First Avenger Captain America's Costume

[Timstuff]

With the wings, his silhouette could also be the Flash's. What makes it distinct to me is his shield, not the wings.

Wally West has lightning bolts, not wings. Also, even Barry's wings are very different from Captain America's. They are swept straight backwards, have a very streamlined art-deco design, and they are attached to covers over his ears. Cap's wings are mounted closer to his upper temples and have a more military badge styling to them. They are very different, even though they're both loosely based on the Greek god Hermes' helmet, and they both have distinct silhouettes from each other.

Also, the shield does not count as part of the character's silhouette because it's an accessory. If he's not holding the shield, it's not part of his silhouette, and there will be a lot of time in the film where he's not holding the shield. That's kind of like saying The Punisher's guns are part of his silhouette (which was never very memorable to begin with).

 

[Crook]

Time for a quick lesson on character design.

Tell me, which one of these looks more like Captain America?

If you ask me, my first reaction to the one on the left is that it's Shaquile O'Neil.

The A on Cap's head is just a sticker. It's a flat, generic logo, and you could easily replace it with an eagle and at a glance most people wouldn't even realize the A is missing any more than they would that Batman has a different logo on his chest in Batman Begins than in the Burton movies. When it comes to things like a character's silhouette though, the more recognizable it is the better. When you take away Cap's wings, you have the silhouette of a big bald dude. There's virtually nothing distinguishable about it at all, and that is why I am against removing the wings.

Cap isn't Bats, he isn't going to be in the shadows lurking around corners. Judging a suit based on it's silhouette is ignoring 99% of the actual design, which is what's most important.

 

[The Squirrel]

Wally West has lightning bolts, not wings. Also, even Barry's wings are very different from Captain America's. They are swept straight backwards, have a very streamlined art-deco design, and they are attached to covers over his ears. Cap's wings are mounted closer to his upper temples and have a more military badge styling to them. They are very different, even though they're both loosely based on the Greek god Hermes' helmet, and they both have distinct silhouettes from each other.

Also, the shield does not count as part of the character's silhouette because it's an accessory. If he's not holding the shield, it's not part of his silhouette, and there will be a lot of time in the film where he's not holding the shield. That's kind of like saying The Punisher's guns are part of his silhouette (which was never very memorable to begin with).

Well as you will spend two hours looking at the man's shadow, I'll let you know how the film is.

 

[Timstuff]

In my character design classes we were taught that 50% of what the audience sees when they look at a character is the silhouette, and the other 50% is everything else. The silhouette is not just referring to how the character looks when shrouded in darkness, at least not in character design terms-- when the audience sees a character, in their minds they are drawing a line around the edge of them on a subconscious level. If half of what makes a character design easily recognizable is their silhouette, then the more unique the silhouette, the better.

The fact of the matter is that there is NOTHING distinguishable about Cap's silhouette when you take away the wings, so he doesn't "read" nearly as well as being Captain America as he would with them. No matter how good the suit looks, it will always look more like Captain America when you add the wings.

 

[roach]

The suit for me is adequate. Adding the wings would make it perfect IMO. Having the wings is just one of those little things Marvel adds to their films as a nod to the fans. Hopefully if Marvel is scouring the net to guage how we feel about the designs maybe they'll hear the fans who want the wings on the costume.

 

[L3G3NDK1LLER]

I cant believe there is this much of a debate about wings on a costume...but Ill throw my two cents in and say I love this costume. Marvel has grade A costume designers...

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Captain America's gonna go spelunking after the war.

 

[roach]

because to some people the wings are integral to the character design. Hell its part of his Stan Lee nickname "Winghead"

 

[The Squirrel]

The suit for me is adequate. Adding the wings would make it perfect IMO. Having the wings is just one of those little things Marvel adds to their films as a nod to the fans. Hopefully if Marvel is scouring the net to guage how we feel about the designs maybe they'll hear the fans who want the wings on the costume.

Maybe they will have the wings on the USO costume. That's a fair compromise.

 

[Spade]

Wally West has lightning bolts, not wings.
Also, even Barry's wings are very different from Captain America's. They are swept straight backwards, have a very streamlined art-deco design, and they are attached to covers over his ears. Cap's wings are mounted closer to his upper temples and have a more military badge styling to them. They are very different, even though they're both loosely based on the Greek god Hermes' helmet, and they both have distinct silhouettes from each other.

We're still talking silhouettes, correct? Unless the two characters are compared side-by-side and by their side profiles, those won't be details that occur to the untrained eye.

Also, the shield does not count as part of the character's silhouette because it's an accessory. If he's not holding the shield, it's not part of his silhouette, and there will be a lot of time in the film where he's not holding the shield. That's kind of like saying The Punisher's guns are part of his silhouette (which was never very memorable to begin with).

The Punisher uses sniper rifles, machetes, rockets...anything that comes to mind and that can kill effectively, really. All his weapons are as you describe- accessories, transient and to be disposed of once ammo's out. Captain America has his shield, and has gone as far as to waive use of other weapons over it for years in Marvel comics. Whatever time he spends without it will probably be early on or when he's temporarily parted with it in battle.

Quesada didn't entrust Steve Colbert with Cap's cowl wings, y'know. He had him keep the other thing...the indelible iconic symbol which Steve always totes around to be thrown heroically, that instantly draws his image into the public's mind once spotted...

Spoiler

His shield.

 

[roach]

You know I wondered why the pics of Cap and Thor were released and I think I know why....The Licensing Expo is next week. I dont think Marvel is showcasing anything but WB may give us a first look at Green Lantern in costume and Marvel may have wanted to steal some thunder

 

[Timstuff]

We're still talking silhouettes, correct? Unless the two characters are compared side-by-side and by their side profiles, those won't be details that occur to the untrained eye.

Not on a conscious level, no, but that's just it... A character's silhouette plays into how we "read" the character the same way the font and formatting affect how we read a book. It's not something we're aware of on the surface, but there's a reason why it is that way. Silhouette is VERY important to character design, and a common exercise is to design characters by just a silhouette. With Marvel's current design for Cap without wings, his silhouette is just a bald guy. We have to read all of the individual elements within his silhouette before we can read him as Captain America, because the wings are missing from his silhouette. It's like Batman without his pointy ears, it just doesn't look the right.

 

[cosmicherosa]

Perhaps Cap will earn his Wings with his valor shown on the field of battle

 

[Timstuff]

Eh... six to one half a dozen the other. I would be fine with either. Its not a big deal to me.

At the risk of sounding fanboyish, that there is how it's done. When Cap has his wings, it leaves the onlooker with a statement, not a question. Without the wings, the first reaction on seeing it is "is that Captain America? Oh, it is, cool!" Wheras if the wings are where they should be, the reaction is "That's Captain America!" You don't have to "read" the design in order to get it, it just plain works. Although I'd prefer the straps not be wider than seatbelts, lol.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Alright, I took CrimsonMist's idea and ran with it.
Manip:

THIS!

Honestly man, that is what I want to see on screen. Three subtle changes. I'm really digging it. Was gonna make the manip myself, but it's awesome you did it. Also, congrats of Feige liking it, too.

The wings need to be there. He just looks awkward without them. It bugs me when I see it in the comics, it bugs me when I see these designs and it'll bug me in the theater. He looks flat out awkward without the wings. It's like they forgot something.

I still have to wonder though. if THAT's his WW2 suit, what the hell is his Avengers suit gonna look like?

 

[Antonello Blueberry]

The concept artist seems to really appreciate Jim Lee's art.

 

[Microchip]

I still have to wonder though. if THAT's his WW2 suit, what the hell is his Avengers suit gonna look like?

Who knows, but let's just speculate for fun that it'll be pretty much the same but with red gloves, boots and wings. He's not in a war anymore and he's a symbol, so maybe he'll add those touches to the costume to emphasize that.

Since it already looks pretty high-tech, I'd say the change would be like from BB to TDK for Batman's costume, or even from IM's circle arc reactor to the triangular one.

 

[Timstuff]

 

[jmc]

I surprised by some of the reaction. Seriously, it combines practicality with the essence of the comic book design, you couldn't ask for a better adaptation. It looks like Cap America, end of story.

 

[Timstuff]

I surprised by some of the reaction. Seriously, it combines practicality with the essence of the comic book design, you couldn't ask for a better adaptation. It looks like Cap America, end of story.

Actually you could, because it doesn't have wings. That seems to be the primary reason people cite for being discontent with it. No matter how good it is, it will be better with wings.

 

[jmc]

If it wasn't the wings it'd be something else. There's always gonna be complaints that's it's not 'comic book' enough no matter which character. If this is the ends result then it's a job well done as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Timstuff]

Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with the rest of the suit if they'd get the head right. I mean, does it matter if they make a perfect Batman suit if they decide that the ears on the cowl look too goofy and take them off? We look at these characters from the head down, and therefore the head is the most important part to get right. I was never a fan of Cap's modern suit in the Ultimates because I felt it looked too generic without the wings on the mask, and this suit has the same problem.

 

[Tissues]

I would have liked wings, but the wingless/earless look reminds me of the 1940s serial a bit. So the body may not be quite 1940s but the head is looking like it. I like the design, by the way.

 

[Ring Deacon]

The costume looks amazing. I am happy with it. I can see why people would like the wings on it, but it really isn't a big deal for me. The boots and gloves don't look all brown to me. They look more rust colored to me, so they have a touch of red to them.

 

[Gamma Ray]

In the words of some gay guy somewhere: LOOOOVE IT!