Cape or no Cape

If you were a street level hero would you wear one

It could be useful to distract 30 silver backs that one to kill you 😛

Or a liability if on of them grabs you when trying to jump them

Street level? No.

Herald? Maybe.

Yeah, I feel a cape can be a huge hinderance if your not strong enough to effortlessly rip it off

Cape, definitely.

1) Increases concealment/camouflage/blending in to shadows ability.

2) Has pouches to conceal weapons.

3) Gives protection from the elements.

4) Pads against blows to the body, especially from the sides and rear.

5) Offers some protection from radiation when lead-lined

6) Enables emergency transfer of objects too hot or cold to touch with bare or even gloved hand, in some cases.

7) Usually has just enough aerodynamic qualities to save your life when you find yourself falling from a great height.

So bat cape?

Please vote, thanks

They look dumb, they're a hindrance in a fight, kinda like having long hair, (you're just begging for someone to grab it and chop you in the throat, or pull it over your face and beat the mess out of you). Female characters can get away with it ( to conceal the bottom regions ha ha), but I've always thought that they looked a bit flamboyant to say the least Lol. Ask yourself this, would you walk around with a cape on? Now Lobo, Thanos, Pitt... well they have the right idea.

I dont care what power level you are. capes are lame and inexcusable. they oughta be purged from comics altogether.

Street Level, definitely no. However there are a very rare exception like batman who actually has uses for his cape rather than some redundant body wear.

For class 10 upwards, who cares? They are strong enough to warrant non-relevance in this issue.

Trench coat > Cape

Originally posted by bluewaterrider
Cape, definitely.

1) Increases concealment/camouflage/blending in to shadows ability.

2) Has pouches to conceal weapons.

3) Gives protection from the elements.

4) Pads against blows to the body, especially from the sides and rear.

5) Offers some protection from radiation when lead-lined

6) Enables emergency transfer of objects too hot or cold to touch with bare or even gloved hand, in some cases.

7) Usually has just enough aerodynamic qualities to save your life when you find yourself falling from a great height.

1. Maybe
2. Who puts weapons in pouches in their cape?
3. I suppose...if you're planning on fighting in the tundra
4. Have someone punch you in the side. Then wrap yourself in a sheet and let someone punch you. I doubt you'll notice the difference.
5. Now it's lead lined? You want a 100lb cape?
6. Gloves do that better
7. Jump out of a tall tree. Then jump out of a tall tree holding a sheet. Notice a difference? Didn't think so.

As for a cape or not, it depends. I agree with Pr mostly, but there's some streets that rock a cape well, e.g. Batman. There's also some herald levelers who absolutely look better without a cape. And then there's some who look equally good with and without the cape.

It depends on the overall aesthetic of the character, but as a general rule I'd be more inclined to cape up a more powerful character, up to a point.

Then, there's a difference between a cape (e.g. Superman) and a cloak (e.g. Spectre)....

Originally posted by dynamix
Trench coat > Cape

all iconic heralds with capes look better without them IMHO, starting with superman and thor

The only street leveler it really works for imo is Batman. Everyone else(save maybe taskmaster) looks dumb with one unless they are Heralds or close to it.

Depends on the "gimmick" you're going for as a hero, imo.

No. I wouldn't wear a cape. But then, I wouldn't wear spandex either.

Originally posted by Cogito

1. Maybe [a cape increases concealment/camouflage/blending in to shadows ability.]

See Batman.

Originally posted by Cogito

2. Who puts weapons in pouches in their cape?

See Batman.

Originally posted by Cogito

3. I suppose [a cape gives protection from the elements]
... if you're planning on fighting in the tundra

Rain? Snow? Sleet?
Average cold night on stakeout in a city?

Originally posted by Cogito

5. Now it's lead lined? You want a 100lb cape?

See Batman.

Originally posted by Cogito

4. Have someone punch you in the side. Then wrap yourself in a sheet and let someone punch you. I doubt you'll notice the difference.

You just told me this thing is far heavier and thicker than any sheet because of the lead, remember?

Think more along the lines of a reasonably thick leather jacket, though.
Those DO blunt the force of punches in a fight, and noticeably.
I know that from experience.

That's far more along the lines of the durability and thickness of the cape Batman wears than a sheet.

Originally posted by Cogito

6. Gloves [enable emergency transfer of objects too hot or cold to touch with bare hand] better

Sometimes it's good to have both. Keep in mind that a cape like Batman's has some insulating and fire retardant chemicals and materials.

Originally posted by Cogito

7. Jump out of a tall tree. Then jump out of a tall tree holding a sheet. Notice a difference? Didn't think so.

You won't notice a difference if you jump out of that same tall tree with a parachute.

The thing won't even open before you hit the ground.

Entirely wrong analogy.

Think "40 story tall building", where a cape can catch enough wind to direct you to the roof of a 10, 20, or 30 story building and save your life.

Originally posted by bluewaterrider
See Batman.

Yeah yeah, see Batman. Well, you see, Batman's really not human. He kicks down heavy steel doors and does ridiculous metahuman physical stuff that's really not possible. A lead lined cape cape that protects you from the elements and radioactive fallout, stops bullets, is a parachute, etc. doesn't work with real physics.

Originally posted by bluewaterrider
You won't notice a difference if you jump out of that same tall tree with a parachute.

The thing won't even open before you hit the ground.

Entirely wrong analogy.

Think "40 story tall building", where a cape can catch enough wind to direct you to the roof of a 10, 20, or 30 story building and save your life.

I'd never wear a cape. The most I'd do would be similar to Batman Beyond.

Uh....for those of you worried about the "strength needed to effortlessly rip a cape off", most streets could do that.

This is really an aesthetic thing.

Originally posted by Cogito

jump out a 30 story building with a sheet and tell me how it goes.

You keep getting the analogy wrong.
Any sensible hero taking gliding considerations into account is going to modify their cape to work with the rest of their costume.

Think more along the lines of the following: