Hey guys, it’s me, Kya, and I’m back with another look at superhero costumes in live action.
You guys really responded to our Spider-Man costume video, so we’re gonna try it out as a regular series that we’re calling: 'Yellow Spandex.'
You actually go outside in these things?
What would you prefer? Yellow spandex?
Because yes, I would have.
So for the first episode of ‘Yellow Spandex,’ we’re gonna focus on the Flash.
Barry Allen has definitely been one of the brighter spots in the hot mess we call the DCEU.
But I’m not sold on his clunky armored costume just yet.
In the comics, his suit is made out of concentrated speed force and fits into a ring.
So how does Hollywood make it work in the real world?
Let’s take a look at 'The Flash in the Flesh.'
Is that a pun, Moose?
It is certainly a pun.
I can't tell if I'm upset or impressed.
Anyways, the first appearance of the Flash in live-action was on a 1979 TV special called 'Legends of the Superheroes.'
It’s basically a live-action version of the 'Superfriends' cartoon, only somehow even cheesier.
Honestly, we need to do a whole video about this show someday, because it’s completely insane and campy. I love it.
Wait'll you see what I'm gonna do to you when I get you back to the Batcave!
But the costume department definitely had their work cut out for them.
Most of these characters had never been seen in live-action before, including the Flash.
The Flash! This crime-fighter is swifter than the speed of light! Fleeter than the rapidity of thought!
I guess on paper the uniform looks like the comics version.
I mean, everything’s there, the color, the logo, the lightning bolts…
It just looks like it was made by Homer Simpson.
Hello, Floreda!
Like, did they just cut a bunch of zig-zags out of construction paper and glue them to a red jumpsuit?
Probably.
Then after that they stole Charlie Brown’s shirt and made it into a belt.
Also? I think he’s wearing galoshes.
‘Legends of the Superheroes’ is the first time one of Flash’s Rogues appeared in live-action, too:
The Weather Wizard!
This show was so bad that, besides ‘Swamp Thing’ and a few bad ‘Superman’ sequels, DC stuck with cartoons for most of the ‘80s.
Until the ‘89 ‘Batman’ movie changed everything.
Tim Burton’s take on the character inspired DC to produce 'The Flash' as a TV series for CBS in 1990.
It only lasted one season, but the show’s not that bad.
And the suit was completely awesome.
They used Barry Allen as the Flash, even though in the comics he’d be dead for another 20 years.
But they based the uniform on his replacement Wally West’s version.
See how his belt is pointed like that?
Pure West.
I didn't need molded plastic to improve my physique. Pure. West.
No, not that West.
In the world of the show, the costume is a modified deep-sea diving suit made to withstand ocean pressures.
What am I wearing here?
That's a Soviet prototype deep-sea suit.
The project was abandoned months ago so I borrowed it.
Behind the scenes, this thing cost $100,000 to create.
It’s made of latex treated to look like spandex stretched over muscles.
But I think they went a little crazy with the bodysuit underneath, because this Flash is ridiculously jacked.
Don’t get me wrong, John Wesley Shipp is in great shape, but this uniform makes him look like Brock Lesnar.
Moose is so happy every time there's a WWE Superstar.
We did get some more Rogues for the first time.
That’s Captain Cold in the sick duster.
I guess it’s better than a parka, but he just looks like Steve Martin to me.
And Mirror Master is David Cassidy from the Monkees in a suit and tie.
The best villain is easily Mark Hamill as anyone.
But in this case, as the Trickster.
He’s the only Rogue who wore his costume from the comics.
What do you think? Not too subdued...
And he was so great in the role that he played the same character in the ‘Justice League’ cartoon and the CW Flash series.
I just love the continuity. He plays the Trickster. The Joker for years. Luke.
I just need a video on Mark Hamill being everything good in the world.
So whaddya say, hon? Feeling the old electricity tonight?
Moving on. We’ll come back to the CW Flash, but first we’ve got to mention the failed 'Justice League of America' Pilot from 1997.
This was an attempt by CBS to mix superheroes and sitcoms.
Because that’s such a great idea.
I'm just really focused on my career right now. That is one of the things you said you looked for in a man.
Just think if 'Friends' featured the world’s greatest superheroes instead of a group of caffeine addicts.
It’s based on the more comedic 'Justice League International' era from the comics.
The Flash costume is… Okay.
I’m not a fan of how the bolts on his head are so close to his eyes
Overall, it’s just plain spandex with a logo on it, but at least, y’know, it resembles his logo.
Moving on, we’ve got 'Smallville.'
So the whole point of this show was that Clark Kent was never going to wear a costume.
But once a bunch of other people with superpowers showed up, I guess they needed some way to tell them apart.
Smallville’s speedster was named Bart Allen, so technically this counts as a first appearance for Impulse.
Ta-da!
But a Flash is a Flash, damn it.
I don’t know how you’re supposed to run faster than mach 5 wearing:
Oakley Blades.
A tech-vest hoodie.
Red Pumas.
And just a plain old pair of slacks.
The Pac-Sun superhero didn’t last long though.
After ‘Smallville’ ended, the CW launched a new slate of DC shows called 'The Arrowverse' after the show that kicked it all off.
Shout out to the CW for doing cinematic universe at a TV scale and killing it.
And also shout out to the people who watch it all because it takes so much commitment.
Cause I’ve tried and I’ve gotten through most of it.
What goes around comes around.
Inconsistently. It’s a lot.
But don’t get me wrong, given their TV budgets I think 'The Flash' and all the CW shows do a pretty good job with the costumes.
But something about Barry’s outfit always looked weird to me.
For one, it makes his head look enormous.
But that actually used to be a thing in the comics.
When artist Carmine Infantino designed the Silver Age Flash costume in 1956, he made it a point to draw the Flash with a big ol’ dome.
His reasoning was:
Barry Allen is a scientist.
Scientists are smart.
And smart people have big gigantic heads.
It’s a Flash fact. Google it. "Gigantic heads."
I’m not really a fan of the material, though.
It just looks uncomfortable.
Would you want to run faster than the speed of light in pleather?
Chafing would be a bitch.
And the maroon color scheme is pretty bleh.
Get whatever you're wearing off of you!
They did lighten it up though.
And they added the white fill back to his chest logo which made me way more pleased than it should have.
A few other Flash favorites debuted in live-action on the CW show, too.
But there’s definitely spoilers, so skip to this timestamp to avoid.
First up there’s Kid Flash, which-- hell yeah.
Because one, I love Keiynan Lonsdale as Wally West.
And two, his costume is dope and it looks awesome on TV.
We’ve also got the first appearance of Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash… Kind of.
The first Jay we meet turns out to be an evil imposter.
The second one is the real deal, and he’s Barry’s dad from another Earth, so, bonus.
Also? He’s played by John Wesley Shipp, the super buff Flash from the 1990 show.
Flashback anyone? Moose, you did it again.
Hey, that was all you.
Shh. I apologize for the bad joke. (I don't).
In the comics, Garrick wears pants, a red shirt and a nifty helmet.
His costume translates pretty well into the leathery look of the Arrowverse.
Both versions have kind of a World War I vibe, which fits the older aesthetic of the character.
Okay, spoilers over. All that’s left is the DCEU.
I’m sure we’re gonna get a good reason why the Flash is wearing so much cobbled-together armor.
I mean, it’s not like he needs it.
Can’t he just vibrate through whatever’s coming at him?
Or shift his molecules, or stop time, or one of his zillion other powers that neutralize any threat posed by a guy with an icicle gun?
It looks kind of busy, like his crazy armored suits from ‘Injustice,’ but it fits the DCEU aesthetic, for better or worse.
I wouldn’t mind a bit more yellow, but it’s definitely not the worst costume he’s worn over the years.
Just don’t ask me how that thing’s supposed to fit inside a ring.