Enforcer84 Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Okay, in the MEGS mailing list, has been debating this, do you think America is the only country in the world where the super powered champions dress in skin tight, colorful, costumes? Would a Spanish hero dress in red spandex with a gold cape? How bout Germany, Great Brittian, France, Russia, Japan, China...Anyone wanna weigh in here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Scrivner Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Hmmm. Wish we could get nationals like Kwangakid from the Philippines to comment. A Spanish hero with a bullfighting theme might wear tight pants, an oversized jacket, and carry his cape separately. Ole'! French heroes with a swashbuckling theme might wear doublet and hose and a cloak. On the other hand, a French hero might make an avant garde fashion statement, especially if he's one of these modern technological types. At least one Japanese superhero, Super Giant, wears white Flash Gordon-ish tights and a hood with a little Plexiglas fin on top. Very 1930s sci fi. Ultraman sports a slick metallic bodysuit, sort of an art deco robotic look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acroyear Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Japan's superheroes are typically aliens or cyborgs. Do a search on Ultraman and Kamen Rider for example. Also, you can see samples in American (poorly done) imports. Power Rangers, Cyber Samurai Squad (whatever that was... originally Gridman), Virtual Troopers (I think it was Metalder in Japan). Etc. I see no reason why the french would dress all that different, to be honest, than the "norm" for supers in your world (let alone anyone else). I would imagine a place like China empahsises less individuality and might insist on uniforms (but I also see them as pulling them all into gov't service of some kind). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superskrull Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Well, I only know of one off the top of my head. That's the undeniably French character known as Superdupont. Sebastien Andrivet wrote him up in DC Heroes format on his website. http://www.writeups.org Great site, BTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klytus Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Nobody remembers the Crimson Fox from Justice Leauge International? Skin-tight costume with the exception of a hood-like cowl. And even without the costume, she was still a fox! Oh la la! She also took advantage of stereotypes and hammed up her genuine French accent to make it sound like she was an American movie-star doing a bad French accent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamo Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Like a smelly man in a bright costume surrendering to the nearest supervillian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storn Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 In RDU, there is Fleur De Lis. Savate and investigative expert. She is illustrated by me in Watchers of the Dragon. I know that this will come as a suprise, but fleur de lis's play a big part in her costume design. I was just working on a french superhero, using the colors of their flag (red, white, blue...sound familiar anyone?), but in equal proportions at diagonals across the body. I dropped the project, because the character morphed into Geist, the Austrian superhero that is my new character. Germans are easy... having such a rich visual language. Their eagle is much different than an american eagle. The iconography of Nazi germany still invokes emotion...and of course is probably stayed far away from by heroes of Germany. Same with the russians, that red star is a powerful symbol. 30s poster art is a great resourse. I suggest looking up a country in google. Do some research. Find out the coat of arms, look at the biggest city or the most defining landscape. A dutch hero named Dyke (go ahead, laugh, but we have one in RDU) brings forth all kinds of unintended associations. But an earth elemental named Levy who is Dutch might not get those giggles. Just some thoughts off the top of my head.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 The colorful skintights are a product of American comic-book culture, and American culture has become almost ubiquitous around the world. In a world in which such a tradition of superheroes was real, I would expect many countries to dress their supers in something resembling those outfits, although local influences would doubtless manifest to some extent, reflecting iconography, history, esthetics and folklore. I doubt that there would be many major departures from the American norm in the industrialized West. Countries that emphasize collective conformity over individuality, like Japan or China, would probably favor a uniform look for their supers' outfits, at least as part of a team (such as the aforementioned Power Rangers and Ultraman examples). OTOH, most of the Islamic countries retain strong restrictions on extensive display of the body; no-one as high profile as a superhero could get away with skintights without powerful social censure, or even arrest in some cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterVimes Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Why don't you go right to the source? Here are two links to pages about French Superheros from French comics. Cool French Comics and French Superheroes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 I'm thinking of creating a french martial artest/underworld assasion, who is a master of Savate, and wears bladed boots. I like the name "Red Feat", but what would that be in french? His costume is all black, except for his red boots and blood covered blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterhawk Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Originally posted by Yamo Like a smelly man in a bright costume surrendering to the nearest supervillian? Darn, beat me to it...I would also add chain smoking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcw43921 Posted March 8, 2003 Report Share Posted March 8, 2003 Originally posted by MisterVimes Why don't you go right to the source? Here are two links to pages about French Superheros from French comics. Cool French Comics and French Superheroes Merci Beaucoup, Monsieur Vimes. Some nifty info there--I was especially impressed by the number of villains who were the title characters of comic series, and were opposed by "ordinary" humans, as per Fu Manchu and Dracula. I wonder if anyone's ever ran a campaign around this premise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mightybec Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Originally posted by Yamo Like a smelly man in a bright costume surrendering to the nearest supervillian? How about an annoying mime? Or a Jerry Lewis impersonator? Mightybec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karma Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Aussie superheroes? How about speedoes and nothing else. That's what the Bronzed Aussie 'Life-Guard' would wear. The problem is, like the US, we don't have a national dress (unless you include Aboriginal body painting, and how many US citizens would consider Amerindian Warpaint the national dress?), so skintight spandex is always a possibility (hell our athletes wear it and kick the world collective ass at the Olympics, why not our Supers?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZootSoot Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 As Storn has pointed out in another context, the skin-tight spandex dress is a convention artists adopted in comics to simplify the task of drawing. Real supers (ie game supers whose origins have nothing to do with comic book art conventions) just would not wear this stuff (or very rarely wear it) as it just isn't practical, and that includes Americans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted March 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Originally posted by ZootSoot As Storn has pointed out in another context, the skin-tight spandex dress is a convention artists adopted in comics to simplify the task of drawing. Real supers (ie game supers whose origins have nothing to do with comic book art conventions) just would not wear this stuff (or very rarely wear it) as it just isn't practical, and that includes Americans. But its such a part of the superhero genre for Superheroes to have the "union suits". That's the thing, the debate that has been going on in the list (far too polite to be "raging") the idea held by those members of the list from England and France is that their heroes wouldn't wear masks, wouldn't dress in bright costumes, and so on. The idea being that only Americans are so inclined(implying that the traditional superheroic costumes are some how beneath them). Then there are Americans who disagree. I was wondering where the Herophiles fell. I mean, the first French character I rember seeing was Batroc the Leaper and I am sure France hasn't forgiven us for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gewing Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 While I can see the union suits being fashionable, I really like pockets! Body armor is good too. It has been a while since I played in a 4-color camaign, I may have trouble going back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thirdbase Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Open FREd to page 100, erase the helmet, unless he is from Normandy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutant for Hire Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Originally posted by Enforcer84 But its such a part of the superhero genre for Superheroes to have the "union suits". That's the thing, the debate that has been going on in the list (far too polite to be "raging") the idea held by those members of the list from England and France is that their heroes wouldn't wear masks, wouldn't dress in bright costumes, and so on. The idea being that only Americans are so inclined(implying that the traditional superheroic costumes are some how beneath them). Then there are Americans who disagree. I was wondering where the Herophiles fell. Look at the X-Men movie. Realistically, even American superheroes wouldn't wear the masks and the brightly colored skin-tight costumes either. In general I feel that more realistically speaking, all superheroes would wear some sort of paramilitary uniform or some outfit traditionally associated with fighting such as the traditional outfits martial artists have worn. Or even just regular clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altamaros Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Originally posted by steriaca I'm thinking of creating a french martial artest/underworld assasion, who is a master of Savate, and wears bladed boots. I like the name "Red Feat", but what would that be in french? His costume is all black, except for his red boots and blood covered blades. well, tell me exactly what means "red feat" and i will give you a translation (i'm french). i understand what is a feat and the colour red but i don't see if "red feat" has another (slang ? )signification in english. I mean, the first French character I rember seeing was Batroc the Leaper and I am sure France hasn't forgiven us for him. there is so many things we cannot forgive to each other (like letting Ronald Mc Donald run loose in innocent, unprotected foreign countries) But whatever: i do agree with Storn about skintights : it's a convention of the genre. The last character complaining about spandex i remember is Jenny Sparks in Wildstorm's Authority. For european supers as a whole, I would just say that they would more likely join government( or corporation or organisation .. )-sponsored teams. In Europe, the "personal justice" (or initiative ) feeling as a whole is much weaker than in U.S. so supers would be less prone to act by themselves without sanction and would more likely seek official support; although some vigilantes like Fleur de Lys (origin linked to extreme prejudice to a person) are likely like anywhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynamo Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Originally posted by altamaros For european supers as a whole, I would just say that they would more likely join government( or corporation or organisation .. )-sponsored teams. In Europe, the "personal justice" (or initiative ) feeling as a whole is much weaker than in U.S. so supers would be less prone to act by themselves without sanction and would more likely seek official support; although some vigilantes like Fleur de Lys (origin linked to extreme prejudice to a person) are likely like anywhere else. This is a very useful piece of information that I had not previously considered. Thanks. Now I don't have to feel bad that I've come up with only one independent European super for my Champions campaign: La Vitesse, Parisian speedster and well-traveled socialite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynamo Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Originally posted by altamaros well, tell me exactly what means "red feat" and i will give you a translation (i'm french). i understand what is a feat and the colour red but i don't see if "red feat" has another (slang ? )signification in english. Red Feat also contains a play on words, feat being a homonym for feet, which are red due to the blood on the blades as well as wearing red boots. Unfortunately, puns rarely translate well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
altamaros Posted March 9, 2003 Report Share Posted March 9, 2003 Originally posted by Dynamo Red Feat also contains a play on words, feat being a homonym for feet, which are red due to the blood on the blades as well as wearing red boots. Unfortunately, puns rarely translate well. and it doesn't : (the) red feet : (les) pieds rouges (the) red feat : (l')exploit rouge sorry. Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KawangaKid Posted March 10, 2003 Report Share Posted March 10, 2003 The Philippines is strongly influenced by both American and Japanese comics & animation. Even the old pulp serials were emulated here. However, since we also have local action heroes with big guts (One example was our Former President Joseph Estrada)... there's also a tendency to have some heroes wear 'normal clothing'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syberdwarf2 Posted March 10, 2003 Report Share Posted March 10, 2003 Originally posted by altamaros and it doesn't : (the) red feet : (les) pieds rouges (the) red feat : (l')exploit rouge sorry. Daniel Personally, I think L'exploit Rouge works the best. As a superhero, he'll be performing incerdible feats, the morality of which will often be tainted by the blood of his enemies. The pun still works, but you really have to look at the deeper meaning (as most Americans have oft complained about French films) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.