The Invisible Costume

I'm all for women feeling empowered enough to wear whatever they like, but there's a thin line between "sexy powerful" and "my son ran through my closet with a pair of scissors". A line Sue Richards clearly crossed here:

The matching chest and tummy cut-outs I understand. I mean, they look kind of stupid, but I understand that Marvel might have felt Power Girl's cleavage just left too much to the imagination and so had to one-up their rivals.

What I don't get at all, though, is the faux garter belts at both thigh and bicep. I can only assume Sue is using her powerful force field manipulation powers to hold them in place as some sort of homage to pointlessness.

Most confusing to me, however, is whatever is going on in the neck and shoulder area. You're already parading around in an outfit that that requires advanced super powers simply to stay on, yet somehow you feel the need for a high Victorian collar? And while your tummy and the area between your thigh and your naughty bits is perfectly all right to flash around, it's your shoulders that need covering up? Seriously?

Not to mention I also see no way that oval stays attached when its only connections to the rest of the outfit are the spandex suspender strap coming off her sports-bra-by-way-of-Victoria's-Secret.

Seriously, if she ever gets knocked unconscious wearing that thing and the force fields turn off, we're all in for a lot more visibility from her than we bargained for.

18 Responses to The Invisible Costume

  1. Mark says:

    Maybe the high collar is there to hide the Thing-hickies from Reed.

    Huh. My mind seems to have gone to a strange place with this one. Sorry about that.

  2. fuzztone says:

    Blimey. What a costume that isn’t. Odd – the FF have a good track record with their outfits (the original “Blue 4” is a stone classic, and the Future Foundations ones are fine variations on the theme). But that’s awful. Judging by the hair, I reckon that’s an early 90s powered-up redesign, unfettered by common sense or practicality.

  3. Dr. Shrinker says:

    Was she planning to change her hero-name to “The Cougar?”

  4. Gene says:

    If I remember correctly, wasn’t She possessed by some other entity at the time she wore this? Malice or something? If only Jessica Alba had worn this in the movies….

    Umm, maybe I went to strange places too….

    Strange, happy places…..

  5. John says:

    That “4” shaped boob window is just ridonkulous. Oy.

  6. Dan says:

    If I remember correctly, I believe that this was a regular FF costume, and the she was using her powers to make the cut outs. It also came around the time that Marvel gave Polaris this costume http://www.comicvine.com/polaris/29-1473/all-images/108-216728/pol1/105-1539473/ Ah, the 90’s. When saying a woman was “empowered” ment she dressed like a stripper.

  7. Hammerknight says:

    I’m going with the a bright side on this one. First off for all we know, it could be a complete costume that has transparent material in some places. Or it could be a very fine meshed material that allows for ventilation for the hotter then other places. And we can’t see the back so the shoulder area may fan out to a wider back piece. I will say this, I have never she her in this outfit before, and after seeing it she has just moved up a few places on the Hot Comic Women scale. Yes I went there. We all know of this scale, but very few speak of it. And I am proud to say I have had this scale for years. Catwoman’s cover with her wedding dress half way ripped off is at the very top of that scale.

  8. Frankie says:

    Isn’t that also Susan Storm in the background? Reminds me of that classic Simpson’s episode when Bart joined the Simpson’s version of the boyscouts. The scene where Homer and the kids were sitting in the livingroom, watching t.v., and at the same time, Homer was seen outside through the window walking by the house. Because cartoons don’t have to be realistic.

  9. Mr.MikeK says:

    Gene:
    If I remember correctly, wasn’t She possessed by some other entity at the time she wore this?Malice or something?If only Jessica Alba had worn this in the movies….

    Umm, maybe I went to strange places too….

    Strange, happy places…..

    Dan is correct. This is the costume from her possessed period in the late 80’s. http://www.comicvine.com/fantastic-four-with-malice-toward-all/37-130904/ In one issue after this line came to a conclusion, Reed remarked how hot she looked in the suit and suggested she keep it in the closet for special occasions. I guess she decided her hubby liked the less is better look.

  10. Joshua says:

    Dr.Doom: Doom is often perplexed on how Richards was able to attracted a beautiful, vibrant woman like Susan. Life can be so unfair. Bah! Doom so swears that Susan will be his bride yet!

  11. Myro says:

    Maybe she’s wearing this because Namor is there. Oh, snap!

  12. Worf says:

    Maybe this is Sue’s attempt to make Emma Frost take off a few more pieces of clothing… 😉

  13. Mr. Q says:

    I’m wondering how this fashion nightmare moment of Sue’s affected her son. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna have some couch time with the shrink once when puberty hits because of it. ^^;

    Mr. Q

  14. TheAmazingFrank7 says:

    Why is there another invisible woman in the background?

  15. Jeff Hebert says:

    Apparently this was from the “After the Clone Wars: A Wrap Party” mini-series.

  16. X-stacy says:

    I was going to jokingly suggest she might be making parts of her costume selectively invisible, but I’m really kind of appalled that this is, in fact, what was happening. I mean, during the middle of combat, when she should be 100% focused on the fight…she instead reserves a bit of her attention and power for this?! Because, of course, women care more about fashion than superhero stuff, ha-ha! Proven scientific fact from way back when Batgirl was mostly worried about getting a run in her tights!

  17. Dan says:

    TheAmazingFrank7:
    Why is there another invisible woman in the background?

    I was checking out the issue descriptions to figure out what the heck was going on here, when I saw the one thing that explains everything. “Story by Tom DeFalco.” The old guys get it, you young guys, be lucky if you’ve never had to suffer thru DeFalco trying to write “Authentic New York” accents.

  18. E.D. says:

    Gene:
    If only Jessica Alba had worn this in the movies….

    Umm, maybe I went to strange places too….

    Strange, happy places…..

    If you count this part in the first movie, then she did wear that costume.

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RiZDU4EUx5g/ThwexFJDJWI/AAAAAAAASxI/nHHjqcMBSuE/s1600/Rageroo-Jessica_Alba-Fantastic_Four-02.jpg