- In a video we did a few months ago
we tried defining what a superhero is.
And while that proved to be a bit tricky
one of the key factors going into it was a flashy costume.
And we have Superman to thank for that.
He helped paved the way for what superhero costumes
should look like.
While pulp heroes of the past had outfits
or disguises that they would use to go fight crime,
Superman was on a whole new level.
His bright blue and red costume created an expectation
that a superhero should dress in a similar fashion.
And it came to signify the genre of superheroes.
And for being the archetype of the modern superhero,
his creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
got a ton right with his costume.
Everything from his spandex tights
to his grand flowing cape,
and even the fact that he doesn't wear a mask.
It was all designed and balanced perfectly.
Now I wanna show you why.
And let's actually start with Superman's cape,
because I think it has come to symbolize him as a whole.
For example, take that iconic Death of Superman cover.
Superman himself is not even on this image
in any way shape or form,
but we see the tattered cape and we get the entire story.
In some continuity Superman's cape
is the blanket baby Kal-El
was wrapped in when he was sent to Earth.
It's been a part of him and his story
since the beginning.
And over time, thanks to characters like Superman
the word "cape" has become synonymous with "superhero".
And the Man of Steel wearing a long flowing cape
wasn't just for style points.
It had applications in the battle field.
As authors Barbara Brownie and Danny Graydon of
The Superhero Costume:
Identity and Disguise in Fact and Fiction write, quote,
"As military garb, the cape may function as a call to arms.
"Julius Caesar wore a crimson cape into battle,
"the sight of which reassured his troops
"that he had joined them in combat while ensuring that he
"would not be reduced to the same status...
"Superman's own cape provokes similar admiration
"from both his human followers and superhuman peers,
"positioning him as a majestic general
"who aims to inspire others to act according
"to a same set of moral principles." End quote.
We've talked about this before
but Superman's costume was inspired by circus strongmen.
Some theorize this specific circus strongman,
Siegmund Breitbart.
Who as you can see from this picture,
also occasionally wore a Roman inspired costume
complete with a dramatic cape.
These circus strongmen were performers,
their feats were supposed to be on display
and Superman was no different.
As author Brad Ricca points out,
his costume was supposed to to be quote,
"An announcement of who this character was."
Superman's costume unlike a lot of heroes isn't a disguise.
In fact, it's quite the opposite,
he's proudly displaying The House of El crest
on his chest.
Which tells you the precise identity
of who this character is.
It would be like if Batman's chevron
was the Wayne Enterprise logo.
And as Superman he famously does not wear a mask
not because he doesn't have a duel identity,
he does as Clark Kent,
but that's the identity he chooses to use a mask for.
With the combination of glasses, clothing, body language,
and a ton of other stuff that we've actually covered before.
That's a real old video though,
probably don't watch it.
Maybe I should update it.
Now I'm sure we've all seen a ton of people criticize
the fact that Superman doesn't wear a mask
and yet no one figures out his identity.
But I think that misses the point entirely,
the public doesn't think that Superman has a secret identity
because he's not wearing a mask.
For all they know, he's just Superman all the time.
It allows him to secure public trust.
It allows him to create a sense of transparency
with the civilians that he wants to save.
Wearing a mask would make it seem as though Superman
is keeping a part of himself hidden from the public.
Like they're only seeing a part of his identity,
but not the whole of it.
But by refusing to wear a mask
and instead donning skin-tight spandex
that leave little to the imagination.
Superman is demanding attention,
challenging people to scrutinize his every action.
He's saying, "Yes, I'm an alien. I'm different from you,
"but I have nothing to hide."
And when civilians look to the sky
and see his superhuman feats and unimaginable powers,
they also see a human face.
Unobstructed by a mask trying to hide his identity.
They see every emotion,
and he looks just like us.
And that's comforting.
What do you guys think?
What other elements of Superman's costume
make it so brilliant?
Do you disagree with anything that I've said so far?
Let me know in the comments down below.
If you're new here,
make sure you hit that big sexy subscribe button
and turn on notifications
because you are not going to want to miss next week's video
that explores the costumes of The X-Men.
And how they might be doing more harm than good.
Also it's probably just a good idea
to turn on notifications in general,
'cause the video schedule at the end of the year
is gonna be a bit chaotic and YouTube could vary it.
It's just a whole thing.
Thank you so much to our patron swho supported this video.
Their names are in the description down below,
if you want your name there go to patreon.com/NerdSync.
If I don't see you before the holidays, have a good one,
have a happy one and of course if you want more videos
about superhero costumes we have an entire playlist
dedicated just to that.
Last year we did a mini series about
why superheroes are designed the way they are.
Everything from their capes, the spandex,
the trunks, the white eyes.
You can watch it all by clicking right here.
My name is Scott, reminding you to read between the panels
and grow smarter through comics.
See ya.