This is something I was discussing with a friend earlier. What does a cape do for a superheroes costume and their overall look?? Does it look corny? Does it add distinction? Regal-ness? Sex Appeal?
Storm When you think about certain characters in comics who have capes you can't picture them without it. Although the look of a character does change and sometimes the cape is gone. For example, Storm, most of her costumes she has a cape, some of them she does not.
Red & Black Cape With this picture to the left I think this cape gives her a certain distinction. the red lining contrasting with black makes the overall costume look great. Also when you think about Storm and her powers, a cape almost seems necessary. Her using the wind to fly would make her cape spread adding to the effectiveness of her cape and the entire costume. This particular costume is one of my favorite looks for her anyway. Also with Storm being a Queen/Princess the cape adds to her regal-ness. Also with some of Storm's costumes she didn't really have a cape per say, but she did have like a partial cape? If thats what you'd want to call it LOL. Partial Cape With this picture she did not have a full cape, but a partial cape. This to me does add to the look of the costume but it doesn't add distinction or regalness. But with Storm she looks good with or without a cape, full or not. It doesn't matter to me.
Batman Then there are superheroes like Batman. Batman doesn't have superpowers that allow him to fly but he does glide. His cape not only adds distinction but it directly relates to who he is. Since his name is BATman he emulates a bat with his costume, so he needs a cape in my opinion. When he glides his cape spreads and it crea bat wings tes the illusion of a flying bat. His costume from what I have seen always includes a cape. Batman also being a very well known popular character I think it would be hard t o picture him without a cape, when you just think about the "look" aspects of Batman. But when you think about technicalities he kind of needs a cape because he can't really fly. In the picture to the far right you see how Batman's cape is spread making it look like bat wings.
Superman When I think about Superman I always remember him with a cape. I am not an avid Superman fan, nor have i read comics so whoever is reading this blog feel free to interject with anything I have said. But I will always picture that re and blue costume with the red cape. To me I think this is everyone's mental picture of Superman. But unlike Batman, Superman has powers and he can fly. I guess being propelled through the air having a cape would add a certain affect to the costume. Superman's cape definitely adds to his look, giving him a "larger then life" kind of feel. But in my personal opinion he doesn't need a cape to look like a superhero. Flying In the photo you can see his bright red cape, it does give him a larger then life feel, but not a regal-ness like Storm's cape.
In the picture to the far right he isn't wearing a cape and he still has that distinction.
Emma Frost Emma FrosWhite Queen t has superpowers but they do not allow her to fly. She has worn more then one costume that includes a cape tho. Was the cape needed with these costumes? Emma's first and probably most memorable look was her White Queen costume with the white corset and white cape. When I picture that look without the cape she just looks like a common stripper or playboy model. That cape gave her distinction not only as the White Queen but just as an overall comic character. Back in those days she was a villain, and she looked like a villain. But when she joined the X-Men, in the Astonishing X-Men saga her costume also had a cape, but it was a bit more modest. Since she was no longer a villain she had to look less villainous. This new costume still maintained Emma's sexy/femme fatale look but looking more innocent and distinct. Also the signature white color. I personally love her with this cape, it makes her look important and it adds to her position at the Xavier Institute as one of the lead meNon-Villainous cape mbers.
