# Are there any comic book heroes or villains who've never altered their costume **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385 "2012-06-07T14:21:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Rubixcube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Rubixcube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubixcube)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/61 "2012-06-08T13:09:19Z")
> [@Daddypants](#): > > How about The Shadow? I believe the pulp heroes are going to win this contest. I’m amazed that slipped my mind, in that case I vote Tarzan, first appearance 1912 first comic 1929 with fairly consistent output till today. Aside from his visits to civilization where he dresses normally he’s just about always in his “costume”. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/62 "2012-06-08T13:21:59Z")
Zorro? Lone Ranger? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/63 "2012-06-08T13:34:37Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Zorro? > Lone Ranger? Zorro was a pulp character. If ypou look at his depictions in the movies, it has varied considerably – sometimes Zorro wears a full-face mask. The Lone Ranger was a movie and TV hero. AFAIK, he always wore the same get-up\*. Both Zorro and the Lone Ranger have appeared in comic books since their original appearances, though (and in animation, as well), so I suppose you can consider them “comic book heroes” If you’re going to consider them, you might want to consider the Lone Ranger’s descedant, _The Green Hornet_ (and Kato) \*After he was no longer The Lone Ranger, but still making public appearances, Clayton Moore started wearing dark sunglasses instead of a mask, since IIRC, the owners of the copyright wouldn’t let him dress up at TLR. But that probably doesn’t countr. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/64 "2012-06-08T13:44:49Z")
I’m going out on a limb and nominate Krypto. Hard to see how a collar and cape could change. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/65 "2012-06-08T14:00:55Z")
Sometimes Krypto wears glasses, sometimes not. Sometimes he wears a [gold](http://www.hembeck.com/Images/FredSez/KryptoTorture400.jpg)collar, sometimes it’s [white](http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb219/DennisMM/Kryptoterrific.jpg). (and, yes, Superboy is a dick) ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/66 "2012-06-08T14:08:38Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’m going out on a limb and nominate Krypto. Hard to see how a collar and cape could change. Didn’t Krypto have a bunch of pouches and buckles in the 90s? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/67 "2012-06-08T14:13:45Z")
Krypto was a terrier in the 90s. (Also a completely mundane Earth dog. I don’t think a Kryptonian Krypto was reintroduced until the 2000s, but I may be wrong - but it was a close thing, if he did appear in the 90s.) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/68 "2012-06-08T16:31:50Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Sometimes he wears a [gold](http://www.hembeck.com/Images/FredSez/KryptoTorture400.jpg)collar … > (and, yes, Superboy is a dick) Hey, who _hasn’t_ played “helicopter” with his pets? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/69 "2012-06-08T16:39:27Z")
> [@Daddypants](#): > > How about The Shadow? I believe the pulp heroes are going to win this contest. Nope. [http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/article/7/8/3/105783.jpg?v=1](http://i.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/article/7/8/3/105783.jpg?v=1) ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/70 "2012-06-08T17:19:55Z")
Wolverine, at least in the 606 Marvel universe, has only one real major costume change - when he wore the brown/yellow in the 1980s instead of the blue/yellow. Beyond that, he hasn’t really changed all that much since his first job as an X-Men (except for the Morrison era when everyone wore leather jackets). For example, when everyone else got [full-scale costume makeovers](http://www.uncannyxmen.net/covers/xmen/xmen100b.jpg) in the short-lived “Revolution” era, he kept his old uniform. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/71 "2012-06-08T22:20:11Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Is there a difference between stylistic changes in how the superhero is drawn and an actual change in the uniform/costume? That is to say, do the early versions of Batman with the exaggerated pointy ears mean that later Batman used a more realistic (?!?) cowl design? > Or is this an artifact of the change in artists? I would call that sort of thing artistic license, but Batman has had plenty of costume changes over the years besides that. Most notably the addition of the yellow oval around the bat on his chest in the… 60’s? I think the 60’s, then the removal of it again in the 90’s. Also for a time he lost the trunks over his tights as well. > [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Hm. Silver Surfer maybe? Someone already brought up the sometimes there, sometimes not trunks, but also his surfboard sometimes has a fin, sometimes not. Maybe not costume, but certainly part of his look. > [@magnusblitz](#): > > Wolverine, at least in the 606 Marvel universe, has only one real major costume change - when he wore the brown/yellow in the 1980s instead of the blue/yellow. Beyond that, he hasn’t really changed all that much since his first job as an X-Men (except for the Morrison era when everyone wore leather jackets). For example, when everyone else got [full-scale costume makeovers](http://www.uncannyxmen.net/covers/xmen/xmen100b.jpg) in the short-lived “Revolution” era, he kept his old uniform. Wolvie’s had many costumes besides those two. Just to name a few his [Astonishing X-Men uniform](http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/5/57151/1073821-wolverine_astonishing_x_men_super.jpg) clearly inspired by his original yellow & blue, yet with some distinct differences (lack of trunks for one). There’s also his costume from early on in his ongoing solo series (which I can’t find a good image of) where he basically wore black tights and a black tank top instead of his brown costume (which he still wore in Uncanny X-Men) because the X-Men were pretending to be dead at the time. How that costume was supposed to fool anyone (no mask!) I dunno. But even worse his civilian identity, Patch, was just him with an eyepatch… Okay… Also, his first appearance in Incredible Hulk had a different mask from his traditional blue & yellow as seen from Giant Size X-Men #1 and later. And he replaced the mask for a bandanna in the brief period when he lost his nose (I wish I was kidding). Also at some point he replaced his normal belt buckles with an X on both the traditional costumes. There have been more, but that’s enough for now. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/72 "2012-06-09T02:13:05Z")
> [@Daddypants](#): > > How about The Shadow? I believe the pulp heroes are going to win this contest. When Howard Chaykin brought him into the 80s, he gave him a leather overcoat with a different collar; double-breasted, IIRC, with no cape or scarf. The pointy-topped slouch hat was replaced with a flat-topped Borsalino. Subsequent artists (Sienkiewicz and Baker) brought him back to his classic look, though. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/73 "2012-06-09T03:02:44Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > The Phantom, maybe? Good call! Don’t know if The Phantom Stranger has changed either. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/74 "2012-06-09T03:59:42Z")
Popeye? Judge Dredd? ---
**Author:** ![GovernmentMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GovernmentMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GovernmentMan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/75 "2012-06-09T04:03:28Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Whatever. If it matters to you enough to rationalize it this way, okay. Maybe next you can explain the length of Batman’s ears. No need to get salty. He’s right ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/76 "2012-06-09T04:56:45Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Good call! > > Don’t know if The Phantom Stranger has changed either. The Phantom Stranger and The Question were the first two I thought of. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/77 "2012-06-09T05:01:01Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Popeye? Popeye switched from his usual getup to the all white U.S. Navy uniform for a while. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/78 "2012-06-09T05:04:13Z")
Didn’t Galactus wear shorts once? ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/79 "2012-06-09T05:15:06Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Didn’t Krypto have a bunch of pouches and buckles in the 90s? What, was Liefeld drawing him? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-comic-book-heroes-or-villains-whove-never-altered-their-costume/624385/80 "2012-06-09T06:59:30Z")
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