Why the Costume?

[Artistsean]

What reason do you think the movie should give for Steve Rogers to dress in the Captain America costume?



The reason could effect what the costume looks like as well as help explain who Captain America was meant to be.

In the original comics, Steve was given the Captain America uniform for the same reason Batman wears his... to scare and startle the enemy.
Cap fought America's enemies at first and seeing a big man dressed in the American Flag was both shocking (giving him time to get the advantage) and scary in that it showed them America was powerful. Plus it created a symbol like the Batman, something more than human.
When he was thawed Steve kept the same costume. His reasons were more of being a symbol of America, I think.

In the Ultimate Comics Cap was sort of a weapon but also a marketing gimmick, used on Enlistment Posters and such. He would wear the costume in battle, not just publicity photos, but that was sort of their reason. I think.
When he was unfrozen Cap's costume was redesigned. He was given a more high tech shield. The Government wanted him to be part of a superhero task force, but again there was also some publicity involved.

The original, some say terrible, movie had the scientist who created the super soldier serum also designed his costume. The joke was, "She didn't know much about camouflage, but she loved the Red, White, and Blue."

In more recent comics, Reborn mostly, they have come up with the idea that Cap's costume was worn over his Army uniform.

I have heard other reasons people have thought up, sort of explaining away why a big super soldier would wear a brightly colored costume in battle, sort of the same reason why they felt they had to change Green Goblin's costume. (to explain away the goofy costume)
Raimi's Spider-man did a pretty good job, since the comic did a great job, showing that Peter went from a wrestler costume to designing a better version of his wrestler costume to fight crime.



So, how would you explain Steve's Captain America costume? What reasons would you give for him wearing it?
And feel free to be creative, even if you don't think the movie would do your idea. There are no wrong answers.

[Webhead2006]

being a symbol and an outfit the military designed for him is what i would go for. But i dont see why this talk couldnt go over in the costume thread. So we dont have multi threads on simular topics. But i am not a mod so i dont have any say there.

[Artistsean]

The topic of this thread is What Reasons the movie should give for wearing the costume, while the other thread is how it should be designed for the movie.
Explaining away the costume is a problem a lot of movie studios seem to have. In X-Men their costumes became leather military like uniforms used for combat, in Spider-Man it was his modified wrestler costume, Green Goblin's costume was a flight suit and helmet. So I was curious how you would want the movie studio to explain the costume in the movie.

[Aesop Rocks]

I think in the war he should wear it because a giant ass kicking American flag is kind of a major moral booster.

[Webhead2006]

ok man sorry about what i said cause these threads get crazy at times. For me like i said in post above i would go for being a symbol for the soliders and to strike fear on the nazi.

[Artistsean]

No problem, for all I knew I was wrong and this thread would be added to the Costume thread. But I thought it had a different reason for it, so I think its OK. If its not OK, then it should be added or something.

But the reason in comic movie about the costume is usually important and can drag down the movie or distract the viewer, like in the STEEL movie staring Shaq. (Among other problems) The thought a big man wearing a costume would be stupid, so all the scenes were done at night and the costume was altered some.
I think if the reason is to be a symbol of hope and a moral booster it will probably be explained in exposition to help the audience understand right off the bat what the costume is for.
I suppose I would also be fine with the reasons for the costume that the Ultimate Comics came up with.

[Webhead2006]

yea i agree as i said for it being a symbol for the troops and all that.

[storyteller]

Well overall most superheroes wear costumes as a symbol. Those who use the suit as a source of power of defense again make a design for symbology. I don't think explaining away the suits has ever been a problem. What has been a problem is adapting a suit of particular designs. If the punisher is going out guns blazing. Why does he not have a bulletproof costume? They have never had a question of "How do we explain away the skull" . For the green goblin they had this issue

"How do we adapt a cloth like costume to the big screen?"

They decided to not use that kind of suit and went with armor. Then they spent a minute on screen showing the suit before the goblin used it.

[Artistsean]

Originally Posted by storyteller

Well overall most superheroes wear costumes as a symbol. Those who use the suit as a source of power of defense again make a design for symbology. I don't think explaining away the suits has ever been a problem. What has been a problem is adapting a suit of particular designs. If the punisher is going out guns blazing. Why does he not have a bulletproof costume? They have never had a question of "How do we explain away the skull" . For the green goblin they had this issue

"How do we adapt a cloth like costume to the big screen?"

They decided to not use that kind of suit and went with armor. Then they spent a minute on screen showing the suit before the goblin used it.

Actually they did try to explain the skull on the Punisher, in the Jane movie. (I don't think they needed to.) Frank's son buys a skull shirt for his dad and says its supposed to be good luck or something. Then when Frank's family is killed he and the shirt wash up on shore. He decides to use that as a symbol for himself because of his son.
With the Goblin I actually read that they went with the flight suit because a guy in that costume doesn't make sense. they also were thinking of using a Goblin who transformed physically because they thought the costume would be too unrealistic for them, at least thats what it sounds like to me.
It even seems like they were worried about the Hulk being green in first Hulk movie, they showed in the opening that an animal (like a fish or lizard) was used because they turned green or something. Its been so long I can't remember completely. But they tried to explain why he turned green.
I don't think the studios are worried about the costumes or try to explain them away, they are just trying to give the audience justification for the character wearing the costume so that they don't sit there wondering why this guy is wearing a costume. So they can enjoy the movie without falling back into reality for a second.
I think its all over movies, where they don't want the audience to worry about all the details and facts and just relax and enjoy whatever the movie is. But maybe its just my opinion.
Or maybe I'm wrong. What do you guys think?

[roach]

Because the Red Skull pretty much put the fear of god in to the Allied troops and he was created to counter that...early psychological warfare...its why Samurai wear demon masks into battle....where legends like the Red Baron are created.

[Mr. Earle]

How about: An American Flag crashed through his window?

[Spider-X]

In times of great strife for our nation (9/11 for instance)...one of the strongest symbols around and something everyone rallied around was the American Flag. Now imagine how much of a moral booster to soldiers on the battlefield if they saw our national symbol kicking ass and taking names in the name of our nation and our founding principles. That's a straight shot of pure patriotic adrenaline.

The American Flag is a HUGE deal to people in America. It's a symbol of everything we stand for...and with a man wrapped in that symbol and defending our nation, our pride, and our freedoms with his superhuman abilities, that's somebody every american can rally behind.

It's as simple as that. Hell, I feel patriotic and a little amped just writing that.

[Artistsean]

"The first allied combat troops to enter Paris during the liberation of France can never forget the inspiring sight of one man who has become a legend in his own time..."
"The historical film, which has become almost as familiar as the flag raising on Iwo Jima, shows Captain America engaged in the final mopping up at gestapo headquarters..."

Comic evidence I suppose of Cap's inspiration to the troops.