Comics: Costume Change

DC Comics is set for another relaunch and with it comes a wardrobe change for everyone's favourite superheroes. The fact that all the heroes seem to be getting new outfits seems particularly odd considering that DC are stressing this latest reboot will not reset the continuity of the New 52, so why are the big three getting a facelift?

Batman = Bunnyman?

Batman was the first hero to have his costume announced and in many ways it causes me the most offence. For those unfamiliar with his origin, Bruce Wayne was compelled to become a hero after witnessing his parents get gunned down in front of him as a child. He vowed never to kill and definitely never to wield a gun. So I was none too pleased to see first images of him wielding a massive revolver!

While its possible the gun is loaded with rubber bullets or is some sort of stun gun of course, I can't help but worry it's the latest in the militarising of Batman. It started with Batman Begins which re-imagined the batmobile as a tank, equipped with cannons and machine guns. We're seemingly supposed to believe when Bruce fires missiles near criminals he just knocks them out at the worst.

Furthermore the mechs fists are bigger than a man's head. Any villain he punched in the face would be unlikely to survive. Oh and if the gun doesn't do the trick there's a missile launcher on each shoulder to finish them off. 'No guns, no killing' indeed.

And then there's the outfit itself, a giant mechanised blue suit that makes him look more like Iron Man than anything else. A visor replaces the cowl, a bit like a motorcycle helmet. While the classic ears are more like antennae, making him look more like Bunnyman than anything else. There's no greaves on the arms. Hell there's very little black. I think the biggest insult is the lack of a cape. I always loved the design of the cape. The way it flowed when he walked. The completely unrealistic way it allowed him to glide. The gracefulness of it falling as he landed. The only logical reason I can think of why they'd remove such an iconic element is that Bruce, unlike Madonna, has taken fashion advice from Edna Mode.

I think I get the idea behind this costume, essentially why would a billionaire like Bruce Wayne run around in tights? Presumably it takes away the need for a batmobile by putting it all there in the suit. But it's too great a departure from the classic look of the character, one fans have come to know and love for the past 75 years. You've got to wonder how long it'll be before Alfred is replaced by some sort of in-built AI akin to A.L.F.R.E.D.

It’s really such a shame when so many recent adaptations have nailed the suit perfectly, from the Nolan movies to the Arkham videogames. The Arkham games in particular seemed able to make the suit look realistic while maintaining its classic appearance, the subtle ways his costume becomes gradually damaged through each game is a testament to the love the creators have for it.

Superman, working class hero

The costume of Clark Kent is possibly the oddest of the bunch, as essentially it doesn't even look like a superhero costume anymore. I mean it is literally just a blue t-shirt with the Superman logo, jeans and trainers. There's stripped down and then there's just lazy, this is definitely the latter.

It appears to harken back to the costume Superman donned after the New 52 reboot, in a series set at the start of his career, but at least there he still had the cape. Seriously what does DC have against capes at the moment? Now he could blend in with anybody on the street, Superman t-shirts are available from most stores. At least a phone booth costume change will prove even easier, right?

Perhaps this is the point, to move away from the red and blue look that you can recognise from space and remind us of the humanity in the character. To channel the man rather than the super. This may be a positive step for the character, New 52 Clark has been much more alien than before and I'd welcome any move that gets him closer to his old self. Now we just need to hope they get rid of his overly aggressive attitude.

All chance of that pretty much faded away when I saw the cover for Superman's own title, which shows his hands soaked in blood. I presume there must be people out there who want a dark and gritty Superman and to be fair it does match his persona in Man of Steel, and if anything is true of comics today it is that movie synergy is important. I for one have always preferred Christopher Reeve's Superman, who felt like the perfect interpretation of the character, calm and gentle as opposed to moody and aggressive. DC really need to learn that not every hero needs to be dark and gritty, something Marvel have shown through their films from the beginning. Brooding is for Batman, Superman's nickname of the 'big blue, boy scout' should stop being seen as an insult.

Soldier not stripper

This is one costume I can actually get behind. The arm swords may be a little odd looking but it can't be said she doesn't look like a warrior. It's a suit of armour more than anything else which does truly fit her character.

It's also refreshing to see a female superhero who doesn't feel the need to dress like a stripper. Ok a little harsh but she's not flashing any cleavage or showing off her legs. It never really made much sense for a warrior to be charging into battle dressed like she was ready for a night out.

The outfit isn't wholly perfect however, for all its touches of gold armour it still looks like it's made of Lycra. Great for flexibility, not so much for stopping knives or swords. The dark shade of blue they've chosen clashes with the dark red. The gold elements look cheap in comparison. And while I'm happy with the decision to show her breasts, the high collar looks very masculine. I really don't know what they were thinking with the v-shaped skirt as well, it just oddly draws the eye to the crotch.

This is far from the worst costume Wonder Woman has ever worn, and I actually hate her classic hot pants and vest outfit - which always looked way too much like a bathing suit to be taken seriously. But you've got to question why they have such problems creating a good costume for Diana, one that keeps her looking sexy without her looking like a hooker.