You're going out wearing THAT?? (Bad comicbook costume design)

[bearded]

i remember the issues she actually wore this.  it was around the same time the thing had the metal helmet.  does anyone know who the other invisible woman in the background is?

[marhawkman]

markhawkman, find some links, post some examples!  I wanna see the trainwrecks! 

thanoson provided a few:
http://robliefeld.net/xf30.htm
http://robliefeld.net/xf13.htm
http://robliefeld.net/xfc8.htm

another I found:
http://www.uncannyxmen.net/images/costume/marrow-bigcostume1.jpg

And of course that hideous costume that Bearded posted a pic of....

[Courtnall6]

i give you ... the invisible woman:

'nuff said.

Ah yes...I remember that one. I wonder what the artist was thinking before he put pencil to paper.

"Hmmm...how can I really whore up Sue Storm?"

[BentonGrey]

That sounds about right.

[GhostMachine]

The Sue Storm costume was used when she was being influenced by the Malice personality again, which explains why she wore it. But it was still a bad idea.

There was a more toned down version of it (ie, showed less skin and no 4-logo cleaveage), which I actually liked somewhat. But this version just screams bad.

Hank Pym's Wasp costume beyond sucks. There's no point in the headgear unless the lenses have some kind of sensors or special lenses and the color scheme is downright awful, to begin with.

And lets face it, Superboy's street clothes may be bad, but they're miles better than what he was wearing when he was first introduced - even without the bad haircut and earring. Maybe put him in a modernized Superman type outfit, but with gloves or wristbands, the cape attached in a different way, and black instead of blue for the main color?

[BentonGrey]

I've always liked this look for Superboy:
http://hallofheroes.free.fr/Images/Heros/superboy.jpg
So much so, in fact, that it is the version in the DCUG.

But yes, even jeans (however tight) and a t-shirt are better than this:
http://paratime.ca/dclegends/pics/dcl/superboy001.jpg

Ahh...the 90's....

[RTTingle]

Stumpy: for the record, there is such a thing as spandex jeans.  I have a pair of boot cut ones, amazingly comfortable, and they fit... well not THAT tight, but pretty snug.  I don't think they make them for guys though, at least, not at the stores I shop at. 

Not anymore as far as I know.  Back in the 80s Chuck Norris (Of course!) had some "action" jeans sold through martial arts magazines.  They had stretch fabric and extra inseam.

RTT

[Courtnall6]

But yes, even jeans (however tight) and a t-shirt are better than this:
http://paratime.ca/dclegends/pics/dcl/superboy001.jpg

Ahh...the 90's....

Not a fan of that look either...but at the very least he looks like Superboy and not just a fan of Superboy.

[Jakew]

If you're going to pick on Blade's original costume, you have to pick on Luke Cage.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/11/Luke_Cage.jpg

Angel also rocked a pretty crappy costume at one point:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kxF371gMSro/SHV2IkmoIMI/AAAAAAAACqQ/yc8TU6rrr3s/s400/ax+10.jpg

The first time I saw it was via a C6 skin in his X-Men pack. My reaction was "did Angel really have that costume?"

[BentonGrey]

Yeah, that's definitely one of the worst non-joke X-Men costumes.  There was that one joke one though....
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/a/ae/Sh8.jpg
*cough*

[DrMike2000]

Genocide in Gail Simone's Wonder Woman run takes the prize for the "I just pressed the Random button in City of Heroes" look.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide_(comics)

I've never minded odd-looking costumes, like say, Al Pratt, the original Atom. But this one hurt the story in that it took all credibility away from what should have been a major threat.

[BentonGrey]

Hey, I LOVE Al Pratt's original costume...it's just so...perfect for him.  I'm a short man who's angry...'cause I'm short...I don't know, it's always completely worked for me, visually.

[Glitch Girl]

Dr Mike: Does she actually have spikes coming out of her eyewear?  Bonus Points for limiting her field of vision on purpose!

RE: Sue Richards
I hated that costume so much.  There's no way that "4" could hold it's shape unless it was lined with something which insulted my logic, and it was so non-Sue it insulted my common sense, and it was just kind dumb which insulted my taste.  Didn't know there was a Malice connection to it, but that still doesn't salvage it.  Bleah. 

Quick rewind since I didn't get a chance to address Thanoson's Liefeld entry....

http://robliefeld.net/xf13.htm
Further proof that men should not wear strapless bustiers.


http://robliefeld.net/xf30.htm

Those are some excellent examples of awful Liefeld.  I've gotta' ask though....is Domino...uneven?

They both are, and sadly, these are some of the better women he's drawn too.


http://robliefeld.net/past18.htm
Big shoulderpads, though not quite SHOULDERPADS.  Close though.  (and what the [bleep] is a "shetherd"?  Should I know this?  Should I care?  Probalby not.)


http://robliefeld.net/past11.htm
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!  
[gasp] Oh good grief, that is HILARIOUS!!! Leg pouches, belt pouches, back pouches... It's a pouch-tastic overload!  Can we possible cram any more gear on him?  And those boots, how does he WALK in those things?  Oh lordy that's a keeper!


http://robliefeld.net/past24.htm
I've heard of helmet hair, but this is a little too much.  Still, I remember this guy, and his shoulderpads used to be SHOULDERPADS.  I wish I could find the shot - his head practically disappears into them.


http://robliefeld.net/xfc8.htm
Argh, my eyes.  It's an even worse pouch-tastic overload.  Does Liefled have a pouch festish?  And the costumes... yerk.  Unflattering cuts and designs, too many accessories, and the colors just claw at my eyeballs.  

[thanoson]

heh, I counted 47 pouches in that last pic GG. Wish I still had the Rob Liefeld drinking game.

[daglob]

Hey, I LOVE Al Pratt's original costume...it's just so...perfect for him.  I'm a short man who's angry...'cause I'm short...I don't know, it's always completely worked for me, visually.

The original Atom costume is basically a weightlifter/strongman getup with a cape and hood added. It even makes sense for him to have bare arms and legs if you consder it that way. Not like The Blue Blade, Captain Wizard, Black Condor, Grim Reaper, and host of other GA heroes.

I think it's a game some artists are playing, like the "Headlight" game they played in the '40s and '50s. Then, the idea was to draw a woman's... headlights... as large and as prominently as possible and see if you could get away with it.

Nowaday's "headlights" are passse', so the artists are tying to see just how... extreme (I wonder if the censor software will get "fetishistic"?) and tasteless a drawing they can get away with, or how close to... let's call it Strange & Mysterious gear they can get past the censor. It's basically little boys drawing dirty pictures and seeing if they can get away with it.

That does not explain Rob Liefield's pouch obsession. Nor his problem with thighs.

[detourne_me]

Whaddya mean Daglob?  Black Mary Marvel is an inspiring costume choice
http://fortressofortitude.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/final-crisis-5-8.jpg

[BentonGrey]

That does not explain Rob Liefield's pouch obsession. Nor his problem with thighs.

Or feet.

Right Daglob, that is what I was trying to get at about good 'ol Al.

Whaddya mean Daglob?  Black Mary Marvel is an inspiring costume choice
http://fortressofortitude.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/final-crisis-5-8.jpg

Ughhhh.....well, my fast of modern comics is reinforced once more.

[DrMike2000]

Just to make sure we're clear, I was holding up Al Pratt as an example of a "bad" costume that works really well.

Its not sleek, the colours dont match up nicely, and it looks kind of homemade, just like it should for the tough little bruiser who hangs out with the superpowered crowd through sheer determination and guts. Something slick and designer-y would be wrong for him.


Regarding Mary Marvel - it works in the context of the story. She's been possessed by a creepy old man evil New God (Desaad) who's wearing her body. Yes, there are sexual undertones to this, but its well thought out and explicit in the sense of being up-front. Its not "little boys" trying to slip stuff in below the censors. I'm not saying that this doesn't happen ever, but thats one example where the costume was appropriate to the story.

[daglob]

Along those lines is the original GA Red Tornado's costume: it IS homemade. It works for the character too...

And I know all this is right out in the open (It's not something I'll let my granddaughter read until she's at least 21-but neither is The Spider), still, I wonder how much of that is the feeling they're putting one over on "the Man"... And while I aggree that if Desaad ever took over a woman's body, that this is the way he/she would probably dress (I mean, look at his NAME-if anything, it's rather tame), is it necessary? I mean the whole story and everything?

I will not get into a discussion about the apparent obsession with the literary defloration of Mary Marvel that seems to surface periodically, despite the fact that those seem to result in some particulary bad costumes.

[Tomato]

Might as well bring this one up, since for some reason no one has...

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/6376/astonishingxmenv30503.jpg

Now this was obviously a joke... but it has pouch overload and a tutu, so I'm posting it anyway.

[marhawkman]

O_o?

It has so many pouches that some are attached to his(?) gloves!

I have to say, I LIKE pouches, in moderation. the spandex body suit idea is one of the most impractical ideas ever. (easy to draw though...)

[Panther_Gunn]

I can't believe that this one hasn't been brought up yet.  It had to be god-awful even back then, if it didn't last a full 12 issues.

Then there's this costume....or lack thereof.   

Or this one.

Or this one.

Can we detect a creepy trend?  blech.

[JeyNyce]

Here's a bunch for ya:

here

[thalaw2]

Here's a bunch for ya:

here

some of those are pretty cool.

[DrMike2000]

I can't believe that this one hasn't been brought up yet.  It had to be god-awful even back then, if it didn't last a full 12 issues.

Then there's this costume....or lack thereof.   

Or this one.

Or this one.

Can we detect a creepy trend?  blech.

Well, I hate to break the news to you, but all the cool kids will be wearing that kind of gear in the 30th Century. Lets hope you dont live long enough to see it!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_5bcfpMCxb6I/ST4V1CtkY9I/AAAAAAAADfQ/TXosHz7IUf0/s400/CosmicBoy4.jpg

I've got to say, Marsman's wonky silk bathing cap and shorts and gloves combo is an instant classic! I'm off to make a 30-mission mod anout him, right now!!!

[Zippo]

I have to say, I LIKE pouches, in moderation. the spandex body suit idea is one of the most impractical ideas ever. (easy to draw though...)

Me too actually. A few belt pouches seem infinitely practical for holding gadgets and gathering clues/evidence or whatnot. Anything more than a utility belt sort of thing is too much though.

[BentonGrey]

Ughh....Cosmic Boy....*shakes head*

[marhawkman]

I have to say, I LIKE pouches, in moderation. the spandex body suit idea is one of the most impractical ideas ever. (easy to draw though...)

Me too actually. A few belt pouches seem infinitely practical for holding gadgets and gathering clues/evidence or whatnot. Anything more than a utility belt sort of thing is too much though.

well, maybe toss in a few strategically located pockets. Cargo pockets RULE!

[Glitch Girl]

Please tell me that Cosmic Boy just came from a revival of "Rocky Horror" and that wasn't his standard uniform.

[shudder] What did I say about men and bustiers?

And Dr. Mike, you scare me.  

Panther_Gunn: Man you found the treasure trove of shirtless wonders.  Kinda creepy in a way.  

Tomato: That's funny.  He's got three X-men "X"s  and a crop top as well.  What issue was that from, I gotta know.  

Pouches are like wine, good in moderation.  

Re: Mary Marvel
I know the costume makes sense in context but... Well, it feels like Mary's been raked over the coals lately in a lot of ways, but I guess that's a whole other thread there.


Speaking of costumes....

Marvel Villains Assemble, a flash animation.  Very funny.

("I feel pretty."  snicker, "That's.. a LOT of pink"  snrk!)

[Tomato]

Astonishing X-men #5. Gotta love the mullet too.