5 Best Superhero Capes & Cloaks – Back Issues
When I grew up reading comics, I was never really that into capes. I thought they were kind of lame and worn by what I considered “old fashioned” superheroes, ones I wasn’t really interested in, like Superman. I was an X-Men fanatic myself, and I loved their sleek, skintight costumes. Sure, there was the hint of a cape here and there, like on Scarlet Witch, but who could look at her and see anything but a badass?
I’ve grown as a comic book fan throughout the years and I’m no longer as shallow when it comes to what a superhero looks like; it’s not as important as it was to teenage me. Plus, I’ve developed a healthy appreciation for capes – they’re traditional, majestic and useful depending on who’s wearing one.
Although I couldn’t include all the awesome caped characters in this list, these are my personal favourite capes:
Doctor Strange
The Cloak of Levitation absolutely has to be mentioned here. Although the good Doctor had an original blue cloak, the red one he’s usually seen wearing is much cooler.
It’s not only a gorgeous cape in itself, it also allows the wearer to levitate, it morphs into a much better version of Aladdin’s flying carpet and is able to support hugely heavy loads, and it can travel at supersonic speeds. You won’t find it at Topshop anyway.
Cloak
A mutant usually seen with his partner Dagger, Cloak is darkness incarnate under that fabulous… well… cloak of his. Although it might seem a little overbearing to constantly wear it, you really do want him to keep it on. Otherwise, you may just find yourself falling into a dimension of darkness. Not much craic.
Raven
In her whole history of costume changes, Raven is the only character I can think of who has had consistently gorgeous cape looks. The blue and grey feathery New 52 costume is absolutely stunning, and her black and purple cloaks, too, are a part of some of the best looking outfits in the DC universe.
Her cloak is a little different from most in that the hood has a peak on it that falls over her nose, making her look deadly and mysterious.
Banshee
One of the most colourful capes on this list, Banshee’s black and yellow stripes are impossible to miss on the pages of any comic. Next to the classic bright green of his original costume, he was one of the most easily recognisable members of the X-Men and had one of my personal favourite costumes of the lot.
Banshee doesn’t have a traditional cape, as it isn’t connected to his neck but instead the underside of his arms. Way to break the mould, Cassidy!
Batman
No list about capes could be complete without mentioning the caped crusader himself, Batman. The iconic, bat-like focal point of his costume has helped mould him as one of the most recognisable comic heroes of all time. It’s not only incredibly versatile and a useful armour-come-camouflage, but it’s also a pretty good indicator of what kind of mood Mr Wayne is in. If all you see is the whites of his eyes, you’re probably in for a world of trouble.
At one point, his cape even featured zebra print, but we don’t talk about that…
What do you think of the list? Do you agree? Let me know your favourite capes in the comments below!
