LEGO Marvel and DC’s new rubber capes are the future

LEGO Marvel and DC have been using a rubber cape piece in 2024, continuing in 76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion, and it's the future of the themes.

Everything from 76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion to 76274 Batman with the Batmobile vs Harley Quinn and Mr. Freeze has utilised a new flexible rubber cape in 2024 over the usual fabric garb that we've been used to in superhero themes. These have come in two styles this year replacing cloth pieces we would have expected in their place.

While they don't appear to be replacing the fabric capes entirely just yet, it's clear that they're here to stay. Before you discount the new style of LEGO cape, consider the story behind this piece. There's a good explanation behind its existence as designers discuss its origins and when and where the element can and will be used.

"In play testing, we have noticed that children sometimes struggle with textiles, especially when putting them on," shared designer Justin Ramsden speaking to Brickset and Jedi News. "Also, textile pieces do tend to deteriorate over time if you play with them a lot, which is something I have noticed in my own collection.

"The harder starched material we used previously is particularly susceptible to wear, as the edges can become a bit ragged."

The quote continues, comparing the new style of LEGO cape to iconic merchandise from decades gone by and naming the 1989 Batman minifigure from 2023, which helped continue the rubber cape craze; "I love 1990s action figures where the capes were often made of rubber and in the case of the 1989 Batman minifigure, it lent itself to rubber because that is what contemporary toys would probably have used."

As well as the 1989 Batman minifigure, designer Mark Tranter notes that the debut of rubber capes in LEGO Marvel and DC began in 2021; "We created the rubber cloak element for Doctor Strange, mainly because we wanted it to be taken off and put back on easily."

"Having the option to remove the cloak quickly kind of makes it a separate character," adds Justin Ramsden. "After seeing that, we asked ourselves why we were not using rubber capes more widely in Super Heroes sets. 

That reasoning combined with the discovery that rubber capes were better for younger builders sufficiently explains why the flexible capes have been appearing more since 2021 as well as why they have been especially frequent in 2024. The interview with the designers didn't end there though.

The duo went on to explain the current limitations of the rubber cape, including that printing on the flexible element is not currently possible. Where appropriate, fabric capes will still be used including on Storm in 76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion next month. It's not clear whether printing on rubber capes will ever be possible, but it's not off the table entirely.

For now, rest easy that the fabric cape elements won't be replaced and still have a place in the LEGO portfolio, but the designers at the LEGO Group seem eager to see what's in the future of the flexible capes. They're available in several sets right now, including 76289 Thor vs. Surtur Construction Figure but one will also be out in 76294 X-Men: The X-Mansion from the start of November.

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