Are superhero costumes boring now?

[mathew101281]

Do you think the drive to make things practical (probably to make them easier to adapt to film) making comics less visually fun?

[byrd156]

Do you think the drive to make things practical (probably to make them easier to adapt to film) making comics less visually fun?

Absolutely, costumes now are adding more and more making things complicated and ugly to look at. Taking things away also creates issues like the trucks on Superman, I have yet to see a costume that looks better without them. The reason I haven't is because it's not possible.

[Atlanta96]

Yes, practicality and the effort to avoid goofy designs is leading to a lot of bland or ugly costumes. Artists should stop worrying about looking realistic or practical, and just focus all their effort on looking good. And it's not like being practical and realistic can avoid silly looking designs either, the Kid Flash costume on the CW looks hilariously wrong.

[codystarbuck]

Now? have been for a long time. That's just my tastes though. I still find the occasional interesting story; but, the percentage dropped off significantly after the Millennium. Part of it is reading them since the dawn of the Bronze Age. I've pretty much seen all of the plots there are to be written; most things are just a variation of the same. Some can do that and add a nice twist, or a fun touch; but, a large portion just feel like chewing the same cud. The rest is that so much stuff just looks like generic superhero stories to me, in the past several years. Movies are the same way, especially action/adventure films. I can pretty much tick off the story beats. Every once in a while, somebody will surprise me, though, which is why I keep checking back. Thing is, DC used to have a lot more alternate material than they do now; so, when their superhero books weren't grabbing me, something like American Century or Ex Machina often would.. I haven't seen as much of that, lately; at least, not anything that interests me.

[Lightning Rider]

I think most updated costumes look fine, I just don't like when they're overly "armorized". I find this:



Much nicer than this:

Now? have been for a long time. That's just my tastes though. I still find the occasional interesting story; but, the percentage dropped off significantly after the Millennium. Part of it is reading them since the dawn of the Bronze Age. I've pretty much seen all of the plots there are to be written; most things are just a variation of the same. Some can do that and add a nice twist, or a fun touch; but, a large portion just feel like chewing the same cud. The rest is that so much stuff just looks like generic superhero stories to me, in the past several years. Movies are the same way, especially action/adventure films. I can pretty much tick off the story beats. Every once in a while, somebody will surprise me, though, which is why I keep checking back. Thing is, DC used to have a lot more alternate material than they do now; so, when their superhero books weren't grabbing me, something like American Century or Ex Machina often would.. I haven't seen as much of that, lately; at least, not anything that interests me.

He's asking about costumes and visuals, not storylines.

[FlictsLantern]

I think superheroes costumes are guided by a kind of fashion. In the very beginning, most followed a few templates (ex. original Superman, Phantom, Batman, X-men). Remember the 90's with spikes, shoulder pads, chains and pouches everywhere. Today is an era of realism. In a few years, it will change again

[byrd156]

I think superheroes costumes are guided by a kind of fashion. In the very beginning, most followed a few templates (ex. original Superman, Phantom, Batman, X-men). Remember the 90's with spikes, shoulder pads, chains and pouches everywhere. Today is an era of realism. In a few years, it will change again

Was everyone in the 90s dressing like that?

[Frontier]

I think most updated costumes look fine, I just don't like when they're overly "armorized". I find this:



Much nicer than this:





He's asking about costumes and visuals, not storylines.

Manapul makes that look really work though, at least in my opinion.

[Lightning Rider]

Manapul makes that look really work though, at least in my opinion.

I don't know. I prefer when the lines (if they must be there) are less obvious and more muted, like in the recent depictions by Googe/DiGiandomenico.

This, I dislike.


This I can at least live with.

[Prisoner 6655321]

Costumes have almost always been a thing which bugs me to some extent. I'm not crazy about a lot of the armor looks (but I think it works well on a select few characters like Midnighter) but I'm also not crazy about the spandex look most of the time. I'll never forget going to my first convention at 12 or so, seeing people dressed up as superheroes in spandex and thinking how bad it looks. This doesn't ruin the books for me at all but I prefer looks like Jack Knight, jean & T-shirt Superman or when the outfit looks like leather or something along those lines.

[DurararaFTW]

The new Spider-Woman, Mockingbird, Ms Marvel and Batgirl outfits show that you can make new costumes that aren't supertight spandex or armor and look all the better for it. I hope male heroes will one day be afforded the same freedom.

[dragonmp93]

The new Spider-Woman, Mockingbird, Ms Marvel and Batgirl outfits show that you can make new costumes that aren't supertight spandex or armor and look all the better for it. I hope male heroes will one day be afforded the same freedom.

I agree with Mockingbird and Ms Marvel; but Spider-woman's is boring and Batgirl's is ugly.

[ian0delond]

Was everyone in the 90s dressing like that?

It felt more realistic. What do you do with your keys and Wallet when you wear a Flash costume. Have you think of that ?
All those pouches were here for a reason ! at first.
Like in the 90's Jim Lee came back as a major influence for the New 52 who tends to overwhelm the designs.

I don't know what costumes in particular are boring now. Every period has its goods and bads. Not sure if the Flash costume is boring. Baz's mask is worst than Kyle's. Batgirl outfit was outfashionned two months after she started wearing it because Spider-Gwen costume just changed the game again.
I mean Spider-Gwen costume is just the best. Simple and fun, everyone wants it.

[FlictsLantern]

It felt more realistic. What do you do with your keys and Wallet when you wear a Flash costume. Have you think of that ?
All those pouches were here for a reason ! at first.
Like in the 90's Jim Lee came back as a major influence for the New 52 who tends to overwhelm the designs.

I don't know what costumes in particular are boring now. Every period has its goods and bads. Not sure if the Flash costume is boring. Baz's mask is worst than Kyle's. Batgirl outfit was outfashionned two months after she started wearing it because Spider-Gwen costume just changed the game again.
I mean Spider-Gwen costume is just the best. Simple and fun, everyone wants it.

I have to agree. In Spider-Gwen costume we see some design strokes of genious. Meanwhile, Red Robin Tim Drake changes a unique - not great, but unique - costume for the same old, same old.

[bcentsale]

The villains have "suffered" the worst in the interests of boring costumes. Most of the heroes are just getting cleaner variations for the modern era.

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