Your Top 5 Superhero Outfits

[Ryujin]

No, but it’s pointless, stripperiffic, and impractical, especially for a highly athletic hero who’s always moving around and presumably doesn’t want to have to worry about constant wardrobe malfunctions.

It’s clearly designed by a man (two men, even; Bill Mantlo and Ed Hannigan) for male view, which is hardly uncommon in comics but is notably stupid for an actual outfit (unlike Cloak, whose outfit is magically generated, Dagger’s is an actual costume she wears under her clothes). It’s an interesting design but that’s always marked it down in my book.

I'm told that it can also be somewhat painful, if certain provisions aren't made.

 

[Clint_L]

No, but it’s pointless, stripperiffic, and impractical, especially for a highly athletic hero who’s always moving around and presumably doesn’t want to have to worry about constant wardrobe malfunctions.

It’s clearly designed by a man (two men, even; Bill Mantlo and Ed Hannigan) for male view, which is hardly uncommon in comics but is notably stupid for an actual outfit (unlike Cloak, whose outfit is magically generated, Dagger’s is an actual costume she wears under her clothes). It’s an interesting design but that’s always marked it down in my book.

Also, in that specific image she’s supposed to be a teenager. It’s a pretty sexed up costume.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Beyond double sided tapes, it’s also possible that extremely sheer “nude” fabric could actually be used.*




* even though I know it wasn’t drawn that way

 

[Umbran]

No, but it’s pointless, stripperiffic, and impractical.

It is stripperific, sure, but then, so was pretty much every major female character's costume back in 1982, so that doesn't stand as an individual critique . And would be impractical in our world, sure, but comics are is not intended to be depiction of real-world practical materials.

"Pointless"? I am not sure what you mean by that in the context of superhero costumes. I daresay, it being stripperific rather proves this wrong: It had at leas one point - to be eye-candy. You may not like the point, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

[Umbran]

Beyond double sided tapes, it’s also possible that extremely sheer “nude” fabric could actually be used.*

* even though I know it wasn’t drawn that way

In the real world, there are garments that make use of nude and clear plastic materials such that they stay on when they don't look like they should. Mind you, most of those aren't built to withstand the rigors of super-powered battle, so it becomes a questionable argument.

But, rare indeed are comics superhero costumes that are designed for real-world practicality. They are designed to be iconic and emblematic for the character, not to look like practical clothes.

This goes double and triple for 1980s comics, in which the printing technology and paper quality were not amazing - comics costumes of the era were highly stylized not practical.

 

[Ryujin]

In the real world, there are garments that make use of nude and clear plastic materials such that they stay on when they don't look like they should. Mind you, most of those aren't built to withstand the rigors of super-powered battle, so it becomes a questionable argument.

But, rare indeed are comics superhero costumes that are designed for real-world practicality. They are designed to be iconic and emblematic for the character, not to look like practical clothes.

This goes double and triple for 1980s comics, in which the printing technology and paper quality were not amazing - comics costumes of the era were highly stylized not practical.

Yeah. For "impractical yet stays on" you can tune into pretty much any awards show. The more "practical" dresses definitely do make use of clear plastic. It's hard to see in this picture but Trin's (on the right) dress has plastic keeping the bodice closed.

 

[MarkB]

These days in movies and TV shows, even the suits that look mostly practical often aren't. As I recall, the overlaid time-travel suits in Endgame wound up being entirely CGI, and in Falcon and the Winter Soldier Sam's new costume from the final episode had a headpiece with unsupported sections up by the ears that were supposed to lie flush with his skin but wouldn't stay in place and wound up folding down. In the end they just filmed it as-is and overlaid it with CGI to remove the folds.

 

[aco175]

I still have that mini-series of Cloak and Dagger. Not sure if my son moved it with the rest of them though.

 

[jian]

These days in movies and TV shows, even the suits that look mostly practical often aren't. As I recall, the overlaid time-travel suits in Endgame wound up being entirely CGI, and in Falcon and the Winter Soldier Sam's new costume from the final episode had a headpiece with unsupported sections up by the ears that were supposed to lie flush with his skin but wouldn't stay in place and wound up folding down. In the end they just filmed it as-is and overlaid it with CGI to remove the folds.

Yup, how long have the Iron Man suits been completely CGI? Since IM2, maybe?

 

[jdrakeh]

Reeves' Superman costume, Keaton's Batman costume, Wolverine's brown costume, The Phantom's costume, and Forbush Man's err... costume.