Costume "tweaks" good and bad

[Rich Lane]

Over the decades many characters major and minor have had their costumes or general looks "tweaked," that is, a particular artist or the editorial powers have made a slight change in the way the character is presented visually without making a big deal about it and usually without any in story reason.

For example in the early 90s Todd McFarlane began drawing Spider-Man's costume with far more intricate web patterns (so intricate that when he was drawn from a distance the webbing on the costume was usually left off because it would be too small to render) and made the eyes on the mask HUGE, covering most of his face. As far as I know, it was never explained that Peter Parker changed his costume.

Another even more subtle change was that when John Byrne revamped Superman, He made the "S" insignia much larger on his chest and the blue was made a shade darker. It was a small enough change that the general public probably didn't even notice it.

What made me think of this was looking at some of the art for Captain America: Reborn. Cap had an unannounced, unexplained alteration in his uniform around 9/11 when someone got the bright idea to draw the heretofore subtle chain mail of his shirt as scale mail (a completely different type of mail, by the way).

I hate this look. It looks clunky, uncomfortable as hell and impractical. How would you like to have metal plating in you friggin' armpits while in battle?

Still I do like some of them. I really like the alterations in the Flash costume that mimicked the look of the short lived TV series.

Also, I kinda like bug-eyed Spidey.

Which tweaks work for you? Which don't?

Again, I'm not talking drastic changes or in-story changes like, say, Iron Man upgrading his armor or Thor being reborn with new togs.

[Dagwan]

Mark S. Ogilvie said:

By the way, what is 'ribbing'?

That there's a straight line if'n there ever wuz a straight line.

[Martin Gray]

Good spot on the Earth 2 Robin business, Commander, but either way that costume is an abomination.

I loved seeing that Mary Marvel page again, and Kara’s costume cut-ups were always a hoot. One tweak that didn’t work for me was losing the buttons on Captain Marvel’s tunic. I love the more military look.

[Martin Gray]

Well, it would just have been a question of drawing some black lines. I know that exclamation marks took the place of full stops, but costumes were easier to see.

[Randy Jackson]

I may be the only one who feels this way, but on the rare occasions when he's been drawn this way, I've liked the Thing with pants and boots. Never the full costume, but I though the pants and boots fit well.

I mean, you gotta love the big blue diaper too, but I liked the pants and boots as well.

[Lumbering Jack (M'odd-R8-Tr)]

I think he looks good in a tank-top too. Not so much the pants alone, but the tank-top and pants combo looks really good.

Randy Jackson said:

I may be the only one who feels this way, but on the rare occasions when he's been drawn this way, I've liked the Thing with pants and boots. Never the full costume, but I though the pants and boots fit well.

I mean, you gotta love the big blue diaper too, but I liked the pants and boots as well.

[HammerHeart]

I'll never understand how Jay Garrick keeps that damn tin pot on his head when running at superspeed. Seriously. Couldn't they add some chin straps to it? Captain America's chunky chain-mail armpits look downright sensible, when compared to that ridiculous tin pot hat.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

Aw, man, don't hate on the hat...

[HammerHeart]

I don't hate the hat; I just wish it either had straps or occasionally fell off.

[Rich Lane]

I like the pants and boots on Ben, too. I also like the longer pants on the Beast.

Randy Jackson said:

I may be the only one who feels this way, but on the rare occasions when he's been drawn this way, I've liked the Thing with pants and boots. Never the full costume, but I though the pants and boots fit well.

I mean, you gotta love the big blue diaper too, but I liked the pants and boots as well.

[Ron M.]

If Dungeons and Dragons is accurate, then Captain America is wearing inferior armor to what he used to wear. D&D presumes chain mail gives you slightly better protection and is both lighter and easier to maneuver in than scale mail. However scale costs a lot less. So maybe Cap bought the scale armor to save money?

[Randy Jackson]

I've enjoyed the recent Warren Ellis run on Moon Knight, but I didn't like the idea of putting him in a suit. I really like the original Moon Knight costume a lot.

[Ron M.]

I think very few costume changes have ever been necessary. Maybe Captain Mar-Vell's green and grey armor, but it would have worked if they hadn't made him a superhero and left him a soldier going on missions. Daredevil's yellow suit? Maybe. Iron Man's clunky old armor? Again, he could have kept it if he had kept fighting mad scientists and spies, but it didn't look right in the Avengers. Maybe some 70s characters. That seemed to be a bad time for costumes.