WW Costume Thread - Your Dos & Don'ts

[billee0918]

So another new WW costume has been revealed and is getting lots of (surprisingly mixed) reactions.

I like the new (very temporary and, I'm guessing, storyline-driven) costume. Of course, I'd change a few things (make the boots dark, lose the boot stripe, change collar) and that got me thinking - seems there's always something, with every look, I would change or tweak and I bet that's true for most of you.

My favorite WW costume ever is, far & away, Fabok's design. Perfection, IMO.

Here are some of my Dos and Don'ts for a solid WW design - what are yours?

-Use silver as the dominant metal. Striking against Diana's black hair and red bodice.
-Battleskirt or pants. The briefs look increasingly off to me, relative to other heroes.
-No more red boots with white stripe. They look a bit clownish.
-Don't make the tiara too large. Byrne took it too far and it looked off to me.
-Dark blue (for skirt, pants, boots) vs. black or lighter blues.
-Don't cover her arms, let Diana show off those guns!

I could muse over Diana's costumes for days, so forgive my rambling.

[SteveGus]

Do give her variety. She can have pants, skirts, shorts, and doesn't have to wear one outfit all the time. Perez gave her three; a casual blouse and skirt, the regular Wonder Woman costume, and the centurion armor.
Do use gold. Gold is her color. Silver is depressing, and reminds us of the bad times.

Don't go dark. No black or dark blue.
Don't try to make her costume look gladiatorish or ancient.
Don't try to make the costume out to be armor. She doesn't need armor.
Don't be afraid of cheesecake.

[billee0918]

I fully support variety. I'm thinking the new DCU a starting in June will experiment more with costumes, given the reduced focus on continuity. I wouldn't mind seeing WW and any hero or villain mix it up.

[Agent Z]

Do
Give her variety like Steve suggested
You can change the color scheme

Don't
Don't go overboard with the cheesecake.

[M L A]

Do:
Be Fabok's. Especially on the JL #41 cover, because it looked like he fixed the bracelets.

Don't:
Be the Finches' (too complicated or cheesecakey) or anything else.

[dragonmp93]

I only have one don't:

NO BORING STREET CLOTHES. She is supposed to be Wonder Woman, not Normal Woman.

[Dr. Hurt]

Do:
Be Fabok's. Especially on the JL #41 cover, because it looked like he fixed the bracelets.

Don't:
Be the Finches' (too complicated or cheesecakey) or anything else.

She looks amazing here.

[Dr. Hurt]

So another new WW costume has been revealed and is getting lots of (surprisingly mixed) reactions.

Where? Which suit is that? Fabok's?

As for the variety, i would be up for it, but on the other hand she needs to have an iconic suit. I mean, she does have a specific recognisable design, but the way they keep redesigning her suit, it's a mess. Just design a good new suit for her and keep it for a while. Then, if the situation - story calls for it, give her other suits.

For example in Snyder's Batman, he uses specific suits for specific missions. An invisibility suit, a big mech armor, etc.
In Morrison's run, Talia gave him a knightly batsuit with chainmail and all that, which fit the story of him going to Nanda Parbat vs Ras.
In Azzarello's run, Diana was sporting a... well that cloth thing over the head when she met her sister (the wind girl) in the desert.

So if you do it like that, i'm all for it. But i think that she should have a default costume that stays the same for a while and gets imprinted in our minds. From there on, give her as many special suits and toys as you like.

[billee0918]

I was referring to the new, Finch-designed costume that was revealed last week and set to debut in June.

The where includes these boards, Comicvine other comic sites and some social media analysis I did in the office a couple of days ago.

The surprising part to me is the positive reaction (negative is a given). CBRs poll results are 59% in favor of Diana's new look. My own social media analysis, largely Twitter and Facebook, performed with two different social listening tools, puts that number closer to 65%.

[dragonmp93]

I was referring to the new, Finch-designed costume that was revealed last week and set to debut in June.

The where includes these boards, Comicvine other comic sites and some social media analysis I did in the office a couple of days ago.

The surprising part to me is the positive reaction (negative is a given). CBRs poll results are 59% in favor of Diana's new look. My own social media analysis, largely Twitter and Facebook, performed with two different social listening tools, puts that number closer to 65%.

I think it's because this time, she looks badass, ridiculous, but badass.

[M L A]

Where? Which suit is that? Fabok's?

As for the variety, i would be up for it, but on the other hand she needs to have an iconic suit. I mean, she does have a specific recognisable design, but the way they keep redesigning her suit, it's a mess. Just design a good new suit for her and keep it for a while. Then, if the situation - story calls for it, give her other suits.

For example in Snyder's Batman, he uses specific suits for specific missions. An invisibility suit, a big mech armor, etc.
In Morrison's run, Talia gave him a knightly batsuit with chainmail and all that, which fit the story of him going to Nanda Parbat vs Ras.
In Azzarello's run, Diana was sporting a... well that cloth thing over the head when she met her sister (the wind girl) in the desert.

So if you do it like that, i'm all for it. But i think that she should have a default costume that stays the same for a while and gets imprinted in our minds. From there on, give her as many special suits and toys as you like.

She's getting yet another costume this summer in her solo, designed by Finch. There's a thread for it.

Honestly it's pretty funny because if covers are any indication, she'll be in three different outfits across four titles, lol.
Her normal New 52 one in JLA, Fabok's in JL, and the newest one in SM/WW and WW.

[Sacred Knight]

I've never subscribed to the idea myself, but maybe they're trying the idea across the line of superheroes just simply not being limited to a single costume, and when they show up in different ones its just no big deal.

I like a singular look, as I don't need the idea of the realism involved in asking the question "why one, singular look across the board?", but I know others see it differently so maybe DC is giving it a try.

[Blacksun]

DO: Something that a amazon warrior would use: battle skirt, a armorthat covers all her back and torso. Something that you can look and say it is WW

Dont: sexualized, revealing too much. Too busy with high boots, legging and a skirt. Blades on her wrists like wolverine.

[Dr. Hurt]

Thanks for pointing it out to me. I missed the thread.

And now that i've seen it, i threw up a little in my mouth. She looks like a power ranger. When are the Finches gonna leave this book?

[Ascended]

Fun thread idea.

Let's see.....

DO: Make it look like something cultural. Diana's costume/uniform/outfit is a sign of her homeland and much like Superman, represents her ties to that world. It doesnt have to be pulled straight from Gladiator or look archaic, but it should be, very clearly, Greek/Roman in design.

I am, more and more, becoming accustomed to the battle skirt and/or pants. More of that and less of the bikini bottoms, please. Nothing wrong with that look (as long as its not a thong) but my preferences keep moving towards the battle skirt over everything else. It just seems to work; being both feminine (unless you're in Scotland) and functionally badass.

Less about the costume and more about the body type; make Diana look like she's tough. She shouldn't be some super skinny, size 0 waif; she needs some real curves. Thigh gaps are not especially welcome, Diana should have some junk in her trunk. Big hair, big butt, big cleavage. And embrace that. Being pretty is nothing to be ashamed of, and if Etta Candy could rule the world while being a BBW, Diana should be able to enjoy being pretty, not because guys look at her, but because she enjoys beauty in all its forms, including her own.

Variety. I really like the idea that Diana isnt going to limit herself to one costume. She should have multiple costumes for different purposes; from the old eagle armor of Kingdom Come to the armor she wore while fighting the First Born to something a little more subtle like, I dunno, a modified version of the Odyssey costume to a more "traditional" brightly colored costume for public showings, Diana should find the idea of one single look ridiculous. And I figure, if my wife can change her clothes two or three times a day, Diana should be allowed to mix it up too.

DON'T: over-sexualize her. She's supposed to be one of the most beautiful women on earth, that doesnt mean she's a porn star posing for a photoshoot with a spine that curves in on itself. Dont draw her like one.

Don't make her too warrior-like. That's only half of who she is, her compassion and love need to be present in her look as well, so while swords and shields are fine, dont go overboard with weapons sticking out of every stitch and fold or have the only time she smiles be when she's stabbing someone in the face.

Dont take her too seriously. Diana is a fun character who is supposed to show people that you can kick ass and succeed while still being yourself, so leave the heavy metaphor and political/feminist ranting for the bloggers. Dont be afraid to have fun with the character and put her in ridiculous situations. She can be serious of course, or deal with some serious topics, but she doesnt *have* to. People will respond the best when they're having fun with her.

That's really about it. The actual details of the costume, such as gold or silver (I like silver better myself) the exact design of the emblem (I like the eagle-as-W designs) or color scheme (red and blue, in whatever shade is appropriate for the tone of the story) dont matter much.

That said, I think Fabok draws just about the perfect Wonder Woman costume and if push came to shove, that's what I would hold up as the absolute best example of Diana done right.