Ever since FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA was announced, fans (including myself) have been extremely worried about what sort of costume he would have. I have explained the importance of Cap’s costume, and how detrimental it would be to change it too much. The LA Times recently spoke to director Joe Johnston about his upcoming film THE WOLFMAN, and got him to reveal quite a bit about FIRST AVENGER, including costume details.
Check out what he had to say after the jump!
“The costume is a flag, but the way we’re getting around that is we have Steve Rogers forced into the USO circuit. After he’s made into this super-soldier, they decide they can’t send him into combat and risk him getting killed. He’s the only one and they can’t make more. So they say, ‘You’re going to be in this USO show’ and they give him a flag suit. He can’t wait to get out of it.”
After reading a lot of the comments, a lot of people were upset, claiming that Steve Rogers would never be ashamed of wearing a U.S. flag. But actually he has done that several times in the comics. Regardless, Johnston does go on to justify Steve Rogers reluctance with the costume.
“So he’s up on stage doing songs and dances with chorus girls and he can’t wait to get out and really fight. When he does go AWOL, he covers up the suit but then, after a few things happen, he realizes that this uniform allows him to lead. By then, he’s become a star in the public mind and a symbol. The guys get behind him because he embodies something special.”
The U.S.O. show idea is a pretty clever way of bringing the costume into the film, it seems a lot more organic than if he just went into the battlefield in costume. Johnston goes into even further detail about the actual appearance of the costume.
“He realizes the value of the uniform symbols but he modifies his suit and adds some armor, it will be closer to the Cap costume in some of the comics in more recent years…this approach, it’s the only way we could justify ever seeing him on a screen in tights, with the funny boots and everything.”
The picture at the top is the costume he was comparing the movie version to. If it is close to that costume, I’ll be very pleased. I think that is one of the best costumes Captain America has had. Now that we know more about the film, are you guys more excited?
Source Los Angeles Times, via Super Hero Hype
John Mulhern Writes 
I am still iffy about this idea. The more I think about the more I hope they are just saying this to get people riled up. Putting Steve Rogers in the USO might justify them giving him the Capetian America uniform, but it takes away from him being a symbol of hope of the front lines.
LikeLike
I am still iffy about this idea. The more I think about the more I hope they are just saying this to get people riled up. Putting Steve Rogers in the USO might justify them giving him the Capetian America uniform, but it takes away from him being a symbol of hope of the front lines.
LikeLike
I disagree. Look at how celebrity's are built up in the eyes and minds of Americans. Many Americans idolize them even though essentially just normal human beings that everyone knows. If Cap is built up the same way in the soldiers eyes as their ultimate hero, imagine how they would feel if they actually fought with him. I think this way will work really well if done correctly.
LikeLike