History Main / SpandexLatexOrLeather

** The older Showa series used spandex bodysuits with plastic armor, upgrading to fully latex suits around the time of ''Series/KamenRiderBlack'', then swapping over to vinyl with FRP[[note]]fiberglass-reinforced plastic[[/note]] or foam armor around ''Series/KamenRiderKuuga''.
** The divide is even more noticeable when old-school Riders are remade in the modern era, such as the revamped versions of [[Series/KamenRider Riders 1, 2]], and [[Series/KamenRiderV3 V3]] used in ''[[Film/KamenRiderTheFirst THE FIRST]]'' and ''[[Film/KamenRiderTheNext THE NEXT]]'', the updated [[Series/KamenRiderStronger Electro-Human Tackle]] suit from the ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'' finale movie,[[note]]Reportedly, Toei also wanted to update Riderman for ''Decade'', but couldn't get the suit in time, which gave us Creator/{{Gackt}} in CivvieSpandex before changing into the old suit for the final battle[[/note]] and the Amazons from ''Series/KamenRiderAmazons''.

** The DarkerAndEdgier sequel to the first film, ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', has him in [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/square_medium/8/80111/3552016-23857.jpg a darker spy outfit]] for the first act, in [[NotWearingTights street clothes]] for the second act, and finally his outfit from the first movie in the third act. ComicBook/TheFalcon and Comicbook/BlackWidow also wear [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/square_medium/11/113509/3563785-mackie.png darker]] [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/square_medium/8/80111/3632453-captain-america.jpg outfits]] that resemble spy or military gear rather than superhero costumes.

* ''WebVideo/FranceFive'': Spandex for the heroes, naturally, since the series tries to stick very closely to classic Sentai. The villains are a bit more varied, with leather, dominatrix-style, for [[TheDarkChick Extasy]], spandex shorts and little else for [[TheBrute Warduke]], and flowing robes for [[TheEvilGenius Cancrelax]] and [[BigBad Glou Man Chou]].

* In ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'', they wear skintight clothing (often under their clothes) as morphing outfits, since it's the only kind of clothes that stay with them when they demorph (the morphing technology was invented by a species of alien centaur that finds clothes so confusing they refer to it at "artificial skin").

The choice can actually be quite complicated because -- of course -- the actors have to wear these things. In ''X-Men'', nobody could move in the leather. There was a scene as they are approaching the Statue of Liberty and they have to climb over a brick wall that's about two foot tall. [[InsurmountableWaistHeightFence It took them several takes]] because [[Creator/HughJackman Jackman]], [[Creator/HalleBerry Berry]] and Co. could barely [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3IFAjV2tvg clamber over it.]] Likewise, it wasn't until ''Film/BatmanBegins'' that any Batman actor could turn their head while in costume (Clooney lampshades this in a ''Late Show'' interview about how conversations between him and Creator/{{Arnold|Schwarzenegger}} would go), though how much of this is the latex and how much of it was costume design is unknown.

The choice can actually be quite complicated because -- of course -- the actors have to wear these things. In ''X-Men'', nobody could move in the leather. There was a scene as they are approaching the Statue of Liberty and they have to climb over a brick wall that's about two foot tall. It took them several takes because [[Creator/HughJackman Jackman]], [[Creator/HalleBerry Berry]] and Co. could [[InsurmountableWaistHeightFence barely]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3IFAjV2tvg clamber over it]]. Likewise, it wasn't until ''Film/BatmanBegins'' that any Batman actor could turn their head while in costume (Clooney lampshades this in a ''Late Show'' interview about how conversations between him and Creator/{{Arnold|Schwarzenegger}} would go), though how much of this is the latex and how much of it was costume design is unknown.

* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'': Latex, Camp/Kid.

** ''Film/BatmanBegins'' has Bruce use a prototype military suit made mostly from Kevlar. ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' adds ceramic plating for even more protection, and a {{lampshade|dTrope}} for movie Batmen being unable to turn their heads -- his integrated mask and cowl is separated into lobstered neck protection and a mask that's reminiscent of a motorcycle helmet

->'''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}:''' ''(fidgeting with the collar of his leather suit)'' You actually go outside in these things?\\
'''ComicBook/{{Cyclops}}:''' Well, what would you prefer? Yellow Spandex?

Costuming for a superhero movie is SeriousBusiness... or at least, it informs the audience how seriously the franchise takes itself. Spandex tends to say "camp" (the ''[[Film/SpiderManTrilogy Spider-Man]]'' movies seem to buck that trend, though), Latex is associated with gritty ''(Film/{{Batman|1989}}'', ''Film/{{Watchmen}})'', and Leather implies "real world" (the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'').

The reason is mostly because of the era associated with the heyday of each. Spandex, the form-fitting, brightly colored "tights", is most associated with old school Superheroes thanks to the 1930's ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' serials. The later use of spandex in the old ''Series/Batman1966'' TV show with Creator/AdamWest would also give it a campy, childish association.[[note]]The term "spandex" is an anachronism, as this synthetic fabric wasn't in wide use until well into the 1960s. Superman and Batman, like their TV counterparts, likely wore cotton.[[/note]] Latex, or hard rubber suits, is most remembered for Creator/TimBurton's relaunch of the ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}'' franchise as a grim, Gothic and serious setting. Creator/JoelSchumacher attempted to shift this toward camp, but then Creator/ChristopherNolan [[Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy shifted it even farther toward the "gritty" end than Burton did]]. Lastly, leather has been used in superhero movies since the beginning of the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', bringing with it a real world setting, implying these are "plausible" heroes who can and do exist in a world much like our own, behaving as real people do rather than people in tights. To each their tastes.

[[folder:Comics]]

* ''Film/{{Daredevil}}'': Leather, gritty.

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'': Spandex, regardless of whether it's the [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy original]], ''[[Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries Amazing]]'', or [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] continuities; unique in that, since Spider-Man is explicitly very acrobatic, both leather and latex would be inappropriate.

** ''Film/{{Superman}}'': Spandex, in a costume true to both the comics and the strongmen inspiration.

** ''Film/ManOfSteel'': A texturized latex/leather that seems more otherworldly but still has the skin tight quality of spandex (Justified, as it's actually a form of SpaceClothes, given that he is an alien after all). In real life, it's actually a black flexible bodysuit with silver colored muscle shaped pieces over it, with a semi-transparent blue silk-like material (with the tiny pattern printed onto it) stretched over that. This is actually a pretty cool fix to the problem of spandex (or any skintight material for that matter) not showing off muscle definition the way it does in the comics. This costume gave the illusion of comic book spandex without the camp factor.

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:

** ''Film/{{Thor}}'': Chris Hemsworth said his costume made use of chainmail and leather, but his chest armor looks to be latex and the clothes worn under the armor (seen briefly in the movie) appears to be fabric. So... all three? Creator/TomHiddleston, who played antagonist Loki, once referred to their costumes as "Leather and metal. That's how we like it in Asgard."

** In ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', he wears [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/square_medium/8/80403/2260826-the_avengers_chris_evans_captain_america_image.jpg a brighter, sleeker outfit]] that is both closer to his comic look and explicitly stated to be tights.

** ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'': Mostly leather -- jackets, vests, pants -- combined with street clothing (or some sort of kevlar in the case of Rocket). The exception is [[WhenTreesAttack Groot]], of course. The team is more "space outlaws" than they are "'real-world' superheroes".
** ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', the DarkerAndEdgier sequel to ''Avengers'', has Cap in [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/square_medium/11/113509/3966419-0958462033-Capta.jpg a darker costume]] that's essentially a cross between the spy suit from ''The Winter Soldier'' and the utilitarian outfit from ''The First Avenger''.
** ''Film/DoctorStrange2016'': Averted with just fabric. The major characters are all sorcerers rather than superheroes and dress in mystic robes.
** ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'': spandex, although his BetaOutfit is basically just street clothes. Creator/TomHolland has stated that the suit is so tight he has to wear a thong.
** ''Film/{{Black Panther|2018}}'': Like Iron Man, metal (first Vibranium-infused body armor, and later nanobots) - and while on set [[https://twitter.com/cheesedbinks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E664536718826061825%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cinemablend.com%2Fnews%2F1557970%2Fwhy-black-panthers-costume-was-kind-of-a-nightmare there was a placeholder spandex suit]], the one in the film is fully digital due to both the physicality of the role and how the material forced the costume to have a metallic sheen.
** ''Film/{{Captain Marvel|2019}}'': leather and body armor, mockingly referred to by Nick Fury as "dressed up for laser tag".
* ''Film/JudgeDredd'': latex, gritty (even though he wore leather in the comic...)
* ''Film/{{Dredd}}'': leather, along with an armor similar to real-life special forces.

** ''Film/{{Batman|1989}}'': latex, as it had to be protective (the comics version always seemed like regular fabric, a look which at least [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjp0I_okX0w one]] FanFilm goes for).
** ''Film/BatmanBegins'' has Bruce use a prototype military suit made mostly from kevlar. ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' adds ceramic plating for even more protection, and a lampshade for movie Batmen being unable to turn their heads - his integrated mask and cowl is separated into lobstered neck protection and a mask that's reminiscent of a motorcycle helmet

** ''[[Film/{{Deadpool 2016}} Deadpool]]'' lampshades this by having its title character mention that, as an OriginStory, it tells "how I got my ass into this spandex outfit". The villains and Colossus wear leather, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead wears a version of the ''First Class'' uniform underneath her leather coat.
* Deliberately averted in the ''Film/GreenLantern2011'' movie. The nature of the suit is a construct of the ring, after debating on a CG ''enhanced'' suit they decided to make the ''entire'' suit CG superimposed over Ryan Reynolds wearing a motion capture suit (the same process was in fact used with Robert Downey Jr. for ''Film/IronMan1''). The same goes for all human-performed Lanterns in the movie. The process was almost seamless, but fan reaction to the look varied.

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* ''Webcomic/M9Girls'': Closer in look to [[MagicalGirl magical girls]]' outfits, The M9 Girls wear ''high resistance polymer'' suits, designed by Karla and paid with her boss' money.

->'''ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}:''' ''(fidgeting with the collar of his leather suit)'' You guys actually go out in these things?\\