Joss Whedon’s Bizarre SHIELD Costume Rule for Marvel’s The Avengers

While much has changed since his time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is no denying that Joss Whedon had a huge influence on the franchise as we now know it. He is the man who directed 2012’s “The Avengers,” which was the true proof of concept for this universe. Could disparate superhero franchises be brought together for a big, cinematic crossover event? Whedon made sure the answer was “yes.” He’s since faced troubling allegations from those he’s worked with in the past, and that needs to be acknowledged. Nevertheless, his influence is still being felt in the world of Marvel. One very bizarre thing Whedon influenced in the MCU? Pouches.

It turns out, Whedon was very detail-oriented when it came to crafting the costumes for “The Avengers.” Specifically, when it came to those who worked as agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Whedon’s very particular pouch rule was revealed in “The Art of The Avengers,” which was originally published in 2012. It was reprinted earlier this year as “Marvel Studios’ The Infinity Saga — The Avengers: The Art of the Movie” and is now available on Amazon. As explained by costume designer Alexandra Bryne, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s uniforms could only have pouches if they had a specific use.

“[Whedon] would always want to know what went in each and every pouch — and if there wasn’t an answer, the pouch would go.”

The whole “a lot of pouches” thing kicked up in the ’90s when Marvel Comics was booming. Artists like Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld are credited with adding lots of pouches and other accessories to superhero costumes to make them look cool. Liefeld is also known for his, shall we say, unique approach to drawing feet, but that’s another issue entirely. In bringing those characters to life on screen, Whedon wanted to be a bit more practical about things.

For what it’s worth, Whedon’s instincts paid off. “The Avengers” grossed more than $1.5 billion at the box office in its day, making it one of the biggest movies in history up to that point. Is that because audiences were wowed by how useful everyone’s pouches were? Of course not. But the pouches do illustrate Whedon’s attention to detail and his overall approach to crafting the shared version of the MCU.

There are situations where fans of the comics want to see those characters brought to life very faithfully on screen. In some situations, that works out fantastically. Just look at Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine finally getting to wear his yellow suit in “Deadpool & Wolverine.” That felt rewarding for the audience and director Shawn Levy, as well as the people in the costume department, truly nailed that one. In other situations, it’s worth considering Whedon’s approach.

In making 2019’s “Captain Marvel,” Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige and star Brie Larson were united in deciding not to use Carol Danvers’ “bathing suit” costume.

“The Avengers” is currently streaming on Disney+.