Last week I talked about my love for the classic Gil Kane Green Lantern costume design. For my money it's one of (possibly THE) best outfits in comics history. This week I want to ask you what you think the best costume(s) are.
For my money, some of the contenders would be:
I'm pretty old-school, though. So post your nominations for "Great Super Hero Costumes of All Time" in the comments and let the debate begin!
I’m in love with Kyle Rayners original Ion costume and think it’s one of the all time greatest costumes
got to put spider-man on that list. It’s one of the most busy outfits in comic history but for some reason it just works!
hal jordan gl,
john byrnes brown wolverine costume
captain america
spider-man (original and the black suit)
invincibles black and blue costume
hellboy (not a costume per se but one of the most iconic looking characters)
One of the simplest and best-loved costumes is Spider-Man’s black costume (which turned out to be the Venom symbiote) from Secret Wars. http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/4/48887/1862547-secret_wars_super.jpg
My money’s on that, or the new Scarlet Spider costume. http://media.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/10300/1323112183.jpg
Wow, is it just me or does that look a LOT like the old Tarantula outfit?
Classic spider-man. It’s also very fun to scribble on a notebook while you should be doing something else.
Since there are a number of notable differences, I’m gonna say it doesn’t seem like that at all. The color scheme is really the only thing that’s similar about them. Just be glad I didn’t mention the Ben Reilly version of Scarlet Spider: http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120711015211/spiderman/images/8/85/348876-107313-scarlet-spider_super.jpg
There was something a bit “off” to me about wearing a hoodie with no sleeves over a unitard.
Daredevil’s costume. It shows that one colour doesn’t have to be boring. And the Iron Man costume from Extremis, the first Iron Man costume that (I.M.O) actually looked ‘right’.
Are we just talking Superhero costumes or does it include Super-Villain costumes?
Because if we can nominate villains as well, Doctor Doom has to be hard to beat as an iconic costume.
#1 Spiderman all day long. Spidey is Number one because he has TWO of the dopest costumes ever…classic and black
#2 Superman. There is NEVER a need to change this costume.
#3 Batman. Dark AND Utilitarian
#4 Captain America. Costume fits the Theme without bieng guady or stupid.
#5 -this space for rent-
Superman, Flash, Hal Jordan GL, Sorry I do not like Jay Garrick’s Flash is dumb. I never could get into the Murcury Man helm. Batman, and my fave it’s original Spider-man.
What, no women? I’ve gotta nominate Batgirl, original Barbara Gordon version.
I also think it’s amazing the way the Green Lantern Corps uniforms (pre-Emerald Twilight) work: each one has its own spin, but they clearly are part of the same force.
Captain America is always my number one. I also love Cyclops’
70’s / 80’s costume. The best part about this one was the new visor, which wasn’t just straight across, but looked more like goggles. Another is this one for Adam Warlock.
It took the elements of the classic 70’s costume, but added the black body suit. And while I’m on the subject of cosmic, I have to say Marvel’s Captain Marvel is one of the best ever.
yeah Mar-vell for the win
I believe a trenchcoat and cigar is a great costume!
Not one of my favorites by any means but I actually like Ben Reilly’s version of Scarlet Spider that McKnight mentioned.
Quick question Jeff, if flash has one of the best, then does that mean reverse flash has one of the worst? sorry I had to do it.
lol, YES!
I have to say, I think the Flash family has some of the best costumes as a group of anyone. If it weren’t for the original Robin, I’d put the Bat Family at the top of the list, but from the Golden Age on up through Kid Flash, I think the Scarlet Speedsters take the prize.
Power Girl!
Can’t beat the Hulk’s classic attire. Ha!
But no, I’ve always been a fan of Lobo’s space biker appearance.
Storm usually has a pretty neat costume
I’ve always found Ms. Marvel to be pretty hot. Although the sometimes it’s a little much. Or perhaps not enough…
Also, does armor count as a costume? Because Dr. Doom is quite awesome.
Action Hank and Val Hallen are also fun.
John Cassady’s X-men costumes on his Astonishing X-men run were all AMAZING. They had unique quirks that spoke to each character, but still managed to look like a uniform.
There are a few that others have mentioned that I particularly like. In no particular order:
-Silver-Age Hal Jordan Green Lantern (it’s actually the bits of white in the costume that makes me like it more than other GL costumes)
-Spider-Man (the classic red and blue suit, but the black symbiote suit looked good too)
-The Flash Family (although it did take me a while to warm up to the Jay Garrick outfit with the Mercury helmet. I do very much like the Barry Allen and Wally West versions)
-Marvel’s Captain Marvel (thanks for reminding me of that one, Dan).
A few that were not mentioned:
– Nightwing (The current costume looks pretty good, but it does look even better in blue than red)
– Doctor Fate (the Helmet of Fate is probably the best mask in comics ever)
– Magneto (classic outfit; his other outfits are pretty bad. For some reason, the red and purple actually work in this costume, and the combination of iron collar and helmet are pretty badass)
.And I knew I forgot one:
-Iron Man mk. III (I have no idea how the arms and legs act more like cloth than metal, but this is the ’57 Chevy of the Iron Man line)
Wonder woman-(yes the 1 piece!) when it doesn’t skew stripper(there was a stripper version in the comic)
Madame Web
She hulk in FF swimsuit Showed that WHILE she had joined a group she was still an individual
any of the Original Fantastic Four
The Huntress
Harley Quin and Poison Ivy
(first female Baddie and first Noncom! )
P.S. Green Lantern from Tangent universe!
Thank god those were just one-shots. If they weren’t please don’t correct me. This is a lie I need to live with.
Really? Because I was just about to nominate Jay Garrick’s costume! Barry Allen’s was nice and sleek, I guess (and I read that comic from a VERY early age), but the tiny lightning bolt on the chest just doesn’t do it for me… Jay’s is bold and obvious. The helmet, if you don’t mistake it for that of the FTD Florist, also says, “Hey, I run as fast as the God of Messengers”!
Got to agree with both of these! Yeah, okay, running around in Gotham in High Heels doesn’t make a lot of sense, athletically, but they LOOK good!
The Phantom hasn’t felt the need to change his outfit in nearly 500 years, and all Batman did was copy it, add a cape and wear Mickey Mouse ears.
They were, mostly, though they bring them back every once in a while just to maintain copyright/trademark status…
I actually liked the characters, if not the universe.
Certainly better than the Amalgam stuff!
This is almost certainly a minority option, but I like the jodhpurs-and-silver-helmet look of the classic Flash. Sure, it makes him look like the FTD florist logo, but it has a period sort of panache that I like.
Other than that, my favorites are women’s costumes. I love the origional Dave Cockrum costume for Storm, the first Phoenix costume, and John Byrne’s outfit for Snowbird from Alpha Flight. I also like the sleekness and unusual color scheme of Neal Adams’s Green Lantern.
Oh, and I forgot: George Perez’s costume for Raven is one of my favorites.
Birds. I always respond to birds.
What part of “please don’t correct me” was difficult? Seriously though, they were a LOT better than Amalgam.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe costumes are probably some of the best superhero outfit designs I’ve ever seen, particularly:
Iron Man (2008) — It looked so sleek and yet so…functional without sacrificing cool factor.
Daredevil (Ben Affleck) — The movie was decent, but the redesign of Hornhead’s outfit was miles ahead of its comic book predecessor. Changing it to a utilitarian leather jumpsuit and minimizing the ‘DD’ logo to the corner of the torso just looked so badass!
Wow–I couldn’t get to my computer most of Wednesday, and I missed THIS. My employers have rotten timing.
Even though it was a bit campy and simple, I really liked “The Greatest American Hero” costume. Not a bit of explanation about that odd logo, no attempt at putting scientific explanations behind it, and no true comfort about it’s source. The mystique recipe of the show had the perfect look.
Totally. There is something that’s just timeless about the Phoenix costume. I love that it kept Marvel Girl’s color scheme, but was completely new and diffrent. Everything worked on this costume, even the sash.
The Shadow: We don’t NEED no stinkin’ Spandex!
Ghost: I could never figure out how she attached the cloak, but it looked so beautiful……
Captain Marvel: Thumbs up to the double-breasted opening: NOW we see how he gets into that thing!
The 4th Doctor: The Shadow for slackers – high boots, trenchcoat, multi-purpose scarf, and hat for all occasions. (Would you like a Jelly baby?)
Cobra soldiers & officers (GI Joe): well-tailored, military style gear just as flattering as Spandex, without the fit issues! Boots, gloves, helmet, and a facial mask that not only preserve anonymity, but protects from weather conditions!
Hands down for me is the blue and red and webbing of Spider-Man, especially the way John Romita Sr. depicted him.
A close second place is Batman, with the bat-emblem in the yellow oval and the blue and grey costume. Always had a thing for the jagged bat-cape and gloves. Very cool.
Honorable mentions to Barry Allen’s Flash and Superman.
I also gotta admit that I rather like Space Ghost’s costume. It’s kinda simplistic and he doesn’t seem to be wearing boots, but he pulls it off very well.
The original Harley Quiin costume – not that new abomination they recently came up with. Funny and profoundly sexy, even if fully clothed. Also, I love the current Catwoman costume, but only when zipped up, like when it was first introduced by Darwyn Cooke