10. Sandman (Golden Age)
Okay, I admit it. I've never so much as even read a Sandman comic. Don't know anything about him. Don't know his secret identity, exactly what kind of gun that is he's carrying around ... nothing. But every time I see the character with his suit, gas mask, hat and cape (cape and a tie ... that's an odd combination) I want to pick up a book and read just to find out. Sure ... you could very easily argue that "this is just some guy wearing some stuff on top of the suit he wears to the office everyday," and maybe that is exactly what makes the design so intriguing. I probably will never be a fan, but the get-up is enough to peak my interest ... and that's what makes a great superhero costume!
9. Banshee
Sean Cassidy has long been one of my favorite comic book characters and certainly my favorite member of the X-Men. For decades he's been an under-utilized character ... in fact, until the recent X-Men: First Class film, I bet many of you had never even heard of him ... hell, in the comic books these days, he may or may not even be alive. But his kick-ass power (he screams ... really loud!), Irish heritage and murky background have always made him interesting to me. Add on top of that a funky green costume (like I said, he's Irish) with a big, wide collar and weird striped wing-things that have never quite been explained (and each artist makes up their own rules about how large they are) and I'm hooked. Recent artists have incorporated more of the standard X-Men costume to his design, but I like it green and with the '70s collar!
8. Green Lantern (Alan Scott from the Golden Age)
Leave it to little known DC characters from the Golden Age to make this list over and over again. Sure, with the new film and DC's pushing of the character in the comics, the "new" Green Lantern may be more recognizable, but there is something about the sheer "busy-ness" of Alan Scott's costume that always caught my eye. Green pants, red shirt, old school lantern logo and long cape with giant collar ... it gives him more of a magical warrior feel (his ring is magic, all the "new" lanterns are some kinda cosmic power) that's at home with both modern superhero mythos and classic myth. A really cool "probably takes him an hour to get dressed" design.
7. Dr. Strange
Interestingly enough, Marvel's magic wielder, the Sorcerer Supreme has some similarities to Golden Age Green Lantern ... busy color scheme with gigantic collar ... but adds more of a tunic and sash to the wardrobe making him feel less like a superhero and more like a character from a Dungeons and Dragons game. Dr. Strange's appearance also increases in "cool quotient" with the funky hand motions he makes to cast spells. Rumor has it that Marvel may make a Dr. Strange movie in the near future ... I wonder how true to the design they'll stay with this one. I'm sure there's been plenty of artists over the years who were excited to draw the book, only to discover that drawing all that detail on the fringes of his cape got to be a little old after a while.
6. Space Ghost
Space Ghost makes the list even though he was not created or designed for comic books, but rather for the Hanna-Barbera cartoons in the 1960s. Even though Jan, Jace and Blip were all pretty lame, there was just something cool enough about Space Ghost to make him must-see Saturday morning fare. With his simple and sleek design, a mostly white costume with black cowl leading into a “who knows what the shape of it really is” yellow cape, Space Ghost was proof-positive that you didn't need to get too complicated to have a really killer super hero suit. Plus, he had those things around his wrists ... that made him invisible (or in the cartoon, an outline!) and the simple triangle with a ... well ... a "space ghost" logo.
5. Dr Fate
Another hero I never really followed as a comic book loving child was Dr Fate. A sorcerer (with a succession of hosts) who became a founding member of the Justice Society of America. I always thought the helmet (the Helm of Nabu) was awesome, but never really cared about the fact that Nabu's spirit would possess the character. I also never really had a full understanding of just what the heck his powers were ... it seemed that each successive writer just made a few more things up. But the simple design with almost-medieval golden helmet combined with matching cape (with collar!) and the Amulet of Anubis just made Dr Fate one of the coolest looking heroes around.
4. Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
For those of us who grew up in the '70s, Shazam! was must-see-TV. Of course, we weren't paying all that great of attention and most of us never realized that the character's name was actually Captain Marvel. Shazam was the old wizard who gave him his powers. Only problem is, those of us who only watched the show knew nothing about the wizard -- all we knew was that he had the powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury and every-so-often, he would talk to them. But hey ... who cares? The point is that Captain Marvel had one of the most kick-ass super hero costumes ever. I mean, a golden lightning bolt on a red shirt? Cool! Add in the sash and unusual (and short) cape, and the "World's Mightiest Mortal" was one of the world's best-dressed heroes.
3. Angel (from Marvel Comic's X-Men)
Like most of the rest of the X-Men, poor Warren Worthington III has had more than his fair share of wardrobe changes over the years. First there was the plain yellow and black standard issue X-Men uniform, then the silly red shirt with suspenders look ("did they hold his wings up?") then a number of variations including the popular (but ultimately ugly) Archangel outfit fully equipped with razor-tipped steel wings. But the simple white and blue outfit with halo logo was just perfect. Sure, there was also another red costume that was an exact duplicate of this one, but the blue softened him more and made me reflect more on mythology. This was the modern Icarus ... the winged man. After all, what are super heroes if not the Greek gods of our generation?
2. Batman
Perhaps no major superhero has ever had the myriad of subtle changes to his wardrobe that Batman has had. From giant ears and purple gloves to black latex rubber, the number of incarnations of Batman's outfit is only matched by the number of gadgets in his utility belt. But for me, a child of the '70s and '80s, the Neal Adams-era Batman with gray tights, blue flowing cape (that was always catching some wind) and pointed ears is it! A loving middle-ground between Adam West and the armor-wearing Christian Bale in the recent movies. Other generations may reflect on the animated series or the Tim Burton movies ... but I'm from the post Adam West, Superfriends, Mego action figures generation. This is MY Batman ... and I love the design!
1. Superman
The template from which all other superhero costumes are created. Tights and cape, logo/symbol on the chest, a belt and (if you feel like it) some underwear on the outside. There is no better design for the daydreams of a young boy. All you needed what a red towel to tie around your neck, and you too could go "up, up and away!" It just doesn't get better than the Man of Steel.
1 comment:
Well of course I liked Wonder Woman. She didn't have or need a cape...but looked "pretty dang cool". My theory is this: The Cape on the male super hero evolved from the fact that men were very fond of their "blankies" as children. The fascination with this carried over into adulthood. The security of the blanket turned cape gave them super powers. It also gave them something to clean up the mess with when the bad guy splattered all over the sidewalk.
I was the wind under Superman's cape once I think. Now about that Angel guy with wings...not sure about that one...why wings??? Maybe he wasn't much of a blankie boy. :)
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