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Underground > Comic Books >

Top Notch Costumes (& character designs) [PICS]

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21:57 / 20.10.05

Considering we've got the worst costumes eva' thread going. How about one devoted to what makes a costume or character work? Costume design is a given but considering comics as a visual medium a suspect there are characters out there that don't have a costume but rather a design (I'm think HELLBOY) who works on several levels.

He sports the overcoat and gun which was all the rage when he first appeared, yet the in-story context makes them both logival. Couple that with the brilliant red which generally contrasts the more subdued hues of the tan coat and grey gun (not shown). The giant "mechanical" was also a common design element amongst HELLBOY's peers yet none have succeeded in building its significance. Granted HELLBOY is rarely drawn badly the solid design still shows through.

Hooves, Tail and Horns, common elements when creating a "demon" yet placed in visual opposition of his coat, cigar and mundane weapon there's a powerful subtlety to Hellboy's appearance.

next?

22:21 / 20.10.05

He has a big hand!

22:41 / 20.10.05

I think someone may actually have suggested Catwoman for the worst costume thread.

The design, by the extraordinary Darwyn Cooke, is inspired by Emma Peel, and is both tastefully seductive and reasonably functional. In addition to her expected clawed-gloves, the boots have retractable toe-spikes for scaling walls. The goggles are also equipped with night vision capabilities.

While still only a black body suit with zippers and "ears", the stark and sparse elements of the look work wonderfully in the hands of nearly every artist that draws her. Best of all —it provides a visual alternative to colored spandex.

In the panels that Selina Kyle "makes" her current Catwoman suit, she thinks to herself about the design, acknowledging her history of more cat-like supersuits, and even suggesting that [the current look] is merely transitionary. Almost fifty issues in, and the "transitionary" look has remained.

A+

23:38 / 20.10.05

I may get some detractors on this one, but I believe Alex Ross solved the Wonder Woman problem.

For too long, the Amazon Princess paraded around in star-spangled spankies, looking completely too patriotic as well as utterly foolish. Wonder Woman's history goes all the way back to WW2, when she was an Allied symbol against the Nazi threat. Crawling from flowing skirts and sandals, Diana of Themyscira found herself in the twenty-first century wearing a brightly colored, and sometimes metallic, swimsuit.

We could forgive the color choices, and even the American motif with George Perez' retcon, but the first super HEROINE shouldn't fight crime in one of the most revealing costumes in comicdom. She didn't appear to have any mythological encoutrements, which was her origin. She didn't even have a trademark visual to emblazon her presence as a powerful, historical commodity for the DCU.

Alex Ross changed things when he drew her for the climax of "Kingdom Come". Throwing away the swimsuit, Ross designed a suit of flexible armor that was immediately reminiscent of ancient Greek and Roman soldiers. Instead of deciding between the eagle-shaped chestpiece and the more contemporary double W design, Ross chose both. Leaving the double W over her breastplate, Ross fashioned the rest of the armor to resemble an enormous golden eagle —making Wonder Woman the first Bird of Prey.

The strengths of the "Screaming Chicken" design outweigh the many supposed faults. The eagle-shaped helmet is too Hawkman-esque. The wings are redundant. Hell, the armor is redundant. While all these are valid complaints, in the interest of giving each DCU commodity a definable niche, the Alex Ross design gives Wonder Woman a color.

Where Superman is a streak of red in the sky, and Batman cloaked in blue, Wonder Woman rounds out the Big Three by being yellow. Analogs of Diana were already golden: see Stan Lee's Maria Mendoza, Alan Moore's Promethea, Kurt Busiek's Winged Victory. Now go all the way back: her trademark weapon is Hestia's Golden Lasso of Truth.

A-

00:12 / 21.10.05

These three are also very, very good. Immediate recognition of origin, environment, and level of engagement. Each have identifiable gimmicks and mature epansions of the original intent.

Zatanna = B+
Guardian = B+
Klarion = A-

00:55 / 21.10.05

The Dark Phoenix costume. Sleek. Elegant. Gorgeous with dark crimson and gold. And that sash around the hip never goes out of style.

00:57 / 21.10.05

For the big goofy mainstream hero publishers, my favorites are designs that I don't think are necessarily timeless and that I really don't think are at all universal, meaning I kinda know other people think they're goofy.

That's part of what I like about them. They're unabashedly goofy, and they're obvious cribs.

Robin Hood?

Mercury?

Green Arrow and the original Flash, Jay Garrick. Lots of people hate these designs. They're childish. They're indefensible. I love them dearly.

I also have a real fondness for Matt Wagner's sense of design. At about the same time Grant Morrison stuck Animal Man's supremely goofy costume under a pleather jacket, Wagner did his version of a hero in street clothes: an ordinary guy with an iconic T-shirt. Well, and a magic baseball bat.

Mage.

My favorite, as should be clear from that 80s thread, is Grendel -- not necessarily because of the original character costume, but because it was so easy to transform the basic elements (stripey eyes, button nose, fork) into a variety of looks:

Both of these are color comics with a main character in black and white.

I'm also in love with Mike Allred's Madman, the pages of which are like a gallery of great pop art design.

Is it the whitness? Or is it just the lightning bolt?

01:02 / 21.10.05

grant's choices are phallic.

01:27 / 21.10.05

Shiro Yoshida, Sunfire.
Coolest thing to come out of the AoA. Points for originality, but it's only a C+

01:29 / 21.10.05

I have crazy mad love for Sandman's outfit.

I know it's just a trenchcoat plus a gas mask, but it's... just great despite the utter complete simplicity.

01:39 / 21.10.05

And how could I forget Le Marquis.

01:41 / 21.10.05

After meeting his hero Wesley Dodds, mystery writer Johnny Law decided to fight crime as the Tarantula. He had suction cups that let him climb walls and a gun that shot webs. He's often cited as the inspiration for Spiderman (who would come twenty years later).

His costume re-design for the All Star Squadron in the early 80s (pictured here; the original was awful) has always been one of my favorites. I love the brown and black together, and really the whole look of it. His spider symbol probably inspired at least two of the re-designs of Spidey's outfit.

miss wonderstarr

07:22 / 21.10.05

I always had a soft spot for Shade, the Changing Man's costume.

It's appropriately alien in its unfashion... it looks right for a man out of time and space, with the 80s lunar-boots and 70s coat of many colours, coupled with the early-90s Evan Dando/Kurt Cobain hairdo. It's a pre-millennial hippy vibe. He looks stupid but strong, a walking example of ridicule as nothing to be scared of. Most perfect is that the coat was a showcase for Vertigo's then-new digital coloring, probably by Danny Vozzo of Doom Patrol.

xoxoxo

It's been noted on the worst costumes thread that many of the worst outfits are by George Perez. By contrast, has Brendan McCarthy ever designed a bad superhero suit?

07:53 / 21.10.05

it doesn't say friendly neighborhood wall crawler like the other one, but it's just so so sleek, catches the stealth and mystery of the character so well -

and this one, it just says TOUGH! and UNCOMFORTABLE! and also STEAM ENGINE! you really would need a drink before getting in, and if it was the only thing keeping your heart beating you'd need another drink while you were in there, through a straw.

not a great shot, but the point stands: garish without being repulsive, and how the hell does he get the mask to stick to the inside of his lips?

08:33 / 21.10.05

Gumbitch, not only is Spiderman's black costume cool as fuck, that's also one fantastic cover.

08:42 / 21.10.05

Thass right...

08:45 / 21.10.05

Totally agree with Mr Miricle.

This shouldn't work, but it does;

09:44 / 21.10.05

The Flash.

Kid Flash is in the picture, too, but I mostly mean the Barry Allen/(adult) Wally West Flashes.

Simple bright primary color with a few well-placed accents. Perfect.

Also holds true for Reverse Flash (aka Professor Zoom):

Haus of Mystery

10:03 / 21.10.05

Always liked the simplicity of The Lizard:

Horror movie guignol meets seventies primary colours. I'm a sucker for animals wearing clothes. Was it me or did nearly all Marvel characters in the 70's have purple trousers?

10:39 / 21.10.05

What a great costume. Should seem fussy and over-worked but it really doesn't. Love the fact that it's built around a great big "i" but isn't in-your-face about it. And fingerless is always a good look.

11:59 / 21.10.05

sorry to get all grim and gritty, but lookswise i don't reckon you can get much more 'pure' than these fellows. style as simple and straightforward as their remit.

[wow, who remembers when the above book appeared in the newsagents? i was too scared to buy it for ages, in case mum found out. plus, i think something about the character's, er, ideology repelled me even back then]

[the golden age ghost rider had so a good look nall - different kind of appeal though]

12:32 / 21.10.05

Seconded for Invincible!

Excellent use of primary colored spandex to create an identifiable look that integrates classic superhero motifs with contemporary style. Brilliant use of the "i" logo, styled boots and gloves, and the smart use of black as an accent. Succeeds spectacularly where Superman Forever fails.

A

14:10 / 21.10.05

You know why this works?

Because he can beat the hell out of you.

14:18 / 21.10.05

I don't know why but I love this costume:

14:18 / 21.10.05

I have to be honest, I think that all of The Ultimates have superbly designed costumes. They fit the "now" perfectly. Modern, hip, and and kickass sexy.

The best part of their costumes is that they aren't costumes. Their outfits are functional battle gear, and I love that.

Ten years from now, I don't know if they'll be called "timeless," but for the present, I think that all of them are great.

And Mjolnir is just...too fucking cool. Thor's hammer/axe design is absolutely perfect.

14:24 / 21.10.05

This thread is weird. MODOK and Ultimate Thor are both top notch designs?

Why?

14:37 / 21.10.05

You people are making me feel bad for just posting a picture and saying "Look at it! It's cool!" without trying to give any sort of analysis of it's awesomeness.

I believe the most awesome aspect of it is the fact that, just by looking at it you know everything there is to know about the character. The trenchcoat and fedora (That's a fedora, right? I don't know jack about hats) just screams 'DETECTIVE'. The mask just screams 'Mystery Man'. And it's a World War One mask, so you even get an idea, with the rest of the clothes that this guy solves mysteries in some date after WWI. He just looks the part perfectly.

14:37 / 21.10.05

Subjective Aesthetics. I know, but I was hoping ya'll would contribute what elements ya'll think make a bad costume/design. There's realism, joycore, artisitic flexibility, commodity strength, sex appeal...

14:47 / 21.10.05

let it go skinner. I give you a d minus for being cool.

big heads are used by mammals to convey vulnerability, so it's a nice inversion: modok is a malicious bitter baby with endless wealth, technical expertise, and lobes chocka with nasty ideology. you get all that from a brightly coloured flying chair with stubby arms and a massive heid.

u-thor is good because it's an update of a design that never made much sense - the blue circles are just a kirby trait - hitch turns them into conductive gemstones to channel lightning through. old thor never had hair or beard that looked godlike, but now they look appropriately more-than-human, like those gorgeous scandos with sparkly eyes, better english than you and an endless supply of reasonable, well balanced opinions who you meet from time to time. and that axe is just fucking preposterous.

14:48 / 21.10.05

'y'all' ?

who are you, fucking cannonball?

15:00 / 21.10.05

No, he's Rogue.

15:01 / 21.10.05

Heh.

16:24 / 21.10.05

16:53 / 21.10.05

Another vote for Spider-Man 2099. Love that costume. Made such an impression on me when it came out. So odd. Kinda creepy, which was the point. The creators said that they felt the whole idea of a spider-man was something weird and creepy and the costume should reflect that.

Plus it was the character's own Hallowe'en costume! Well, Day of the Dead festival costume actually, but you know...

17:11 / 21.10.05

I gotta defend my statement:

I never liked Marvel's original Thor. No real reason, he just didn't click with me. I felt that his costume was always a little...pretentious. He just looks goofy to me, and un-god-like.

At first I thought Ultimate Thor was pretty much the same kind of deal...but the reason I like his design can be summed up by reading Ultimates Volume 1...in the "Person's Of Mass Destruction" issue.

***Spoiler***

Thor kills all of the alien ships with his huge lightning storm.

***End Of Spoiler***

I just think that the way he just looks like a hippie, it leaves him mysterious. Cap is dressed like a soldier, Iron Man looks like a robot, Hawkeye looks like an assassin...etc. You can pretty much know what to expect of them just by looking at them. But Thor...He's just a normal looking guy who happens to ride lightning.

That appeals to me.

Plus he's got that huge frikken' axe, and as a 17 year old, huge frikken' axes really fulfill my adolescent power fantasies.

Kicking Hulk in the nads does too, because it would probably break your foot.

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