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[paw broon]

Following the exchanges about caped superheroes, I thought a new wee section on the subject might be useful.  QQ reminded me that Thor has a cape, that was after my suggestion that Marvel didn't have many caped characters, perhaps none. I never think of Thor with a cape despite having read all his early stories. 
The idea about early Supes having a cape to help him glide is interesting as, when shortly after Supes flies the cape stays. The best, imo, masked mystery man with a glider cape is The Falcon. Although the it's described in the strip as a flying suit, The Falcon has to climb up a building to gain height to allow himself to fly/glide.
There is another Falcon, from Pep Comics #1 who is described as swooping down on the bad guys.  But that was the costumes only appearance as in #2 he's a guy in a suit, hat and mask.
And what about those mini capes as sported by Batgirl (Betty Kane) and Robin.  No function, just fashion accessories?

[crashryan]

I'm okay with heroes with capes or without 'em. I agree that capes drawn well add drama to a scene. Some of the best cape action I've seen was in the one NoMan story that Steve Ditko drew and inked in Thunder Agents #8. That man really knew how to draw a cape! (As I said in the comments in 2018.)

As for capes in real life, my boyhood best friend was a rabid Zorro fan. For his birthday his mother made him a lovely Zorro costume complete with hat, boots, and cape. Whenever he tried to buckle a little swash he tripped over the cape and came crashing down. He removed the cape and never again took caped heroes seriously.

[SuperScrounge]

While not technically a superhero, Jon Pertwee who played the third Doctor, once said that he had the Doctor wear a cape as a paternal thing. He could wrap it around his companion protectively. So while capes do have their problems they do have uses, someone can use the cape to keep the rain off of a second person, someone can raise it Dracula-style to create the impression of being bigger (more of an instinctive thing rather than logical), if the cape is wrapped around the person you can't see what they are doing with their hands, etc.

[Captain Audio]

While not technically a superhero, Jon Pertwee who played the third Doctor, once said that he had the Doctor wear a cape as a paternal thing. He could wrap it around his companion protectively. So while capes do have their problems they do have uses, someone can use the cape to keep the rain off of a second person, someone can raise it Dracula-style to create the impression of being bigger (more of an instinctive thing rather than logical), if the cape is wrapped around the person you can't see what they are doing with their hands, etc.

IIRC Pertwee once played a aging horror film star who bought a antique cape at a junk shop as an addition to his Dracula costume. The cape embued him with greater stage presence making his role more striking. Unfortunately that was because it was an actual vampire's cape and in short order he became a vampire.

[Quirky Quokka]

It would be interesting to come up with a list of capes that actually served a purpose and those that were just fashion accessories or looked great. It makes sense for the flying and gliding superheroes. Another use would be that you could hide nifty things in your cape, like a magician, though I can't think of any who did that except for ... well ... maybe Mandrake and Zatara.

But what if Batgirl gets her cape caught in her motorcycle wheels? And what if Batman drowns while he's swimming through a tunnel? (I read that one recently -- one where he swims through a tunnel in full costume, not drowns!) There are times when even Batman needs to toss the cape. 

[Quirky Quokka]

While not technically a superhero, Jon Pertwee who played the third Doctor, once said that he had the Doctor wear a cape as a paternal thing. He could wrap it around his companion protectively. So while capes do have their problems they do have uses, someone can use the cape to keep the rain off of a second person, someone can raise it Dracula-style to create the impression of being bigger (more of an instinctive thing rather than logical), if the cape is wrapped around the person you can't see what they are doing with their hands, etc.

If Jon Pertwee draped his cape around me, I'm not sure if I'd feel protected and comforted, or a little creeped out - LOL

I've read his autobiography and also Elisabeth Sladen's autobiography where she reminisces about him. Apparently he was tall and had a fairly regal bearing to begin with, so the addition of a cape would have added even more gravitas.

[The Australian Panther]

QQ said,

had a fairly regal bearing to begin with, so the addition of a cape would have added even more gravitas. 

Not sure Worzel Gummidge had so much gravitas, although looking back, he definitely had some!

Best of Worzel Gummidge (1979) Season 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkqEDNulnB4

cheers!

[SuperScrounge]

It would be interesting to come up with a list of capes that actually served a purpose

Pre-Crisis Superman's cape was invulnerable and stretchy so he could wrap it around someone to protect them from things like traveling through the time stream. It has also been used to catch people or muffle explosions. It also has a hidden pouch so Superman can carry things like his Clark Kent clothes.

In a World's Finest story, Jimmy Olsen wore an anti-gravity cape Superman got on another world where people use capes to fly. (Probably the only appearance of this cape.)

Doctor Strange's Cloak of Levitation allows Doctor Strange to fly. He can allow control it mentally to wrap it around opponents.

I spoofed the Dr. Strange cloak in this comic.

[Captain Audio]

I spoofed the Dr. Strange cloak in this comic.

That is really really funny, good show.

[Quirky Quokka]

Doctor Strange's Cloak of Levitation allows Doctor Strange to fly. He can allow control it mentally to wrap it around opponents.

I spoofed the Dr. Strange cloak in this comic.

Love the cartoon!

[Quirky Quokka]

QQ said,

had a fairly regal bearing to begin with, so the addition of a cape would have added even more gravitas. 

Not sure Worzel Gummidge had so much gravitas, although looking back, he definitely had some!

Best of Worzel Gummidge (1979) Season 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkqEDNulnB4

cheers!

LOL - Different kinds of gravitas 

[varulfo]

I remember that when I was a kid I was more attract to the DC heroes than Marvel's (which at times were very much easier to find at the newsstands) precisely because they wore capes!

Later, when I became more seriously interested in comics and superheroes, I learned from a Batman origin story (if I'm not mistaken) that he wore a cape to be more resembling to a bat in order to scare the criminals.

[paw broon]

Yes, that's right varulfo.  I wish I'd remembered to mention that when I started this discussion.
Like you, I was attracted to cape wearing superheroes.  It looked good.
Also, The Falcon can be found here:-
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=27539

[SuperScrounge]

Thanks, Captain and Quirky! Glad you liked it!