The Cape

[The Squirrel]

With all the other problems on this show, a CGI cape is not at the top of my list.

 

[Bathead]

Is the main villain Chess or the group Tarot?

I also really liked the carnies, especially their leader. He has such flair and a commanding presence about him. The fake death scene had me laughing.

My wife thinks I am crazy for watching this show. She compared to a show that was on SciFi called Black Scorpion. I think The Cape is much better than Black Scorpion, but that's not saying much, since Black Scorpion was fantastically horrible. God only knows why I watched it, maybe it was the lead female in a skimpy outfit. lol

I remember Black Scorpion very well. The Cape is tons better than that disaster, in every way.

 

[The Question]

But at the same time, significantly less entertaining.

 

[squeekness]

do it right or don't ****ing do it

Seriously. The cgi cape was bugging me the whole time I was watching the show. Maybe the HD channel made it look worse, I dunno.

 

[kguillou]

i wish they wouldnt insult our intelligence and just say its a magic cape. I know its suspension of disbelief but if they're going for the realism angle then it doesnt really make any sense.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I thought that's how they were going to go. When Max said the cape was "specially made" or something like that, I got all excited because I thought it would be super-magical awesomeness. But instead he's like, "It's got a weighted hem and it's made of spider-silk and blah blah blah (insert other boring details about fabric and stitching here)."

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

The entire premise of him being called "The Cape" was sort of lame too. He names himself after a character in an already existing comcbook?

I could see him taking inspiration from it, but using the same exact name and look? Could you imagine if some knucklehead popped up in NYC tomorrow calling himself "Batman" how badly he'd be mocked?

Always better to have others give you your superhero name like the media, etc. Otherwise it's like giving yourself your own nickname, and that's just lame.

 

[Paradox1]

The entire premise of him being called "The Cape" was sort of lame too. He names himself after a character in an already existing comcbook?

I could see him taking inspiration from it, but using the same exact name and look? Could you imagine if some knucklehead popped up in NYC tomorrow calling himself "Batman" how badly he'd be mocked?

Always better to have others give you your superhero name like the media, etc. Otherwise it's like giving yourself your own nickname, and that's just lame.

I'm very sure that batman named himself batman and so did spider-man, punisher, moon knight, blade, and etc etc. Only people who let the media name them are serial killers.

 

[carrrnuttt]

The entire premise of him being called "The Cape" was sort of lame too. He names himself after a character in an already existing comcbook?

I could see him taking inspiration from it, but using the same exact name and look? Could you imagine if some knucklehead popped up in NYC tomorrow calling himself "Batman" how badly he'd be mocked?

Always better to have others give you your superhero name like the media, etc. Otherwise it's like giving yourself your own nickname, and that's just lame.

He originally did it to inspire his son, and that was his son's favorite character.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Not really a fair comparison between The Cape's world and the real world, either. A guy who popped up in a major city calling himself "Chess" would be mocked just as much as a guy calling himself "Batman," and it has nothing to do with name recognition.

 

[The Question]

Not really a fair comparison between The Cape's world and the real world, either. A guy who popped up in a major city calling himself "Chess" would be mocked just as much as a guy calling himself "Batman," and it has nothing to do with name recognition.

That is until he starts blowing up cars with police officers in them.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, that's what I mean. This is a world where costumed people have proven themselves to be pretty serious, so whatever the new mask is calling himself, people aren't necessarily gonna write him off as quickly as they would in the real world. That he modeled himself after a comic book character seems relatively minor.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

I'm very sure that batman named himself batman and so did spider-man, punisher, moon knight, blade, and etc etc. Only people who let the media name them are serial killers.

Go read Batrman:Year One. Also "Superman" was given that name by Lois Lane, Spider-man was given his name by a wrestling promoter, the Hulk was given his name by the media, etc.

He originally did it to inspire his son, and that was his son's favorite character.

I'm aware of that however that doesnt make it less lame. ANY superhero regardless of what he was called would inspire a 10 year old kid. Now he just comes off like some clown who's trying to act out what he's seen in a comicbook.

Not really a fair comparison between The Cape's world and the real world, either. A guy who popped up in a major city calling himself "Chess" would be mocked just as much as a guy calling himself "Batman," and it has nothing to do with name recognition.

Of course he would, because when he gives himself the name it seems silly. However if dead bodies start appearing with say, ceramic chess pieces jammed into their skulls, and the media dons him "Chess" or the "Chess Killer", etc. It's a lot more impactful. Just ask the Zodiac Killer or the people who were alive in NYC in the 70's crapping their pants every night

Also in the Cape's world there arent superhero and villain's running around, at least as far as the public knows so the same basic rules would apply.

 

[Paradox1]

Go read Batrman:Year One. Also "Superman" was given that name by Lois Lane, Spider-man was given his name by a wrestling promoter, the Hulk was given his name by the media, etc.



I'm aware of that however that doesnt make it less lame. ANY superhero regardless of what he was called would inspire a 10 year old kid. Now he just comes off like some clown who's trying to act out what he's seen in a comicbook.



Of course he would, because when he gives himself the name it seems silly. However if dead bodies start appearing with say, ceramic chess pieces jammed into their skulls, and the media dons him "Chess" or the "Chess Killer", etc. It's a lot more impactful. Just ask the Zodiac Killer or the people who were alive in NYC in the 70's crapping their pants every night

Also in the Cape's world there arent superhero and villain's running around, at least as far as the public knows so the same basic rules would apply.

In the case of batman and spideman they wore those costumes before the media had an inkling of who they are. They put serious thoughts into what those costumes represent. I'm just saying the media not naming him the cape is a lame reason to not like him. When it's very common in the comic book world to have a hero or a villain name themselves. By the way in the cape world which is based on our real world. A man can call themselves what ever they want if they are respected. Muhammed Ali was once Cassius Clay and many media refused to aknowledge him as such but after beating the pants off Sonny Liston nobody called him by clay again.

 

[Prison Mike]

The show's cheesiness is the best part. Just embrace it. EMBRACE IT....

 

[Morg]

The show's cheesiness is the best part. Just embrace it. EMBRACE IT....

no...no...

 

[That person]

I get the feeling that if this were based on a comic book, people would criticize it for adhering to the source material too closely.

 

[KenK]

I thought that's how they were going to go. When Max said the cape was "specially made" or something like that, I got all excited because I thought it would be super-magical awesomeness. But instead he's like, "It's got a weighted hem and it's made of spider-silk and blah blah blah (insert other boring details about fabric and stitching here)."

To be fair, some of those "boring details" do have some basis in reality. If Max is bringing Vince into the fold, so to speak, there's absolutely no reason to sell him on the cape as if it's magic, because he needs to learn how to use it! These people are carnival acts and illusionists, everything they present to audiences as "magic" has some practical basis.

 

[KenK]

The show's cheesiness is the best part. Just embrace it. EMBRACE IT....

But the shows yet to really strike that balance to make it as engaging as possible, at least not to me anyway. I do give it credit for some effort, though. The problem with Heroes from day one, was that it was far too grandiose in its goals, and made no real effort to achieve those goals in an engaging fashion. They spent for too much time creating this history for the characters that they repeatedly lost sight of what the name of the f***king show was!! And when they finally decide, let's have a character, other than Hiro, make the decision to be an actually HERO, she's forgotten about after about five episodes, and they make no effort to resolve her arc!!!

 

[mr. peasant]

I thought that's how they were going to go. When Max said the cape was "specially made" or something like that, I got all excited because I thought it would be super-magical awesomeness. But instead he's like, "It's got a weighted hem and it's made of spider-silk and blah blah blah (insert other boring details about fabric and stitching here)."

I thought it should be pretty obvious why they didn't simply explain the cape as being magical in nature - it introduces magic into the setting. Doing this would cause viewers to expect other magic users (whether directly or through items) to exist and appear in the show; which isn't the direction the producers seem to want to take at this point.


On a separate note, I think the producers didn't play up James Frain/Peter Fleming's chess motif enough. Sure, there was a visual theme. However, what they could/should have done was establish him as a bit more of a chessmaster. By this, I mean they should show him to be a guy who thinks ten steps ahead, reveal that the hero's apparent foiling of his plans actually furthers his true/ulterior goal, is able to see the silver lining when foiled and/or learns from his mistakes.

In my opinion, having a cunning, charismatic and competent (meaning his plots don't always get foiled by the hero) is a good way of drawing in viewers again and again since episodes don't have a guarantee that the hero will be ultimately victorious. For instance, it would have fit well that following the Cape catching him by surprise in episode one, they could have revealed at the end of episode two that Chess' plot to poison the guy in charge of the prisons doubled as a ploy to draw the Cape out.

 

[aka Kal el]

With all the other problems on this show, a CGI cape is not at the top of my list.

It just seems like Knight Rider w/o the talking car!

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I thought it should be pretty obvious why they didn't simply explain the cape as being magical in nature - it introduces magic into the setting. Doing this would cause viewers to expect other magic users (whether directly or through items) to exist and appear in the show; which isn't the direction the producers seem to want to take at this point.

I know that now, having seen the pilot. But I still think it's kind of lame. People are way too scared of magic. I happen to find it fun, especially in superhero settings where it can clash with technology and other sources of powers.

 

[Prison Mike]

But the shows yet to really strike that balance to make it as engaging as possible, at least not to me anyway. I do give it credit for some effort, though. The problem with Heroes from day one, was that it was far too grandiose in its goals, and made no real effort to achieve those goals in an engaging fashion. They spent for too much time creating this history for the characters that they repeatedly lost sight of what the name of the f***king show was!! And when they finally decide, let's have a character, other than Hiro, make the decision to be an actually HERO, she's forgotten about after about five episodes, and they make no effort to resolve her arc!!!

Which Hero was that? Claire? I didn't see the last season at all. I was tired of nothing progressing.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

In the case of batman and spideman they wore those costumes before the media had an inkling of who they are. They put serious thoughts into what those costumes represent. I'm just saying the media not naming him the cape is a lame reason to not like him.

It's by far not the only reason to dislike the show. I was simply listing it as an aside which made the show feel unreasonably corny.

When it's very common in the comic book world to have a hero or a villain name themselves.
By the way in the cape world which is based on our real world. A man can call themselves what ever they want if they are respected. Muhammed Ali was once Cassius Clay and many media refused to aknowledge him as such but after beating the pants off Sonny Liston nobody called him by clay again.

Except that in your example for it to be similar to The Cape instead of taking a legitimate Mulsim name like Cassius Clay did, he would've started callling himself "Popeye" or some other name of an already existing and likely trademarked fictional character. Then he'd have started wearing a sailor hat, smoking a cobb pipe. and got anchor tattoos on his forearms.

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

Which Hero was that? Claire? I didn't see the last season at all. I was tired of nothing progressing.

I think he was talking about Monica, the Taskmaster character.