History Main / CivvieSpandex

** Black Knight started wearing a leather jacket again, in the pages of ''Captain Britain and MI-13'', but over ordinary clothes. He still wears his helmet, though.

[[quoteright:320:[[{{Superboy}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superboy001_8737.jpg]]]]

* The Post-Crisis {{Superboy}} in {{the DCU}} (Kon-El/Conner Kent) went through a number of uniform variants (mostly including leather jackets, like his original one, pictured above) before settling on a uniform ([[NotWearingTights or lack thereof]]) that appeared to be a black t-shirt with a red Superman-style "S" ChestInsignia, blue jeans and work boots, which became his trademark since he first joined the Comicbook/TeenTitans.

* ''Comicbook/TheAvengers'' had WonderMan, who wore a red safari jacket over a black tee shirt and jeans through the late 1970s and early 1980s. Today, when he's a member of the Mighty Avengers he wears the red safari jacket, but in his own mini series that largely takes place ''in his own house'' he walks around in his spandex uniform.

** Black Knight is now wearing a leather jacket again, in the pages of ''Captain Britain and MI-13'', but over ordinary clothes. He still wears his helmet, though.

** When GrantMorrison, who as mentioned below did a lot to popularize this trope, took over writing 'New X-Men', most of the team switched from skin-tight 'body armour' to leather jackets and trousers. Except Emma Frost, who after years actually wearing clothes in ''Generation X'', switched to [[{{Stripperific}} her most minimalist outfit yet]].

*** Buddy Baker did temporarily switch to leather while [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge hunting and culling]] those responsible for killing his wife and kids. Said wife and kids [[UnexplainedRecovery got better.]]

** Subverted in Comicbook/{{Spider-Girl}}'s Spider-Shoppe, where civilians can buy Spider-Girl costumes and clothes. Turns out it was founded by the heroine's mom to pay for her college education. May's seen sporting Avengers and Fantastic Five gear sometimes, as well.

* [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk The Hulk]], in most incarnations, just wears a pair of [[MagicPants pants.]] Some versions added a tank top or short sleeved shirt. As Joe Fixit, he wore suits. It was only during his time on the planet Skkar (and maybe during Pantheon era) that he wore any sort of costume: gladiator armor.

* There was an obscure Creator/DCComics AntiHero named Wild Dog, who wore army pants, a football shirt, and a hockey mask. Max Allan Collins created Wild Dog ''Amazing Heroes'' #119, as a modern version of Radio/TheShadow, Franchise/TheGreenHornet, Franchise/{{Zorro}} and Franchise/TheLoneRanger. Collins {{lampshaded}} that Wild Dog did not wear spandex by having a young boy talking with some other youths and wondering why they thought that spandex and a cape made a sensible costume. Collins notes that "I don’t see how any intelligent writer can approach a story about people in long underwear and capes without either removing their brain or putting their tongue in their cheek to a degree……. [On [presumably] the Christopher Reeve ''Film/{{Superman}}'' films] The ''Superman'' movies have all, as far as I’m concerned fallen to a degree into the ''Series/{{Batman}}'' TV show approach-maybe not quite as broad…..And I think they did that because because there’s no other way you can play it. It just doesn’t work. I mean, look at that costume".

* In the current run of ''Comicbook/{{X-Factor}}'', Jamie Madrox wears a T-shirt with the circles-joined-by-lines logo of his old Multiple Man costume.

* Probably one of the most prominant users of this trope is LukeCageHeroForHire, who has never worn a 'proper' costume, instead wearing normal civvies, usually ones with yellow. He did formerly wear a headband ([[SpiderManWebOfShadows *cough*Tiara*cough*]]), but has since abandoned it. He also sometimes wears a jacket, but mostly, e just wears whatever he was wearing at the moment he saw trouble. It helps that his ID is public, so he doesn't have to worry about any secret identity issues.

** Although Black Canary look is pretty close to the comic version save shorter hair and facepaint shaped like a domino mask, although the fact that her costume consists of a rather stripperific outfit with fishnets is most likely the cause.

** Likewise, the abductees who later get superpowers (three of whom are based on Samurai, El Dorado, and Apache Chief of the {{WesternAnimation/Superfriends}}, and the other one which is [[{{Main/StaticShock}} Static]]) wear normal clothing. Since the bad guys already know what they look like, it's pointless to attempt a disguise.

** In MarkWaid's [[MarvelNOW Marvel NOW!]] relaunch of the character, the Hulk now wears {{SHIELD}}-issue body armor.
* There was an obscure DCComics AntiHero named Wild Dog, who wore army pants, a football shirt, and a hockey mask. Max Allan Collins created Wild Dog ''Amazing Heroes'' #119, as a modern version of Radio/TheShadow, Franchise/TheGreenHornet, Franchise/{{Zorro}} and Franchise/TheLoneRanger. Collins {{lampshaded}} that Wild Dog did not wear spandex by having a young boy talking with some other youths and wondering why they thought that spandex and a cape made a sensible costume. Collins notes that "I don’t see how any intelligent writer can approach a story about people in long underwear and capes without either removing their brain or putting their tongue in their cheek to a degree……. [On [presumably] the Christopher Reeve ''Film/{{Superman}}'' films] The ''Superman'' movies have all, as far as I’m concerned fallen to a degree into the ''Series/{{Batman}}'' TV show approach-maybe not quite as broad…..And I think they did that because because there’s no other way you can play it. It just doesn’t work. I mean, look at that costume".

* Daimon Hellstrom's more recent appearances have just had him in dark jeans and a trench-coat (he goes shirtless to show off the pentagram mark on his chest). He also commonly wears sunglasses.

* The first and second film version of Film/ThePunisher had Frank Castle wearing civvies the entire time (Dolph Lundgren version) or threw on a black skull t-shirt over standard police kevlar (Thomas Jane version). The third one gave him a more "superhero-y" costume.

* Jack Knight of ''ComicBook/{{Starman}}'' sported a bomber jacket ("it gets mighty cold up there") and a pair of goggles ("that staff gets really bright") over civilian clothes - this was in contrast with his father and brother, who as Starman wore the typical [[TheCape cape]] getup - complete with a green fin on the headpiece. This author [[SpaceIsAnOcean wonders what fins have to do with stars]]...
** Would RuleOfCool cover it?
*** As ''Film/TheRocketeer'' explained, the fin on the helmet helps you steer.

* ''TheRocketeer'': Cliff Secord's "costume" consists of pretty standard '30s pilot's gear, a funny-looking helmet and a jetpack.

* ''KamenRiderDecade'' has an example brought about by RealLifeWritesThePlot. During production of TheMovie, the makers decided that they wanted to update the [[Series/KamenRiderV3 Riderman]] costume, especially since {{Gackt}} was signed on to play the character. Unfortunately they couldn't get the suit done in time, so during his cameo Gackt simply wears a leather jacket, white T-shirt, and leather pants, while during the final battle Riderman is portrayed by a stuntman wearing the 35-year-old spandex suit.

** Before Superboy, the Golden Age Superman replacement "Iron" Munro from the ''ComicBook/AllStarSquadron'' sequel series ''The Young All-Stars'' also wore an ordinary T-shirt and pants.

* In the short-lived ''Young All-Stars'', team strongman Arn Munro wore white jeans and a tight black t-shirt. He did try out a costume in one storyline, but it was [[ClothingDamage promptly destroyed]] and he decided to go back to civvies.

-->-- '''Jenny Sparks''', ''TheAuthority''

* When the WonderTwins became {{Canon Immigrant}}s to the DCU, they wore purple jeans and logo-bearing shirts resembling their ''SuperFriends'' uniforms.

* Perhaps the first such character was actually ''TheSpirit'', who in most of his 60+ year run has worn a fairly ordinary business suit, trenchcoat and fedora, with only a DominoMask and gloves to even hint that he is in costume. Of course, he's not strictly a {{superhero}}, being more of a two-fisted pulp detective; creator WillEisner only added the mask as a token submission to his publisher's belief that a comic book hero is always a costumed hero. See also CoatHatMask.

*** As of MattFraction's ''Hawkeye'' series and the [[MarvelNOW Marvel NOW!]] volume of ''Young Avengers'', Kate has ditched her costume for a purple [[Series/TheAvengers Emma Peel]] [[SpyCatsuit catsuit]].

* As originally conceived, ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' was going to use spandex costumes, but was shot down by ExecutiveMeddling. So instead we got Claire's cheerleader outfit in season 1... [[AllGuysWantCheerleaders to very few complaints]].
* ''KamenRiderDecade'' has an example brought about by RealLifeWritesThePlot. During production of TheMovie, the makers decided that they wanted to update the [[KamenRiderV3 Riderman]] costume, especially since {{Gackt}} was signed on to play the character. Unfortunately they couldn't get the suit done in time, so during his cameo Gackt simply wears a leather jacket, white T-shirt, and leather pants, while during the final battle Riderman is portrayed by a stuntman wearing the 35-year-old spandex suit.
* ''{{Smallville}}'' has its nascent JusticeLeague members dress in either casual clothes with CoolShades and hoodies that make them look like the League of Unabombers, or color-coded sports gear, [[http://smallville.wikia.com/wiki/Justice_League viz]]. Clark always did his thing in red-and-blue [[NotWearingTights civvies]], [[http://smallville.wikia.com/wiki/The_Blur#The_Red-Blue_Blur.2FThe_Blur until season 9]].

* ''Doctor Mirage''. The titular hero was zapped with magical energy while wearing his ski outfit. He had no choice but to 'wear' that for some time.
* ''Comicbook/{{Madman}}'' sometimes wears a leather jacket over his costume. Additionally, his costume really is his civilian attire so in a way, he's always wearing civvie spandex.

* ''Comicbook/AnimalMan:'' When the obscure character was revived in 1988 in his own series, writer Creator/GrantMorrison changed his image by having him wear a denim jacket over his spandex costume. This not only have him a distinctive look, but it was also practical as it allowed him to have pockets.

* In ''[[http://johnnysaturn.com/2006/01/18/book-one-page-01/ Johnny Saturn]]''Triops, tired of being tressed as a foppy stage magician, turns to wearing average clothing and a trenchcoat.

** The Green Hornet debuted on radio 17 days prior to the debut of the Phantom and long before Action Comics#1. The public thinks of him as a criminal for profit/racketeer, not a hero.

** Before Superboy, the Golden Age Superman replacement "Iron" Munro from the ''AllStarSquadron'' sequel series ''The Young All-Stars'' also wore an ordinary T-shirt and pants.

** Gambit from ''X-Men'' wears a [[BadassLongcoat long coat]] over muscle-molded body armor.

* Both Reptil and Mettle from ''AvengersAcademy'' wear jeans and T-shirts rather than costumes, though Reptil at least has a shirt that resembles part of an actual costume.