Daredevil The Inevitable Costume Thread - Part 1

[metaphysician]

I actually don't think he really needs much in the way of armor plates; Matt seems really good at avoiding getting shot. Most of his injuries come from being swarmed in melee ( or fighting singular badasses in melee ), so his costume mainly needs to protect against the huge accumulation of cuts and stabs and bruises he accumulates. At least make it so somebody slashing at him with a blade is most likely just going to cut up the surface of his outfit.

I actually liked that bit when Potter gave him the suit, how he emphasized that its protective, but it has limits. He's good, but he's not Tony Stark, and what Potter makes is basically "real world light ballistic vest, only flexible enough to wear as a body suit".

 

[Mike Murdock]

There's an interview with Steven DeKnight that talks about the season as a whole (so there's obviously spoilers). It probably deserves its own thread, but I thought I would call attention to it in relevant threads.

Here is what he said about the costume:

I also got asked a lot of questions about why he doesn't have a "DD" on his chest, but he got the suit before he got the name. We talked a lot about DD on the suit, which is one of the more problematic emblems in superhero-dom. It’s a little wonky. His suit in the comics is very difficult to translate to screen, especially in this world that is grounded and gritty. There are some practical difficulties. The Daredevil outfit in the comics, his mask only covers half his nose. It doesn't come all the way down to the tip. We discovered when we were trying to design it that if you didn't bring it all the way down, you could clearly tell it was Charlie. Not only did we have the suspension of belief that nobody would know “hey, that’s Matt Murdock” we also had the practical problem of it becoming almost impossible when it came to switching in and out our stunt double. So we had to make that adjustment.

 

[Random490]

There's an interview with Steven DeKnight that talks about the season as a whole (so there's obviously spoilers). It probably deserves its own thread, but I thought I would call attention to it in relevant threads.

Here is what he said about the costume:

That makes me feel a bit better about the nose.

 

[The Question]

I really like the fact that he didn't get the costume until the last episode. If he had gotten the costume mid-season, it wouldn't have had any impact. Donning the costume in his final confrontation with The Kingpin as he comes into his own as the champion of Hell's Kitchen is a triumphant moment. If it had happened earlier than that, it would have just felt like checking off a box on your list of "things to adapt."

That's the tricky part about doing an adaptation, especially of something that doesn't have a single cohesive plot that you're adapting but instead a mishmash of story lines and concepts from dozens of different writers over a fifty year period: You have to make every action and concept in your version of the story feel absolutely necessary with in the context of that version, and not like you're adding things that were in the book because you feel obligated to.


The way they handled it here was damn near perfect, I thought.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Well, I think that depends. I think it could have had impact if it occurred in some kind of "turning point." Now I don't think there really was a clear turning point. Nelson v. Murdock was episode 10. I could see episode 11 being that turning point, but that's practically at the end anyway so I don't think it really matters.

Either way, I was looking forward to the Defenders to see the costume in action for a bunch of episodes, but it appears we don't have to wait that long. Given that season 2 is coming so soon, I think that alleviates many of my concerns.

 

[TheBeastWithin]

There's an interview with Steven DeKnight that talks about the season as a whole (so there's obviously spoilers). It probably deserves its own thread, but I thought I would call attention to it in relevant threads.

Here is what he said about the costume:

I also got asked a lot of questions about why he doesn't have a "DD" on his chest, but he got the suit before he got the name. We talked a lot about DD on the suit, which is one of the more problematic emblems in superhero-dom. It’s a little wonky. His suit in the comics is very difficult to translate to screen, especially in this world that is grounded and gritty. There are some practical difficulties. The Daredevil outfit in the comics, his mask only covers half his nose. It doesn't come all the way down to the tip. We discovered when we were trying to design it that if you didn't bring it all the way down, you could clearly tell it was Charlie. Not only did we have the suspension of belief that nobody would know “hey, that’s Matt Murdock” we also had the practical problem of it becoming almost impossible when it came to switching in and out our stunt double. So we had to make that adjustment.

In addition here is Joe Quesada http://joequesada.tumblr.com/ adding a bit more to what DeKnight says:

First, he isn’t called Daredevil at the time that the suit is made.
Secondly, there’s really no rationale for why he would put the double D on his chest? The devil horns and red and black body armor motif of the suit makes symbolic sense, especially after he gets the inspiration from Father Lathom, but it’s not like the DD’s going to strike fear in the hearts of criminals. This isn’t to say that it can’t happen someday, it just would have felt forced in a show where we were trying to make everything feel as real, grounded and plausible as possible.

 

[lujho]

https://www.behance.net/gallery/25350339/Daredevil-the-man-without-fear

Something like that would be great. But the neck part should still be red.

 

[m4st4]

The costume is very good but still not great, hopefully they'll improve on the design for season 2.

 

[Bruce Malone]

You know, by the time the show gets around to introducing his proper suit, I found myself wanting Matt to continue on in his vigilante outfit. There is sound wisdom to Matt donning a suit with more armor than what his vigilante suit offered. However, I feel that the black suit spoke more to his character. In this show, Murdock wasn't concerned with taking on some persona, or name, or a flamboyant look. He needed his identity obscured and some protection, and he went with the most functional stuff he could get.

Honestly, I feel that the black suit looks far more imposing than the armored suit. The under-armour shirt of the black suit displays Matt's physique and lets you know that this is a man in top physical condition. The dark mask has no eye openings, which gives him this intense appearance and subtly conveys confidence. I can imagine the confusion that a criminal would have in seeing man that is blindfolded, in the dark, yet approaching with no hesitation, right into the fray of battle. Someone like that is either nuts, or highly skilled, and neither outcome would be desirable to face in a fight.

I agree with all of these points. I was shocked at how much I loved the black suit as it looked pretty pedestrian in the promo shots.

It looks like a real suit someone who just wanted to kick criminal ass would wear in the real world no gimmicks just results.

Although they did sell it pretty well how Matt needed some sort of armor as his opponents got better.

 

[Greens]

The black suit >> the actual DD suit

 

[TheBeastWithin]

I agree with all of these points. I was shocked at how much I loved the black suit as it looked pretty pedestrian in the promo shots.

It looks like a real suit someone who just wanted to kick criminal ass would wear in the real world no gimmicks just results.

Although they did sell it pretty well how Matt needed some sort of armor as his opponents got better.

Agreed on all. Black suit cut a better silhouette but he needed two things when upgrading: Better protection but still lightweight, and to embrace the symbol as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, reinforced by his talk about the Devil with Father Lathom.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I don't watch the Flash but someone pointed out the suits look pretty similar...

 

[Astro13Zombie]

Except that they don't

 

[warhorse78]

That makes me feel a bit better about the nose.

Maybe for you, but not for me. He still looks like an idiot! He looks far more threatening and cooler in the black mask. Look, it's a miss, the designers need to get over themselves and just go back to what worked. People all over the internet liked the black suit over the red, and most of it has to do with the OTT, stupid looking mask! Replace the mask with the full on bandana he had, stick a skull cap on to protect his head, and then maybe we have a winner. But right now as is, I hope his suit gets caught in a meat grinder and he has no choice but to wear the black one for a while longer.

 

[ernesth100]

Something like that would be great. But the neck part should still be red.

Aw they can't keep a dang inch of black on the suit can they, just a see of endless red?

 

[s_mikheidze]

Except that they don't

oh but they do...They are both red and have a human inside them...hence they are exactly alike

 

[Spiderdevil]

I also got asked a lot of questions about why he doesn't have a "DD" on his chest, but he got the suit before he got the name. We talked a lot about DD on the suit, which is one of the more problematic emblems in superhero-dom. It’s a little wonky. His suit in the comics is very difficult to translate to screen, especially in this world that is grounded and gritty. There are some practical difficulties. The Daredevil outfit in the comics, his mask only covers half his nose. It doesn't come all the way down to the tip. We discovered when we were trying to design it that if you didn't bring it all the way down, you could clearly tell it was Charlie. Not only did we have the suspension of belief that nobody would know “hey, that’s Matt Murdock” we also had the practical problem of it becoming almost impossible when it came to switching in and out our stunt double. So we had to make that adjustment.

There are a dozen things wrong with the suit apart form the DD insigma and nose part
They could have still made a comic book faithful costume with a mask covering the nose (and without a ridiculous M pattern on the eyes) and without the DD (and the ridiculous black stripes on the chest)

 

[gohei_]

Yeah the mask thing is not the only problem the suit has, so I really hope they listen to the fans and have it changed.

 

[TheVileOne]

I really like and admire Steve DeKnight. I'm a huge fan of his work. On the other hand, I'm really bothered about what he said about the DD emblem. Yes I get him not having it yet. No one came up with the Daredevil name. But I disagree on the emblem. I love the emblem, and I think Charlie Cox wants to see it brought in too.

It's just slightly annoying because it seems like it goes back to the same thing on the 1989 Punisher movie. He can't wear a skull on his chest because it looks too stupid. IMHO, it's like saying Cap can't wear the stars and stripes because its too old fashioned.

It's part of him being a hero and a symbol. He has his own symbol and call sign of sorts. Marvel and Netflix had no problem using that symbol all over the show's promotional materials. But put it on a costume? Yeah, no problem.

 

[Bathead]

Yeah the mask thing is not the only problem the suit has, so I really hope they listen to the fans and have it changed.

Two things ...
First - you have absolutely no idea how many fans either hate or love the suit. The vast majority might love the suit, you don't know. I myself am a comic book purist, and I have no problem with it.
Second - Letting the fans dictate how to run a TV show or produce a movie is always a bad idea.

 

[gohei_]

Two things ...
First - you have absolutely no idea how many fans either hate or love the suit. The vast majority might love the suit, you don't know. I myself am a comic book purist, and I have no problem with it.
Second - Letting the fans dictate how to run a TV show or produce a movie is always a bad idea.

Yes you are right, but so far I haven't seen many folks who say they love the suit, most are just ok with it and also many people really don't like it at all.
I wouldn't say that listening to the fans is always a bad idea, and I personally believe that they weren't sure of what the viewers would think of the suit, so they made sure to have Potter mention that the suit wasn't really finished. That way they can change the suit afterwards if they feel the need to.

 

[The Question]

Oh my God you guys, the suit looks great. I have no idea why people are up in arms about a well designed live action adaptation of the costume. Literally the only think it's missing is the insignia, but honestly I can live without it.

 

[Mike Murdock]

What I've said before is I could do without the crap on his chest. I'd also reduce the amount of black (it doesn't have to be an all red suit, but I wouldn't complain if it was. Otherwise, I'm happy with it.

 

[Travesty]

Oh my God you guys, the suit looks great. I have no idea why people are up in arms about a well designed live action adaptation of the costume. Literally the only think it's missing is the insignia, but honestly I can live without it.

I can live with the suit, but I'm still not a fan of that cowl/helmet.

 

[Random490]

So after watching the final fight scene a few more times I officially love the costume, still the eyes and nose specifically needs work, that's where the costume falls apart. But everything else I think works.