A cape is an article of
clothing, and can be used 
to describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a
poncho, but usually it 
is a long garment that covers only the back half of the 
wearer, fastening about the neck of the wearer. They were 
common in medieval Europe, and have periodic returns to
fashion, for example in 
nineteenth century Europe. They remain in regular use as 
rainwear in various military units and police forces, for 
example in France and the United Kingdom. Perhaps for this 
reason, capes became associated with fascism in Italy during 
the 1920s. A gas cape was a voluminous military garment 
designed to give rain protection to someone wearing the 
bulky gas masks used in twentieth century wars.
				Superheroes, 
vampires, and the like are often depicted wearing capes, 
and they are therefore sometimes adopted by those with superheroic 
or vampiric pretensions. Capes also turn up as a plot point 
in the animated film The Incredibles. In said movie, certain 
varieties of capes have transformative powers, allowing 
the wearer to posses superhero-like abilities such as flight. 
More notably in the The Incredibles, is a scene in which 
the main character lists off characters who died in comical 
ways as a result of their wearing 
a cape.