Why do superhero costumes change constantly?

Why do superhero costumes change constantly?

Tom Holland brings his new Spider-Man costume to 'Kimmel' on Thursday
Tom Holland brings his new Spider-Man costume to ‘Kimmel’ on Thursday

Tom Holland is Spider-Man in 2019: Spider-Man costumes that reveal a new look Spider-Man: Far From Home, and it… can be fully serviced, just like these things. This is also the third costume worn by Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in four movies, which shows how things have changed when it comes to superhero movies or general superheroes.

Going back to the prehistoric history of superhero movies – that is, before the dawn of Marvel Studios and the current incarnation of the genre on the screen – the problem of wearing heroic costumes on the screen is very much focused on the fidelity of comic book source materials. Charles Xavier’s mutant superstar wearing black leather in Brian Singer’s original X-Men caused an uproar in the fan community and was seen as evidence that the Marvel comic book was not “serious” or respected. (What better than letting Hugh Jackman wear bright blue and yellow outfits with panties and pointed books outside, what more respect than this?)

In contrast, Toby Maguire’s Spider-Man is considered a real deal, purely because his clothing (mostly) is faithful to Steve Ditko’s iconic design. This is a sign that the film will be faithful to comics, so the characters and fans are happy, although doubts about the mirrored lenses on the eyes still exist – this is clearly the focus of Tom Holland’s incarnation; remember Captain America: Civil War Trailer How excited are the fans in the game?

Spider-Man Costume in "Spider-Man": Homecoming (left) and the Avengers: Infinite War.
Spider-Man Costume in “Spider-Man”: Homecoming (left) and the Avengers: Infinite War.

However, these days are no longer a problem. In fact, the revelation of new clothing has become an event itself, with fans excitedly reporting toy details or leaking settings to find clues about what to expect. Because superheroes are now expected – at least in Marvel, although this is a tradition that can be said to start with Warner Bros. Batman Movies – Each movie will be completely renewed, and the character will not have accurate comic clothing every time. But that’s okay…because the character’s comic avatar doesn’t.

This is obviously contradictory; any costume worn by a superhero in a manga is essentially comically accurate. However, in the past ten years or so, the superhero costumes in comic books are no longer static. Each major character has some important new features, some of which are the first time in more than half a century. (Superman, I am looking at you; his classic look was changed to armor without red trousers in 2011, giving them a high-profile return earlier this year.)

Batman's costume comes from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (left) and Justice League.
Batman’s costume comes from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (left) and Justice League.

In some cases, the change is negligible – most of the changes in Captain America revolve around the degree of fidelity of his shoes and armor, or whether his hood can keep his wings; Batman keeps looking forward But the most important contour remains the same. (This is not the case for all heroes; for example, the comic book “X-Men” was transferred from their own movie and costume versions from 2001 to 2004.) The appearance of the characters has changed slightly, but not Too much; nevertheless, every hero or villain still looks almost like himself.

The same is true for movie avatars. The Dutch new Spider-Man costume redesigned the same model as Iron Man, Thor or Captain America; it’s different, but just a little bit. In the case of movies and comics, it’s like having a basic fact about how each character looks like multiple designs hovering around, trying to find – a Plato ideal vision that is often inaccessible.

In most cases, this ideal is almost certainly the initial interaction between each fan and the character – whether it’s Ditko’s Spider-Man, John Romita’s, or Todd McFarlane’s, or even the comic spiderman (or even Maguire’s first movie, we all know). It is another matter for every reader and audience. However, as long as movies and comics can continue to nod in every new, toy-changing direction, things may continue to work and inspire fans every time.