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Welcome to the main discussion thread for the Marvel Cinematic Universe! This pinned post is here to establish some basic guidelines. All of the Media Forum rules still apply.

  • This thread is for talking about the live-action films, TV shows, animated works, and related content that use the Marvel brand, currently owned by Disney.
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    Original post 
Since Thor and now Captain America came out this year, I wanted to get what Tropers thought of the concept and execution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. Personally I love the idea and wonder why this idea hasn't been seriously tried before. It sorta seems to me like the DCAU in movie form (And well, ummm, with Marvel), and really 'gets' the comic book feel of a shared universe while not being completely alienating.

Edited by Mrph1 on Jul 29th 2024 at 3:09:00 PM

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#128051: May 10th 2021 at 11:19:11 PM

I believe that particular armored costume for Spidey was from the Ends of the Earth arc where he had to go all out against a world-ending Doctor Octopus.

I think he placed greater emphasis on greater defense, strength, and a whole lot of tech.

[up][up] Oooh the Udon costume.

Edited by slimcoder on May 10th 2021 at 11:19:38 AM

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
Nightwire Since: Feb, 2010
#128052: May 10th 2021 at 11:51:01 PM

You know, it always tickles me that Taskmaster's costume barely has anything to do with his power set or what he does. Oh, I am a mercenary and master assassin that can mimick any fighting style that I see. But I choose to look like Discount Skeletor Actually Wearing a Shirt.

AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#128053: May 11th 2021 at 12:37:38 AM

I really wish, considering the MCU's preference towards various flavors of "pragmatic" costuming, that they had just gone full-steam ahead with the Udon costume for ol' Tasky.

XMenMutant22 The Feline Follies of Felix the Cat Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Hoping Senpai notices me
#128054: May 11th 2021 at 12:56:28 AM

It's the suits like this that leave me shrugging my shoulders and going, "Superhero gotta superhero, I guess."

Except even in-universe, Spidey's Advanced Suit uses protective and mobile friendly material (like graphene). The "reds" on his suit aren't just for show, but also have the most reinforcement, according to its biography. (Similar to how Batman's yellow emblem tend to be the most protective part of his costume).

Edited by XMenMutant22 on May 11th 2021 at 3:57:47 PM

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#128055: May 11th 2021 at 1:03:57 AM

It is a thing that both Batman and Punishers insignias are actually the most armored part of their suits.

The bright imagery is supposed to trick the eyes into aiming directly at their most defended parts.

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#128056: May 11th 2021 at 2:13:04 AM

I’d argue that that sort of armored look is ill-suited for the sort of gravity-defying acrobatics you see Spider-Man doing (outside some situational uses, I suppose). And even putting aside that, I feel like it just looks kind of ugly for a Spidey look, regardless of practicality.

Armor isn't all that practical for Spidey since his power-set helps him to not get hit at all. Armor would just slow him down.

Wouldn’t his powerset allow him to move much faster with armor on than a regular human?

Sometimes superheroes getting armored tends to make them look more militarized. Some do need the protection, but it feels odd to see Spider-Man in quasi-military gear when he's fighting lizards and bank robbers. On the whole, superheroes have gotten more militarized in media and IMO it feels uneasy, like a gradual normalization trend. Batman is a detective; he doesn't always have to be a SEAL.

It's always weird to me when people say superheroes are getting more militarized if they wear armor when writers have to make them superior to conventional weaponry either through super powers or more advanced weaponry that most of the populace lacks. Not to mention, we are already talking about a genre (or whatever you want to call it) that is about good guys using violence on bad guys.

Cortez from Parts Unknown (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#128057: May 11th 2021 at 2:15:39 AM

I like the MCU Tasky kept the classic colors though.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#128058: May 11th 2021 at 2:16:36 AM

[up][up]Even taking Super-Strength into account, Spidey's web-slinging is something that's better done with less weight.

Edited by M84 on May 11th 2021 at 5:16:44 PM

Disgusted, but not surprised
Zeromaeus Since: May, 2010
#128059: May 11th 2021 at 3:28:01 AM

Spidey is an acrobat. He needs to be able to contort himself this way and that to swing and dodge.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#128060: May 11th 2021 at 5:38:04 AM

The interesting thing about the requisite skin tight spandex outfits is that seems to be the result of art drift

If you look at older comics, the superhero costumes are a bit looser, not quite painted on. The Ant-Man costume was even supposed to have the function of protecting Hank from ant bites

At some point artists stopped learning to draw superheroes with clothes and started drawing them like they were naked and just put costume colors and details over that

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Blueace Surrounded by weirdoes from The End Of the World Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Surrounded by weirdoes
#128061: May 11th 2021 at 7:05:08 AM

Fitting.

Wake me up at your own risk.
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#128062: May 11th 2021 at 9:43:20 AM

I just realized that Endgame is already slightly over 2 year old now.

Man, how time flies by. Still remember the year-long anticipation for that movie, it was insane.

Although I still gotta say that I was slightly (not very) disappointed by it and I also still stand by saying that IW was the superior movie.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#128063: May 11th 2021 at 11:09:46 AM

It is a thing that both Batman and Punishers insignias are actually the most armored part of their suits.

The bright imagery is supposed to trick the eyes into aiming directly at their most defended parts.

There's also the fact that most people trained to use guns are trained to aim for the centre of the body anyway, since it's the easiest place to hit.

So both (Frank especially), are lucky they don't always fight expert sharpshooters who can shoot you right between the eyes from 100 miles away (cause those guys do exist in the universe).

Though I know Batman has had some fights with Deadshot, and I'm guessing Frank has run into Bullseye as well.

One Strip! One Strip!
lbssb The sleepiest good boi Since: Jun, 2020 Relationship Status: is commanded to— WANK!
The sleepiest good boi
#128064: May 11th 2021 at 11:25:27 AM

Batman's cowl is usually armored to protect from headshots, though. Frank has no excuse.

Disney100 Marathon | DreamWorks Marathon
fredhot16 Don't want to leave but cannot pretend from Baton Rogue, Louisiana. Since: Jan, 2015 Relationship Status: Too sexy for my shirt
Don't want to leave but cannot pretend
#128065: May 11th 2021 at 11:27:40 AM

Nobody shoots for Frank's head because nobody wants to harm such a lovely face. It's truly Adonis-like, the grim scowl devoid of humanity, wanting little more in this world then the imminent deaths of every scumbag around him.

Trans rights are human rights. TV Tropes is not a place for bigotry, cruelty, or dickishness, no matter who or their position.
Zeromaeus Since: May, 2010
#128066: May 11th 2021 at 11:31:50 AM

-thinks to the time Frank was a Frankenstein's monster-

Yeah. That makes sense.

Hodor2 Since: Jan, 2015
#128067: May 11th 2021 at 11:37:42 AM

@Windleopard - Personally, I think it has less to do with wearing bulky armor in itself, then the situations where spandex characters adopt armor. In particular, typically Batman wearing mechanical armor is closely equivalent to Batman Grabs a Gun and is associated with him being more brutal (and to be fair, also situations where he's more desperate/dealing with a greater physical threat. I think I'd say ditto with whenever the Batmobile looks more like a tank/symbol of militarized policing than it looks like a car.

Also, I don't think you can really look at any armor/power absent from how the character uses them. Like there are some characters who wear bulky armor to fight "street crime", but I don't think they are usually sporting a lot of guns/a military arsenal the way Batman is at times. Or say the Punisher (either with his usual stockpile or when he wore the War Machine suit).

Conversley, heroes who have super-powers and don't need much armor tend to not kill much if at all and aren't generally that physically brutal towards non-powered opponents.

Edited by Hodor2 on May 11th 2021 at 2:13:42 PM

windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#128070: May 11th 2021 at 1:56:27 PM

[up][up]Is Thailand California Doubling for Pakistan? That's...interesting.

Beatman1 Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Gone fishin'
#128072: May 11th 2021 at 2:03:46 PM

[up][up]They apparently started filming in Georgia and wrapped filming in Thailand.

slimcoder The Head of the Hydra Since: May, 2013
The Head of the Hydra
#128073: May 11th 2021 at 2:07:26 PM

This is anime but I like how the upcoming My Hero Academia movie has the main trio in spiffy new stealth suits.

And of course their new suits are all black with hoodies like every superhero stealth suit. [lol]

"I am Alpharius. This is a lie."
windleopard from Nigeria Since: Nov, 2014 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
#128074: May 11th 2021 at 11:19:58 PM

Re: Armored costumes. Would you guys be okay with them if it meant less or no Stripperiffic costumes for female characters?

Zeromaeus Since: May, 2010
#128075: May 11th 2021 at 11:40:06 PM

The movies havent been doing that. It's also an unrelated issue. Plus, that notion presumes that you cant end up with a Chainmail Bikini.

Edited by Zeromaeus on May 11th 2021 at 2:41:37 PM


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