# Which Captain America movie look do you prefer (and why?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127 "2012-02-07T22:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/21 "2012-02-09T14:16:11Z")
The modern day version gets bonus points for being filmed in Cleveland. And at least one Doper was an extra! ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/22 "2012-02-09T15:10:04Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > The modern day version gets bonus points for being filmed in Cleveland. > And at least one Doper was an extra! I got to walk down the streets of 1940’s New York from Captain America (actually Manchester UK), but unfortunately when they did the casting call for extras, I was too tall. I’m guessing they didn’t want anyone in the background making Chris Evans look short. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/23 "2012-02-09T15:29:44Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > One thing is that he MUST have a circular shield so he can throw the dang thing. > The whole frisbee concept was very cool to kids back then and their grown-up versions now expect it. > Especially since it was made of some magical Marvel metal ‘vibranium?’ that causes it to boomerang. > Much as Mjölnir does when thrown by Thor. Not boomerang, per se. More like ricochet. Never play billiards with Cap. He’ll clean your clock. The shield is made of a vibranium-adamantium alloy. Or it used to be. Now I think it also has some uru mixed into the alloy as well. Another vote for the new costume. Much more like the Cap I grew up with. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/24 "2012-02-09T15:44:22Z")
The WWII uniform looked like something that was functional and usable. The new outfit looks like Captain America themed footy pyjamas. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/25 "2012-02-09T15:58:41Z")
The new one looks like a modern day superhero’s costume, so I prefer it when the story is set in the modern day. The old one looks better in WWII. This is how the comics worked, and ought to be how the movies do it. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/26 "2012-02-09T17:32:46Z")
The first Spiderman movie proved that you could use comic colors in a live action movie and make it work. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/27 "2012-02-09T19:22:28Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > Prefer the WWII version. > > The Avengers one seems a bit too ‘comic-booky’ for me. I think Cap is one of those heroes that a direct translation from the page to the screen just won’t work for his costume, and I feel that the Avengers costume is trying to do that. What he said. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/28 "2012-02-09T19:34:08Z")
Of the two choices available, I like the period piece much more. The new one is gayer than an explosion in a glitter factory. Seriously, it looks like something Liberace would have worn if he’d had the glutes to carry it off. What they should have done is take modern combat gear, with the body armor and such, and riff on it Captain America-style just as they did with the period costume. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/29 "2012-02-09T19:36:03Z")
I would have preferred if they opted for the [scale-mail armor](http://www.trailershut.com/movie-posters/Captain-America-Movie-Poster.jpg) from the comics. I think it could be done very well with their budget. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/30 "2012-02-09T20:35:05Z")
I like 'em both. I thought the WWII look was perfect for the movie, since it’s a little more subtle. Yes, the modern one is a lot more “comic booky.” He’s going to be hanging out with Thor, Iron Man, and the Hulk. If you’re looking for subtlety, “The Avengers” might not be the film you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/31 "2012-02-09T20:40:41Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > Yes, the modern one is a lot more “comic booky.” He’s going to be hanging out with Thor, Iron Man, and the Hulk. None of whom wear _costumes_. Thor wears armour, Stark wears power armour and the Hulk… wears trousers. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/32 "2012-02-10T00:10:13Z")
Remember, Stark’s armor is also painted candy-apple red over gold because it looks cool, and Thor’s armor is the armor of a prince, and designed to look it. Just because they’re practical doesn’t mean they’re not costumes. > [@](#): > > Not boomerang, per se. More like ricochet. Never play billiards with Cap. He’ll clean your clock. The shield is made of a vibranium-adamantium alloy. Or it used to be. Now I think it also has some uru mixed into the alloy as well. Actually, it’s not adamantium. All that’s known of the alloy is that it contains both vibranium and iron. Adamantium also contains iron and other unspecified (but known in-universe) ingredients, but not vibranium, and was developed in an attempt to replicate the material of the shield. It was a partial success: Adamantium is just as indestructible as the shield, but doesn’t have its momentum-absorbing properties. I don’t know if the material of the shield has ever been named, but personally, I call it scutium. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/33 "2012-02-10T00:28:02Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > Modern day. I want Cap to look the way he did in the comic books I grew up reading. This. Frankly if I have a gripe it’s that they didn’t glue actual wings to his helmet instead of just painting them on. The WWII costume was neat and I appreciated how the movie worked his traditional costume in for the USO shows, but I want him in Avengers looking his Cappiest. > [@Chronos](#): > > I don’t know if the material of the shield has ever been named, but personally, I call it scutium. For a long time they _were_ calling it an adamantium-vibranium alloy, even if that didn’t make sense from the perspective that adamantium came from later attempts to recreate the metal in the shield. Comics being what they are, that may well have been reconned several dozen times in the 5 years or so since I’ve bought any comics. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/34 "2012-02-10T00:49:34Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > Modern day. I want Cap to look the way he did in the comic books I grew up reading. This probably makes a big difference. I never read the comics and always thought that Captain America looked absolutely ridiculous. When I heard they were making a big budget movie, I had zero interest - until I saw the trailer. I really enjoyed the movie and thought they did a great job of revising the costume into something that called back to the original design without looking distractingly lame. The classic version made sense in the “Can you believe this corny get-up?” USO context. The Avengers version seems kinda midway between. It still looks a little too over-the-top for me, but hopefully it will look better on screen. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/35 "2012-02-10T01:00:12Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > The classic version made sense in the “Can you believe this corny get-up?” USO context. The Avengers version seems kinda midway between. It still looks a little too over-the-top for me, but hopefully it will look better on screen. Bear in mind that he’ll probably spend a non-trivial amount of time in the new costume but minus the headgear. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/36 "2012-02-10T01:07:07Z")
> [@](#): > > For a long time they were calling it an adamantium-vibranium alloy, even if that didn’t make sense from the perspective that adamantium came from later attempts to recreate the metal in the shield. Even if, in the current state of retcons, that’s actually what it is, it still makes sense to have a name for it. I mean, you don’t say that the tubas and trombones are in the copper-zinc alloy section. ---
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/37 "2012-02-10T04:31:16Z")
I think they should update it, but am not in love with the update they came up with. Though I actually like the giant anime boots. Some more obvious armor around the shoulders and chest would have helped, as well as a more clear ‘pants’ seam. And the star needs to be bigger. The helmet is kinda terrible. To be fair, though, that A on his forehead has always kind of sucked, even before the ‘stands for France!?’ indecent. – Ultimate Cap is kind of a prick. The fact that every other Ultimate character is kind of a prick as well is irrelevant. Heroic levels of ‘not being a prick’ is Cap’s signature superpower. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/38 "2012-02-10T15:28:43Z")
Eh…modern version looks OK, I guess. I actually think I might have liked them using the WWII version for the “modern” one and something more like the Ultimates-WWII version for the movie-WWII one. The ad-hoc “leather jacket and blue helmet” look was a swell compromise, though. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/39 "2012-02-10T15:38:20Z")
I voted for the WWII version. I’ve thought since the first \*Avengers \*pics came out that something seemed a little off about the updated outfit. I don’t know if the helmet would look better if it looked less like a piece of plastic more or less on par quality-wise with a Cap costume you would buy for a 5-year-old or not. I think I’m annoyed that the wings are painted on, but the outfit taken as a whole is jarring, and I agree that the boots don’t quite seem to match up either. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127/40 "2012-02-12T00:44:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even if, in the current state of retcons, that’s actually what it is, it still makes sense to have a name for it. I mean, you don’t say that the tubas and trombones are in the copper-zinc alloy section. Ah, but would you bother coming up with a name for copper-zinc alloy if you lost the recipe or technique or whatever needed to make more and all of it ever made in the world went into making one single tuba? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-captain-america-movie-look-do-you-prefer-and-why/612127.md?page=3)