Hi guys, I’m Kya and today’s episode of ‘Yellow Spandex’ is all about the CW’s future Flash costume from 2024.
Lolno, we’re just kidding. Welcome to ‘Defenders’ week.
Unfortunately, most of the team just wears street clothes,
Unless you count Luke Cage’s little cameo thing or Jewel’s super stripper suit.
The only place anyone is wearing that is trick-or-treating or some kinky roleplaying scenario.
So I guess the only thing we have to talk about is the evolution of Daredevil's costume.
Not that I’m complaining.
Bill Everett and Jack Kirby’s original design definitely looked like a blind dude put it together.
That color clashing is just not my thing.
But the yellow didn’t last long.
In issue 7, Wally Wood came up with an all-red outfit that became Daredevil’s iconic look.
It’s so simple on the surface, but it let artists put their own stamp on it by experimenting with light, color, shadow.
And besides some logo changes, it stuck around for nearly 30 years.
Until an edgy armored update in the ‘90s.
It only lasted a few issues, but the black color scheme came back during the ‘Shadowland’ storyline, where a possessed Matt Murdock leads the Hand.
Then, after fighting crime in San Francisco wearing a three-piece suit, he came back to New York with an all-new, all-different costume.
It’s basically the ‘Shadowland’ uniform minus the edgelord blades, with a little splash of red on the wrists and boots.
So it’s a pretty basic costume, right?
Well let’s see how it looked in live-action, starting with a 1975 project that never was:
‘Black Widow’
David Bowie’s first wife Angie was all about superheroes in the ‘70s.
She auditioned for the role of Wonder Woman, but she lost the part because she refused to wear a bra.
Ironic.
Then, she somehow snagged the TV rights for Black Widow and her occasional hookup Daredevil.
Angie pitched a show with herself as Natasha and actor Ben Carruthers as Matt.
They never filmed a pilot, so all we’ve got are these photos from a test shoot.
Angie looks great as Widow, but the Daredevil costume is way different from the comics.
There’s no logo on his chest, his horns are too pointy, he’s not wearing gloves, and his face is completely uncovered.
This is a man who looks like he can see.
They just painted his face to look like the comic mask and honestly?
I kind of like the whole look.
It’s weird and I love shit like that.
They look like artsy crime fighting mimes from a retro superhero circus.
Also, Daredevil was going to be played by a black actor.
Who knows, maybe fans back then would have been cooler with changing a character’s race than they are today?
I’m just saying, I don’t hear anyone complaining about Eartha Kitt as Catwoman.
You wanna lift, big boy?
Let’s move on to 1989, the first actual appearance of Daredevil in
‘The Trial of the Incredible Hulk,’
A TV movie based on the old Lou Ferrigno show.
It was a backdoor pilot for a solo ‘Daredevil’ series starring Rex Smith as Matt Murdock.
Show me the mean streets. The tough part of town.
The Man Without Fear wears a sleek, all-black ninja outfit.
He looks like Mike Meyers in ‘Sprockets.’
Now is the time on 'Sprockets' when we dance!
It’s… a little on the plain side.
It’s practical, I get it.
It would work if he was just starting out as Daredevil.
Like the black outfits in ‘The Man Without Fear’ and the first Netflix season.
But here, he’s been established for a while.
So can you please tell me why he doesn’t have the horns?
I can understand dropping the logo.
The double D’s are a little on the nose.
And the lack of red makes sense for a stealthy guy like Matt.
But I need to see his little horns.
If you’re going to do something based on a superhero, keep something.
Like his name is Dare. Devil.
Devil. Horns. Little fake horns on a mask.
I'm a big believer in the Constitution and the law.
I understand practicality and everything but it’s like having a Kingpin who isn’t bald!
Oh wait…
That’s John Rhys-Davies as Wilson Fisk, making his first live-action appearance.
Gathered especially for you.
Diamonds! Thanks, Fisk!
And that’s about it for the ‘Trial of the Incredible Hulk.’
He’s not guilty, by the way.
If Rex Smith’s boring costume put you to sleep, we’ve got the Ben Affleck 'Daredevil' to wake you up inside.
(Wake me up)
That song is so good. I’m not even sorry about it.
I know the movie isn’t great,
I'm not the bad guy.
but it came out at the perfect time for me.
I remember watching it on the couch with my dad when I was a little kid.
And I had no room to judge because it was just a cool superhero movie.
I’m sorry, that playground scene will always be impressive to me.
Stop hitting me.
Now that that’s in the open, I still have a problem with all that leather.
Like, leather has a time and place and this is neither the time or the place.
Like, c’mon, do I need to remind you people that Daredevil is a ninja?
He’s supposed to be sneaky and acrobatic.
Which are not qualities you associate with tight, shiny red leather.
The whole thing just looks… squeaky.
I would hear him coming from a mile away.
I do like how his top is a zip-up jacket.
The open collar is cool, and it works with the unconnected skullcap mask.
Overall, the costume isn’t bad, but it’s not nearly as cool as the concept art.
These designs look like Daredevil by way of H.R. Giger.
And Bullseye could have looked incredible, too.
Speaking of which...
I want a bloody costume!
Me too! Then I’d have something to talk about on my show.
I’m not gonna lie, I love Colin Farrell in this role.
It’s one of those times where he looks nothing like his comic version and I’m okay with it.
He’s just got this giant alligator trenchcoat and a belt that holds his shurikens.
I do like the target scarred into his forehead though.
It was actually cool enough to get carried over to the comic.
We’ve also got another incarnation of the Kingpin, played by Michael Clarke Duncan.
I could gush about how awesome he is, but why don’t you just play that shot where he’s looking at the city with that song in the background instead? Cool. Thanks.
You know what, f*ck everyone.
This movie dope.
I mean it’s not without it’s problems.
Mine are mostly with Elektra.
Remember me?
This is her first live-action appearance.
There’s no trace of her comic book bandana, and instead of the cool single-strap leotard she’s basically just dressed like Shakira.
Liar!
Also, she’s wearing black.
Also also, she’s wearing pants.
Why does she need pants?
Why do any of these people need pants?
Elektra’s costume doesn’t change too much in her spinoff, but at least it’s more red.
Let’s all just forget that monstrosity and get right into the Netflix 'Daredevil' show.
I love how Matt’s costume is integrated into the storyline.
We get to see the entire evolution of his look.
Basically doing my job for me.
There’s the blindfold and hoodie getup from his first rescue, which has got to be a callback to ‘The Man Without Fear.’
Then for most of the season he’s running around in an all-black outfit that’s almost a carbon copy of the Rex Smith suit.
Finally, he gets a proper-ass costume from Melvin Potter just in time to crush the Kingpin.
Potter’s got his own kinda costume thing going on, but we still haven’t seen him as the full-blown Gladiator yet.
If the super suits in the MCU have anything in common, it’s that they look functional.
Except for Cap’s suit in the first Avengers movie.
Daredevil’s tacticool costume fits right in.
I’ll just let Potter explain it:
Black parts give the most protection. Red might deflect a knife, depending on the angle. Might not.
Perfect for any urban ninja.
The mask looks a little goofy in the first season, but Matt gets an upgrade after the Punisher puts a bullet between his little horns.
Bang.
And he switches to regular combat boots, which I love.
I mean, how many superhero costumes have shoelaces?
As for the rest of the crew, the Kingpin looks incredible.
He never wears his trademark white suit, but I love the stab-proof jacket.
And Vincent D'Onofrio is intimidating as hell.
Tell Mr. Potter I'll need a new suit.
Elektra mostly wears a black top with a cool red scarf/mask underneath.
But Potter eventually hooks her up with some armor that’s a little closer to the comic look.
Still has pants, though.
And as for the Punisher…
You know you're one bad day from being me.
Well, don’t worry about him.
We’re gonna give him an episode all to himself.
And if any of the other Defenders feel like throwing on a cape or some underwear outside of their pants,
We’ll cover them in ‘Yellow Spandex’ too.