made him a little more realistic, both the WWII version and the mondern verison.

Ghost Rider wrote:For Supes...I would say the Kryptonain outfit is a good start.

I thought some of the Superman rip-off characters had better "uniforms" than supes for awhile. I kind of like the plainness of The High's uniform, although I like the black t-shirt he wore under his uniform better than his main shirt.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-22 04:12am

What about giving Batman a faux-exoskeleton??

Lord Poe · Post by **Lord Poe** » 2003-07-22 10:06am

Simon H.Johansen wrote:What about giving Batman a faux-exoskeleton??

Too bulky. You can't think of Batman as a tank; he needs all the give he can get in a costume for all his acrobatics.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-07-22 11:13am

Lord Poe wrote:
Simon H.Johansen wrote:What about giving Batman a faux-exoskeleton??
Too bulky. You can't think of Batman as a tank; he needs all the give he can get in a costume for all his acrobatics.

I meant something looking vaguely like a very small exoskeleton - such as a suit of Eldar Aspect Warrior Armour from Warhammer 40K.