Chapter 2: Icon Living
Superheroes are notorious for hiding their secret identity. They fight crime under their superhero names while referring to their actual identity in more casual locations. With a shirt, tie, and some glasses, Superman is able to instantly transform into Clark Kent and work at the Daily Planet. Talk about commitment to your day job! Everyone code switches between their two identities, unless you’re Tony Stark. This code switching between two identities is great for science fiction fans because there are even more iconic looks through fashion. Perhaps you are interested in embodying a brooding character who lurks among the shadows. If that is way too dark for you, then how about a billionaire playboy who is widely known for his charisma? It almost sounds like there are two different people being described, but code switching allows them to be the same. This page highlights what superheroes wear during their time off from saving the day. As you will see, these casual looks are just as iconic as their super suits.
Tony Stark is a billionaire and owner of Stark Industries, but he is also known as Iron Man. He is an anomaly in the sense that he revealed his identity as Iron Man. Tony Stark’s charisma and personality remains the same whether he is wearing the suit or not. When not fighting, he is often seen wearing suits since his dayjob is centered around business. In Captain America: Civil War, he is mostly seen wearing a grey suit which makes him look more like a government official more than anything else. This is strange because Tony Stark is often seen as a brilliant craftsman spending countless hours in the lab tinkering. He is constantly switching his outfits between his role in the office, saving the day, and at home. This seems to be done on purpose based on the confrontation in the storyline of the film. Mr. Stark sides with the government control over the Avengers and his grey suit embodies the power the government is trying to hold.
Black Panther is one the first black superheroes in American comic history created in the 1960s. He entered Marvel Comics at a pivotal moment in American history at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. T’Challa made his cinematic debut in the star studded Captain America: Civil War. His first individual feature, Black Panther, gives us a glimpse of his home, the nation of Wakanda. Wakanda is a hidden society, but the most technologically advanced nation on the planet thanks to the mineral. When Black Panther is not wearing his suit made of vibranium, he is spotted wearing African garments. It is important to recognize that Black Panther is a character written and designed to appeal to American audiences, and more specifically African American audiences. Black Panther is forever tied with the term Afrofuturism.
Broadly, Afrofuturism is the intersection of African American culture infused with technology. The term was originally created to discuss African American relationships with the genre science fiction. The film Black Panther is the epitome of Afrofuturism. This outfit is something that Nakia would wear when she is not fighting to save innocent people. The color combinations of dark olive green, lime and gold shine brightly similar to her character in the film. It is important to acknowledge a shift in diversifying the term Afrofuturism in recent years. Author Nnedi Okorafor, has coined the term Africanfuturism. It relies on African culture and experiences infusing it with technology. We get to see glimpses of this with Nakia’s character and it will be interesting to see how the next film expands on the futuristic African city.
Logan is one of the members of the superhero-mutant team X-men organized by Professor Xavier. His original name is James Howlett, and he is known as Wolverine thanks to his sharp adamantium claws, fast self-healing capability, and keen animal senses. In the unfavorable atmosphere toward mutants in the world, his team fights against another mutant group called the Brotherhood of Mutants. When he is not wearing his iconic X-men suit, he mostly wears a leather jacket. His washed brown leather jacket fits well with his ride of choice, his motorcycle. This jacket not only embodies his personality but also works as a nice alternative when he needs to fight unexpectedly.
Bruce Wayne, the original identity of Batman, is a billionaire who owns Wayne Enterprises after his parents were murdered. He uses his wealth for philanthropic purposes in the city through his own foundation, but is known to the citizens of Gotham city as a wealthy playboy. That is all part of his ploy to hide his secret identity as Batman.
Bruce Wayne is a billionaire, and it is shown in his luxurious suits and cars in the film. He is almost always seen wearing expensive suits during a plethora of social events. This grey suit represents what Bruce Wayne would wear to socialize with other high-status citizens. This iconic feature allows us to raise many questions but let’s focus on one. Is Bruce Wayne ever seen interacting with middle or low class citizens? Batman fights crime on all levels, but Bruce is not as vulnerable or accessible to middle and low class citizens. This dilemma adds more to the boiling melting pot that is Gotham City.
