Costume Maketh a Superhero: The Importance of Disguise

By Shrey Sankalp

I wouldn’t be overstating things if I said we’re living in the golden age of superheroes.

I mean look around you, they’re on movie screens, your television, and in all likelihood, a part of your child’s wardrobe (seriously, look outside your window on Halloween and you’ll know what I’m talking about – superhero costumes all over), and with an exposure that like that, it’s hard not to have them on your mind.

Is exposure the only reason for our fascination with superheroes? No, there’s a long psychology-based explanation for that, but I’m going to save it for another day, especially when I can summarize it rather simply:

They are just so damn cool.

I mean think about it, you have this nearly omnipotent individual, who’s dressed sharper than a model on a runway in Paris, prancing about saving people and maintaining order.

Is that inspirational or what?

Now of course, a lot of this coolness stems from a rather obvious source – the costumes.

Are you a fan of Batman and a believer of his ideology?

Of course you are, but is that the only thing you’re a fan of?

Nope, his sweet costume doesn’t hurt matters either.

And this isn’t an argument that’s limited to Batman, this is valid for every superhero – the costumes are what mark the difference between Captain America: Civil War and a run of the mill political thriller.

Okay, there’s CGI and other stuff too, but that’s also another topic for another day.

Coming back to superhero costumes, while it’s easy to think they were drawn the way they were drawn simply to attract children to buy comic books (that’s kind of true, though), these costumes also serve a larger purpose in context of the story.

Image Source: Pinterest

Dressed to impress.

A lot of costumed superheroes are vigilantes (case in point: Batman and Green Arrow) whereas others are average Joes with lives and people they care about (Spider-Man and the Flash) and these people need to protect their identities through disguise, because if their secret identities were to get out, they would either be prosecuted, or invite harm to their near ones, neither of which they would be too thrilled about.

Those domino masks suddenly make a lot of sense, don’t they?

Protection of secret identities aside, most of our heroes are mortals, and they need some kind of protection to avoid meeting their maker, and with costumes like that of Batman or Iron Man, the protection is dished out in the form of largely reliable armor.

Moreover, most superhero costumes come with some form of insignia, and while we can assume it’s marketing on the hero’s behalf (what? They watch Mad Men too), it serves a larger purpose.

As put in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, the ‘S’ on Superman’s chest stands for hope, and that is exactly what people are filled with when they see a flash of red and blue in the sky, because it means they are going to be all right, and everything is going to be all right.

Remember how Batman inspired whole of Gotham to stand up against Bane’s army in The Dark Knight Rises by burning his symbol on a building to show them their protector is back?

That’s exactly what the insignia on the costume is for.

Image Source: comicbook.com

Hope – it’s all some people have.

And it’s not only the insignia that means something, when done right, the whole costume can stand for something.

If you don’t believe me, just take a look at Captain America and Captain Planet (no, they’re not cousins).

Cap’s recent HYDRA reveal debacle aside, he is the embodiment of America and all its values, and when the people see Cap take a stand for what’s in best interest of his country and its citizens, they’re motivated to do the same.

These aren’t points that comic book illustrators have missed, and what you just read is merely the tip of the iceberg. 

Throughout history, there have been some truly memorable outfits, and I’m going to talk about them, and I’m sure you’re eager to know whether your guesses were right, and don’t worry, I won’t keep you waiting, in the coming days, all shall be revealed.