Marvel's Marvel Now! and DC's New 52 have taken our beloved heroes and villains and gave them a makeover to keep them fresh yet again. That's nothing new, though. The big two publishers have been updating their characters every few years to make them relevant to the current market. Most recently, DC did it in 2011 and Marvel's initiative came much later on Oct. 2012. And now that a bunch of artists have had their shot at rendering the new looks for our favorite Marvel and DC characters, I figured it'd be nice to go over the best changes and let you guys decide if they've gotten better or worse compared to their classic first costumes and other previous incarnations.
It's just a simple survey, really. All you have to do is pick your favorite costume and we'll see at the end of this thing which costumes are the most popular. If you like a costume that isn't there, just add it to the list of possible answers. It's important to note that we're talking about main timelines. If we use alternate versions, we'll have way too much to pick from.
Superman
Let's start with the character who sparked the superhero genre thing - Superman. There isn't much to say about his costume changes through the years. They've mostly been small tweaks here and there, and except for a few brief instances like the red and blue Superman in the 90's, and the New 52, Supes' has stayed pretty much the same. It's always been the S shield, the blue tights, and the red cape and boots. Still, even with those small tweaks, there must be something that should stand out for you personally, yeah?
{jvotesystem poll=|27|}
Batman
Like Superman, Batman's costume has been tweaked over the years to create multiple versions of the same costume we all know and love. Over the years, those tiny tweaks have made Batman's suist differ from one another to a surprisingly degree. Having the bat symbol never changes, but the bat symbol itself has many, many variations. I'm sure we all have our favorite Batman logo. I had mine printed on a gray shirt. Another distinguishing element of Batman's costume would be the bat-ears. I like how some writers attempt to make sense of them at all, but I think the best explanation for them would be "because Bruce wants to look like a giant goddamn bat."
{jvotesystem poll=|28|}
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a special case; no one can seem to agree on what the perfect look is for her. Should she go gold or silver? Should she have pants or not? Personally, I don't see how an Amazon could fight effectively in what is essentially a bathing suit with a breast plate. It's as if showing more skin is her super power. That said, I can honestly admit to not liking most Wonder Woman designs. That is, until Wonder Woman #600. But how about you? Which Wondy suit do you think fits her the best?
{jvotesystem poll=|29|}
Flash
As far as iconic seldom-changing costumes go, the Scarlet Speedster has maintained the same look ever since Barry Allen took the title over from Jay Garrick. It's red, it's got the Flash logo, yellow booties and wing tips on the cowl. Though it's debatable, I think that as time goes on, the Flash costume gets cooler and cooler, but the classic Wally West costume would probably be the most iconic. At least, in my opinion. Are you in agreement, good sirs and madams?
{jvotesystem poll=|30|}
Green Lantern
To be specific, I mean Hal Jordan. Not counting Allan Scott, he's the GL Corps member that's been around the longest and is considered to be the main Green Lantern of the DC Universe. Hal's costume is green, black and white and it should always have the Green Lantern logo. This is generally true as long as he's a GL Corps member; but when he became Parallax, his costume took a turn for the evil. I'm a fan of the simplicity of the Hal Jordan look, though I'd say the Kyle Rayner costume with the white chest, crab mask and oversized gauntlets is my favorite GL look. But for the sake of this survey, let's stick to Mr. Jordan, shall we?
{jvotesystem poll=|31|}
Captain America
Cap is as iconic as they get. His whole character was based off idealism and good ole propaganda. His suit is an American flag, and he carries a shield - a defensive weapon. You can't really get anymore symbolic than that. As the comics went on, Captain America's character grew to be an avatar of leadership and strength for the Avengers. As Captain America, Steve represents the United States, but which costume represents the man the best? I'm partial to the classic costume that remained practically unchanged for 60 years but what's your take on it?
{jvotesystem poll=|32|}
Wolverine
Being practically immortal, James "Logan" Howlett has been around for a long while. During that time, his career as an adventurer has seen multiple costume changes. By now, he has probably mastered the art of costume designing and sewing. The one feature that stays with almost all his looks is that iconic mask - feral, savage and cool as all hell frozen over. Each look is fairly unique and gives Wolverine a very distinct personality. He's got more than 5 so feel free to add more if you feel like that's your favorite Wolverine suit.
{jvotesystem poll=|33|}
Thor
The god of thunder, son of Odin, has had his share of equally epic costumes. As far as improvements and diversity goes, Thor's got it in spades. The hands that held the pencils responsible for the creation of Thor's costumes were indeed brilliant. Our Mjolnir-slinging son of Asgard has looked like a Viking Berserker, a king of gods, and a circus strongman. I tend to prefer the more majestic looking Thor, especially if he's depicted with a beard.
{jvotesystem poll=|34|}
Hawkeye
Marvel's master marksman has gone through a few costume changes, as well. We all remember when he used to wear a skirt and a purple wifebeater, don't we? Hawkeye may look cool now, but a few years ago, some people might have disagreed violently with you. Clint Barton has also wielded multiple powers and adapted various personalities, and each one came with a new costume. I like how diverse they are from each other, too. To this day, I don't believe we've seen the one true Hawkeye look that will hold up well against the test of time, but with enough luck, we'll eventually get there.
{jvotesystem poll=|35|}
Ms. Marvel
Carol Danvers has had a lot of call signs over the years. She has been known as Ms. Marvel, Warbird, Binary, and most recently, she goes by the name of Captain Marvel, a promotion that was well deserved. She has as many costumes as she did power sets throughout her illustrious superhero career. Her looks differ very greatly from one form to the other; her logo doesn't even stay the same for all the costumes. And like most superheroines, she used to serve as an outlet for teenage fantasies, being rendered in the skimpiest possible way. Though her modern costumes have stayed true to her sexy roots, she has grown to be a symbol of female asskickery. Hell, she's a captain now, on par with America and Crunch.
{jvotesystem poll=|36|}
We did 10 for now, but we're FAR from done. When we do this again, we'll have Nightwing, Robin, Green Arrow, Cyclops, Storm, and whoever else we can think of. And if you're wondering why Iron Man isn't here, it's because Tony Stark is a special case. We'll have to set one of these just for him exclusively. Because that's how he rolls!