Your Top 5 best Costume Designs EVER.

[brigante133]

Simple question, in any order or in whatever rank you choose, list the five coolest costume designs for a comic book character ever in your opinion and tell why.

[HoM]

Darker than the original and it makes him less of a target, and the cape just rules!



I'm a real sucker for this armour, I just love the modified black and white Iron Man armour!



I like the black symbol as opposed to the yellow circle one, but think that the utility belt should be black, makes more sense!



It's awesome! I love how the symbol floats above it... Moose Bauseman (sp?) really knocks it out the park whenever he colours one of these bad boys!



Simple, elegant... Amazing.

[>>Riz!]

1. I loved the first ION costume. This is my number One.
2. Second is the new Adam Strange space-suit. It's the most believable costume I've seen 'til now.
3. Azrael's gold/red costume. Why? It was a really cool design. I loved it.
4. The DC2 Batgirl re-design. It's awesome.
5. Tim's red/green Robin costume

[timdrake]

Flash (Barry/Wally/Bart)
Robin III (new costume)
Spiderman
Deadman
Adam Strange

After typing up this list I noticed that all of my choices have a lot of red in their costume (and when I thought beyond the top 5 I came up with a lot more favorites with red in them...Impulse, Superboy, Red Tornado, Daredevi, The Creeper...), I didn't even know that I subconsciously liked costumes with my favorite color in them.

[brigante133]

hmm well i have had a hard time answering this even though I asked it but here are my top five:


5 The Captain- Despite the first one being severely cool, this made Captain America hardcore, and I like that.

4 Hawkman- The silver age one may not have been too different from the golden age, but it made the hawkman suit ten times cooler because it was from outerspace.

3 Spiderman- I especially like it when the blue is darker if not black all the way like it was on Amazing Fantasy in his first appearance. It was dark but still really cool and the most awesome Marvel Comics costume of all time.

2 Blue Beetle- Ditko was the man, no one can deny that, its just a fact. This costume is the epitome of cool.

1 Green Lantern- What else? Seriously. I am going with the original though because it is the one that inspired all the ones to come and brought an almost laughable superhero design (sorry alan, it had to be said) to the coolest of all time in my book.

[markymark261]

Okay, in no particular order but alphabetical, here are my five favourites:

Black Orchid - her original outfit, which I liked for its sheer ornateness. The fact that it's also not black is an added bonus.

Fantastic Four - on the other hand I like these for their sheer simplicity and the fact that even someone with no artistic talent can draw them (other costume designs that seem too simple to work but somehow do are The Hulk and the Silver Surfer).

Mogo - What can I say? Size matters. Also the fact that his whole initial story centered around the revelation of his costume helps things.

Red Tornado - the Ma Hunkel goofy saucepan on head version. A red flannel classic copied by such luminaries as Herbie, Captain Klutz and Forbush Man.

Spider-Man - Just a great costume design. Nuff said.

[brigante133]

markymark- mogo? silver surfer? that's like voting for any female during the 90's era of comics.

tim drake- deadman was soo on my list but cap bumped him.

borize- that adam strange suit made me want to draw space stuff for the first time. I love in that series when he was on earth and fought off those guys WITHOUT the suit and just had his super cool jetpace.

Charlie- ...

that is the starman you would choose for best costume? not even the original one? OH PUH-LEASE!

[HoM]

Also, Danny Blaine Starman and... Prince Gavyn, they're up there, but Jack Knight is m'home boy.

[>>Riz!]

Oh, I almost forgot Argent's second costume.
It's simple but beautiful.

[starlord]

Let's see, in no particular order

Spider-Man
Batman
DC2's Batgirl (It really is an awesome design)
Phantom Stranger
Ambush Bug (no really, it's brilliance)

[Brandon]

Top Five:

Spider-man

Just a great design. Simple yet a little complicated. I'm with Ramon and like it better when the blue is portrayed much darker. I think Spider-man works best when he's a little creepy and cartoony, that's why McFarlane's art worked so well on the character.

The Flash

Just one of the best costumes ever. Visually exciting, great design flow, and just too cool. It's all of them actually. Jay Flash, Dark Flash, Black Flash, Reverse Flash, etc. All of them are great so that says a lot about the base design. Maybe it's the lightning bolt?

Dark Phoenix

The ultimate "good girl gone bad" costume. Great look and very sexy.

Madman

A very simple but effective design. Quirky, fun, but still super cool. It's looks a little like Spider-man I guess. Maybe that's it. It has to look a little like Spider-man?

Catwoman

Best female character costume in comics I think. It's changed a lot over the years but it has become iconic on many levels that transcend comics. I was really tempted to put the Julie Newmar or Michelle Pfieffer versions here but compromised when I found this pic.

Runner-ups:
(what? you know I can't stop at just five)

Black Adam

Yeah, okay, a supervillain but so what. Again, great design. All the Marvels have a good look going but Black Adam edges them out with his cool, sleek black suit. Wait, lightning bolts! Again with the lightning bolts.

Nightcrawler

I just love this costume.

Vampirella

The costume that launched a thousand cosplays. Meets all the criteria for being a great costume. Simple, effective, and always visually interesting.

And finally...
Batman and Robin

Okay, technically these guys should have been in the top five but I wanted to be different. Great costumes that work great together. Perfect balance of darker and brighter colors. And it speaks volumes how many variations of these suits have been produced over the years in comics, television, cartoons, and toys. They are fun designs to play around with and always carry visual impact.

[brigante133]

right, dick grayson's original robin costume (which was later perfected by jason todd) should have been on my list but I wanted to be a little bit different so he got bumped too.

[Dr Dread]

Alright... my picks, in no particular order.

Spiderman
This is the original blue and red suit. Sure, it looks kind of goofy; but the spider webbing and eyes make it a great classic and instantly recognizable.


Flash
I'm talking about the suit worn by Barry Allen and his followers. It simple, sci-fi and easy to understand what Flash is all about.


Batman
Iconic and powerful. Although there's been slight modification, the Batman costume hasn't really changed in almost 70 years (except for Knightfall). How can you besmirch such a dark and brooding appearance?


Captain Marvel
The giant lightning bolt is such a powerful visual, although the association is somewhat an esoteric link.Beside that, there's so much symbolism in the suit, from the swashbuckling boots, the regal red, to the royal tassels on the cape. Another suit that has survived almost 70 years without a redesign.


Ghostrider
I was nine when I first read Ghost Rider, and he FREAKED ME OUT! But I was hooked. Since the original conception, they tried to modernize him, giving him studs and chains and a tongue piercing. The basic idea of a flaming skull riding a motorcycle was enough to change my life.
(Humerous imagery unavailable)


And finally, a honorable mention for Ramon:

[Brandon]

I'm going to avoid the obvious jokes about the dubious nature of this child's toy and say that Batman apparently has a lot of junk in his trunk there.

[brigante133]

umm... thanks doc...?
some of MY honorable mentions ;D:
if you have ever read The Ring The Arrow and The Bat or seen any of the Jack Kirby or Darwyn Cooke Green Arrow stuff, you'll understand. this almost overly simple design can just be done really cool with the right artist.
I am not sure where this design was from but I like it more than the normal one which I like a lot
No messing with this classic I think, look what happens when they do... actually DONT LOOK, they are usually awful including the blue/green and yellow mess she was wearing for a long time in BOP.
As much as I like it when it was yellow and red, just being pure red made it look so much more cooler. Besides, frank miller on this was invincible.
you all know there was a time when you liked the spawn design. all of you.

[Lantern Lad]

houseofmystery said:

It's awesome! I love how the symbol floats above it... Moose Bauseman (sp?) really knocks it out the park whenever he colours one of these bad boys!

Moose freaking rocks! He is one of the coolest guys working for DC! I've bought many prints directly from him & learned quite a bit... He has colored every issue of GL for the last 13 years with only a few exceptions (like the painted issue this past year). Super nice guy...

Onto the countdown:

5. Green Arrow (hooded version )
4. Batman (no yellow oval)
3. Black Canary (best & sexiest female costume - Catwoman's current is a close second)
2. Superman (a classic)
1. Green Lantern (any version even Kyles crab mask )

Honorable mentions: The Flash (Wally - pointed belt), Hawkman (the Carter Hall version although some of the Katar versions were cool... except the red outfit with gold wings - yikes!), Dr. Fate, Aquaman (classic version), Nightwing (current).

Come to think of it, this costume should be a top ten list...

[>>Riz!]

drdread said:

Captain Marvel
The giant lightning bolt is such a powerful visual, although the association is somewhat an esoteric link.Beside that, there's so much symbolism in the suit, from the swashbuckling boots, the regal red, to the royal tassels on the cape. Another suit that has survived almost 70 years without a redesign.

'til now.
I only say three little words: One Year Later.

I never liked the red Captain Marvel costume... but I always loved the black Black Adam version... funny thing...

[Brandon]

I like the new Hal Jordan costume but am not sure about the floating-above-the-chest glowing symbol thing. It seems a little overcomplicated. I do agree though that the Green Lantern costumes usually look good in most incarnations. I think my favorite may still be the GL suits from the Justice League cartoon.

I also agree with both Charlie and Ramon on US Agent and War Machine. I always liked the Avengers knockoffs from the 90s. Even Thunderstrike with his cross between a mountain climber and euro-metal rocker look. I can't remember the character being used to any great effect or reading any well-written stories with them, but they are just fun variant designs. It would be cool to see a What If at some point where they had to become the regular Avengers along with the Gray Hulk.

[brigante133]

wasnt us agent done earlier than the nineties? pretty sure it was like the eighties if not earlier

[timdrake]

My favorite GL costume is still Kyle's crab mask, he was my introduction to the GL franchise and I loved the costume.


John Stewart's coming in a close second:

[brigante133]

he was my introduction too but even he started out in the old uniform.

[timdrake]

The first one I read was #56 though, I didn't see him in the classic uniform until I read A New Dawn in trade.

[Brandon]

glantern133 said:

wasnt us agent done earlier than the nineties? pretty sure it was like the eighties if not earlier

He was definately the first of the group but I'm not sure when he debuted. Was it in West Coast Avengers or before that? All I remember is his being heavily used in the 90s with the other second gens.

[brigante133]

yeah, remember ol' cap used the suit prior to it being used by the guy gardneresque one becasue he kind of quit being captain america and they gave it to a new guy. i remember from comics101 but i am sure it was way before the nineties.

[chaltab]

1. The Flash (Barry/Wally/Bart)
2. Spiderman (Classic)
3. Captain America (Ultimate Marvel)
4. Black Canary (JLA: Year One)
5. Power Girl (Infinite Crisis)

[Brandon]

glantern133 said:

yeah, remember ol' cap used the suit prior to it being used by the guy gardneresque one becasue he kind of quit being captain america and they gave it to a new guy. i remember from comics101 but i am sure it was way before the nineties.

Yeah. He did that once with the Nomad identity and then again with the US Agent I think. It wasn't too long before the 90s I think, mid to late at the earliest. I guess one of us could actually google up the info but that would be too easy.

[brigante133]

haha, yeah