I really like Supergirl's armor, looks a lot like Superman's. Which would make it more appropriate since it's supposed to Kryptonian armor. She does need the cape though. She's indestructible, she isn't going to get sucked into a plane engine.
Practical Women's Superhero Costume Redesigns
- Thread starter Shaka Zulu
- Start date
Supergirl's costume is awesome, Wonder Woman is also very interesting.
However i echo the thought that the costumes would need a bit more color, they're all very drab.
Now being an adult i understand the sentiment and i'm not turned on by female superhero pornstar bodies anymore but is anyone honestly expecting fast changes?
As with society in general change is slow so i hope that years down the line we will get something like this and it not being a big deal as long as the stories are good and the asskicking being dealt is awesome.
However i echo the thought that the costumes would need a bit more color, they're all very drab.
Now being an adult i understand the sentiment and i'm not turned on by female superhero pornstar bodies anymore but is anyone honestly expecting fast changes?
As with society in general change is slow so i hope that years down the line we will get something like this and it not being a big deal as long as the stories are good and the asskicking being dealt is awesome.
From the Vatican, no. From a segment of the entertainment industry that's supposed to be able to recognize changes in its market, yes. (Basically this guy is just doing something like what's already current in the movies. As far as the general concept goes -- leaving aside specifics of whether the designs could be more colorful or more varied -- comics should not realistically need another thirty years to figure out why.)
EDIT: The official new Powergirl is actually a lot more interesting than Ingvard's design.
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There have been changes. If you look at the costumes for Captain Marvel, Batgirl and others you see some "practicality". Even Starfire has stepped up from her three band aids look.
I think costumes should also reflect the character. Play to their power set or origins. These redesigns don't do that for the most part. They look like every one bought them at the same shop.
Right, the concept is good, but the execution in these cases... ehh. Too similar and too drab - and the "NO CAPES!!!", despite the awesome source is way overdone. Some of them (Black Canary, Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel, Power Girl as pointed out) have been done much better, in my opinion. His take on Zatanna... looks a LOT like a happier version of X-Men Evolution's Scarlet Witch and not like Zee at all... but otherwise solid. Elektra looks very good.
I just picked up the Batman: Cataclysm collected edition, and both Huntress and Spoiler actually wore some nice costumes.
Huntress
Spoiler
I don't really understand why they eventually changed Huntress's costume to the one with the hole right over her stomach. That's always struck me as a really ridiculous thing to have on a superhero costume. At least Power Girl can almost get away with the boob window since she's Kryptonian, but as far as I know Helena is just a regular human, who could probably use some kind of protection over the vital organs in her abdomen.
Huntress
Spoiler
I don't really understand why they eventually changed Huntress's costume to the one with the hole right over her stomach. That's always struck me as a really ridiculous thing to have on a superhero costume. At least Power Girl can almost get away with the boob window since she's Kryptonian, but as far as I know Helena is just a regular human, who could probably use some kind of protection over the vital organs in her abdomen.
Well, that's not really a "official new" Power Girl. She's just the current Power Girl of the main DC Earth. The new 52 version of classic Power Girl is still around, but she's on Earth 2. The new one from that link is a minor character in Teen Titans, with no big connection to the main PG (outside of getting her powers because of PG, kind of). Basically, she's a spin off, but the New 52 Karen Starr is still the main DC character named Power Girl. She did cover up the boob window, though (with the Superman logo).
Quite so. I can't but think of Edna Mode saying how she used to design for gods. Superhero costumes shouldn't look like they came off the rack at Ninjas-R-Us. They should be outlandish and flashy like the characters who wear them.
That's a cool design, i like it and it's the change i spoke about.
This. And they're all pretty boring.
Oh, but dontcha know, the artist believes in social justice for women, and thinks that they shouldn't be nude or nearly naked, henceforth, these costumes.
The designs in the OP make sense, but are boring beyond belief. The new Power Girl redesign is nice, and I also like some of the designs from Project Rooftop that BigJake linked to earlier in the thread.
I understand the need for flashy clothes and distinctive designs, but in all reality most superheros would just have regular clothes, perhaps slightly modified to accommodate their particular powers.
I understand the need for flashy clothes and distinctive designs, but in all reality most superheros would just have regular clothes, perhaps slightly modified to accommodate their particular powers.
I've never really understood this attitude. Its like telling complaining that Wizards in various media don't dress realistically. Superheros are fantasy. If you can believe a man can fly, why can't you believe he'd do it while wearing red trunks on the outside of his pants? I'll take colorful spandex or other similarly unrealistic attire over realistic attire any day of the week. Not that there aren't some superhero looks that are realistic and cool. But, the whole point of the genre isn't realism in general, even though some people would like it to be.
So.... the solution is to cover them head-to-toe in drab-colored, form-fitting, jump-suits?
There would probably be something to be said for using contemporary circuses and carnivals as inspiration for new costumes, come to think of it. If one really wants to double down on the fantasy aspect of things, the original inspirations for superhero costumes were carnival strong men (and magicians and other variants of carnie).
Don't start high-fiving me just yet, Tex. I don't think you understood my point (or Kodos', if I may speak for him). You and I aren't on the same side of this issue.
First off, what kind of misogynist monster wouldn't believe in social justice for women, or all people?
How did that somehow become a bad thing to believe in? It's bizarre to see you start so many threads about racism in the media and comics and yet always be so completely blind and antagonistic toward sexism issues.Secondly, my issue is not with making more practical costumes and less overtly sexualized designs for female superheroes, my issue was purely with the blandness and sameness of the designs here, in that they all look like variations on the generic futuristic leather with pads X-Men costumes from DoFP and have more dark colors and Earth tones than a Hugo Boss catalog from 1942. Where's the brightness, where's the color, where's the symbology, where's the variety? I'm not asking for boob windows and thongs, though.
I like how all of them have roughly the same pattern of rough-looking Kevlar-y patches throughout. Seriously, all of these costumes, other than color and detail here and there, look exactly the same.
I get, understand and go along with the point and idea that female superheroes should be presented a touch less "sexualized" as they are in comics, I always thought Black Canary's costume looked utterly ridiculous. She's Batman-like fighting criminals on the street in freaking fishnets?! But I don't think it makes any more sense to go in the complete and total opposite direction and completely cover them up in drab sameness making them look a veil away from being in burkas.
Certainly there's a line between "ridiculously over sexualized" and "I got this while training for The Hunger Games in the Capital."
When The New 52 started they gave Power Girl a pretty nice looking costume without the boob-window. It did seem to get destroyed or damaged in every other issue but it was still an attempt to "de-sexualize" her. And, to be honest, Power Girl is a lot more open about her appearances and the power it can give her in a male-dominated world than her native-universe counterpart. The "I didn't know what symbol to use!" thing was stupid. She could have just said had no problem putting them on display because she knows she looks good and she's not afraid to hide it. More than the "boob window" I disliked the 1980's high-thighed leotard she was always in.
I think this outfit:
LINK
Works fairly well of "desexualizing" Wonder Woman to ridiculous degrees. The only thing it needs is for the skirt-armor "pleats" to go all the way around her waist and maybe for the other arm to have armor as well, though there is some level of historical armor precedent for only having one arm in armor. Maybe the other arm in heavy-duty cloth/Kevlar or something. And maybe something similar for her legs.
But there's no need to make her head-to-toe in a drab-colored onesie. The can still be some spark and flash to it.
I get, understand and go along with the point and idea that female superheroes should be presented a touch less "sexualized" as they are in comics, I always thought Black Canary's costume looked utterly ridiculous. She's Batman-like fighting criminals on the street in freaking fishnets?! But I don't think it makes any more sense to go in the complete and total opposite direction and completely cover them up in drab sameness making them look a veil away from being in burkas.
Certainly there's a line between "ridiculously over sexualized" and "I got this while training for The Hunger Games in the Capital."
When The New 52 started they gave Power Girl a pretty nice looking costume without the boob-window. It did seem to get destroyed or damaged in every other issue but it was still an attempt to "de-sexualize" her. And, to be honest, Power Girl is a lot more open about her appearances and the power it can give her in a male-dominated world than her native-universe counterpart. The "I didn't know what symbol to use!" thing was stupid. She could have just said had no problem putting them on display because she knows she looks good and she's not afraid to hide it. More than the "boob window" I disliked the 1980's high-thighed leotard she was always in.
I think this outfit:
LINK
Works fairly well of "desexualizing" Wonder Woman to ridiculous degrees. The only thing it needs is for the skirt-armor "pleats" to go all the way around her waist and maybe for the other arm to have armor as well, though there is some level of historical armor precedent for only having one arm in armor. Maybe the other arm in heavy-duty cloth/Kevlar or something. And maybe something similar for her legs.
But there's no need to make her head-to-toe in a drab-colored onesie. The can still be some spark and flash to it.
I must be the only one to kind of like drab costumes, but I know I'm weird. Most of the OP work just fine for me, save for the sameness of them all (save a couple) and with a few minor tweaks, could be interesting. As I said before, I like a couple of them.
The above linked WW outfit is by and far my favorite for its historical flair. It is reminiscent of gladiator armor, with the sword arm protected, and a shield used to protect the arm.