Are superhero costumes boring now?

[Dr. Poison]

Some costumes are becoming too grounded for my taste such as the DCEU versions of Killer Frost, Heat Wave, Huntress, Count Vertigo, Maxima, and Harley Quin(SS movie). They just feel watered-down IMO.

[M L A]

Those outfits already look dated. They're all less that 4 years old and they're dated. Stick with the spandex and armor, it'll last longer. Characters should only wear "trendy" outfits if an interest in fashion is part of their character. Not many heroes like that, fortunately.

ha, I was thinking the same thing
Batgirl's outfit looks already outdated next to everybody else's new Rebirth outfits. Probably should've changed it a bit or something. Like change the colors, gloves, or boots at least.

[Atlanta96]

ha, I was thinking the same thing
Batgirl's outfit looks already outdated next to everybody else's new Rebirth outfits. Probably should've changed it a bit or something. Like change the colors, gloves, or boots at least.

And it looks so out of place with the rest of the Bat-Family. Everyone else has tough looking Kevlar and spandex, and then there's Babs standing there in a vaguely steampunk Batgirl cosplay. Also, only a handful of artists know how to make it look good. It looked so ugly in Nightwing that I actually liked her character less because of it.

[The Darknight Detective]

In fact, we comic book fans just might be exceptionally conservative in our expectations of how our favorite characters should be depicted.

I'm still trying to get used to IDW's new look for Rom the Spaceknight.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

I'm trying to remember a time when I was perturbed over a costume change, but I really can't think of one. Not that I don't like some better than others, of course, but I never lost any sleep over them, either.

[Carabas]

Some costumes are becoming too grounded for my taste such as the DCEU versions of Killer Frost, Heat Wave, Huntress, Count Vertigo, Maxima, and Harley Quin(SS movie). They just feel watered-down IMO.

When you're doing live action, especially on a small television budget, you do what works in that format. Most of Huntress and Maxima's "real" costumes don't even work in the comics.

[mathew101281]

Maybe it's because they want characters that have uniform look across mediums. A lot of stuff looks good on paper but looks terrible in live action, or is hard to animate.

[mathew101281]

Maybe it's because they want characters that have uniform look across mediums. A lot of stuff looks good on paper but looks terrible in live action, or is hard to animate. I still maintain that the best costumes are the simple ones. costumes that try and be to fashionable become dated quickly.

Why even wear costumes. Why don't they just wear street clothes.

Superheroes wear costumes to help them stand out on a comic rack (or movie screen) filled with other superheroes.

[Carabas]

Superheroes wear costumes to help them stand out on a comic rack (or movie screen) filled with other superheroes.

When everybody wears brighly coloured spandex-like yet bulletproof materials, it's the guy dressed like John Constantine that stands out.

[Pat Thomas]

Making the outfits more functional is the only way the publishers believe the general public will accept superheroes. Although
they don't admit it, they're embarrassed by the creations that have made them billions of dollars over the years. I won't be
surprised when costumes are gone altogether and superheroes all look like regular people. Maybe some of the teams will get
matching work uniforms, but the individual heroes will just grab something out of the closet every day. Anything else they put
on will have to be job-specific. It will be almost like real life then, and comics will have phased out another reason for their
popularity in the first place.

[dragonmp93]

When everybody wears brighly coloured spandex-like yet bulletproof materials, it's the guy dressed like John Constantine that stands out.

Well, everyone is dressed as Constantine, he doesnt stand out anymore.

[mr_crisp]

In this day and age of generic looking websites and logos I'm surprised that superhero costumes are going for a busy look instead of a generic look.

[Agent Z]

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.

Um, the thread is about superhero costumes. Not superhero stories.

[Crazy Diamond]

Well, everyone is dressed as Constantine, he doesnt stand out anymore.

Everyone's dressed like Constantine now? Awesome! It's about time!

Trenchcoats and Lucky Strike cigarettes for everyone!

The problem isn't the costumes. The problem is boring artists and the DC House style they've been using since the mid-2000s. 'Course, whenever any artist deviates from that you get some fans complaining that the book looks too indie so what can you do?

[Agent Z]

Not if it ends up homogenizing looks and makes the heroes seem like something else.

For example, I dig this art. But I could do without the lines that make them all seem like they're wearing armor. Instead of feeling like superheroes, they kinda feel more like secret agents in tactical suits, which deemphasizes their abilities a bit.



That's why a lot of people prefer Batfleck's suit to Bale's.

You can't tell what abilities a superhero has just by looking at their costumes. If the League was wearing non-armored outfits in this image, I still wouldn't tell what abilities they have assuming this was my introduction to these characters.

[Agent Z]

Some costumes are becoming too grounded for my taste such as the DCEU versions of Killer Frost, Heat Wave, Huntress, Count Vertigo, Maxima, and Harley Quin(SS movie). They just feel watered-down IMO.

Killer Frost, Huntress, Vertigo, Maxima and Heat Wave are not in the DCEU.