# Worst/uglist CURRENT superhero costumes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 9, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966 "2006-08-09T04:26:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [August 9, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/21 "2006-08-09T23:24:42Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] **Red Sonya** Even before Frank Thorne got involved, though, the costume chasnged to what looks like a bikini made out of silver dollars and no boots. It looks _great_, but it offers zilch protection and probably jangles like hell. Forget about silent approaches and ambushes. [/QUOTE] I like this scene from issue #1 of the current series: MAN: “Your armor, woman — it scarcely protects your **modesty** , let alone your **vitals**!” SONJA: “Men are easily distracted. Most of them never even notice my sword … until their heads roll off their necks.” ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/22 "2006-08-10T03:34:58Z")
I think for sheer awfulness it is hard to surpass the costumes of the Birds of Prey crimefighters as seen in the short-lived TV series. They were supposed to hot, sexy crime fighters, but they dressed in costumes that were dumpy, frowzy and dull. Don’t believe me: [http://www.bondagerotica.com/articles/bop2.jpg](http://www.bondagerotica.com/articles/bop2.jpg) Check out this actual vidcap from the show. We’re talking UGGGG-LEEEE people. This page is safe for work (it’s just a vidcap of three women dressed in costumes so bad you can’t make out their figures at all) other pages are not, so go elsewhere on the site at your own risk. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/23 "2006-08-10T03:42:30Z")
Considering your link is from [BondageErotica.com](http://BondageErotica.com), I would strongly recommend nobody click on it. You’ll have to get your second-hand jollies elsewhere tonight, and I have no doubt you will. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/24 "2006-08-10T03:49:43Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Considering your link is from [BondageErotica.com](http://BondageErotica.com), I would strongly recommend nobody click on it. You’ll have to get your second-hand jollies elsewhere tonight, and I have no doubt you will. [/QUOTE] It’s a really bad picture, too. Very poor resolution. What? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/25 "2006-08-10T05:51:01Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Considering your link is from [BondageErotica.com](http://BondageErotica.com), I would strongly recommend nobody click on it. You’ll have to get your second-hand jollies elsewhere tonight, and I have no doubt you will. [/QUOTE] Go back and read my post carefully, then you may apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/26 "2006-08-10T06:12:20Z")
Sorry, but thanks for playing. No matter how benign that photo might be, sending people to [Bondagerotica.com](http://Bondagerotica.com) and telling them it’s a work-safe site is wrong-headed. That site will end up in their caches regardless, and who knows what kind of trouble (not penis) will ensue. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/27 "2006-08-10T08:33:56Z")
Another one from me…[Kid Flash.](http://packy.dardan.com/walky/comics/acu) That picture’s one of the better depictions of that costume design I’ve seen. But you know the first thing that still pops into my head when I see it? “Heinz 57.” After that…most of the Robin costumes, most of the time. But that’s like putting Steven Hawking’s wheelchair up on blocks while he’s napping—not much of an effort, and I don’t feel that proud doing it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/28 "2006-08-10T11:55:53Z")
I’ve disabled **Evil Captor** ’s link, so that no one will go there inadvertently. We don’t censor where you’d like to go on the web, but we do try to protect people from accidentally going to a site that causes them trouble. (My own laptop’s mouse is so sensitive, I wind up clicking on stuff that I didn’t intend to just because my finger was resting on the thing I’m supposed to tap… ) Both sides are correct in this: the picture itself is innocuous (and, in fact, such poor resolution that I couldn’t make out what it was a picture of). However, that’s not a website to be going to at work. Thus, I’ve disabled the link so you can cut-and-paste to go there if you want, but won’t wind up there accidentally if you don’t want. And, please, comment all you want about the website, but no personal insults here. **BBV Lou** , your aside about “getting jollies” is basically a comment on the person posting, not the content of his post. Please refrain in future. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/29 "2006-08-10T12:03:04Z")
Both Martian Manhunters classic outfit and the current revision are godawful. Too bad, because he’s such a cool character. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/30 "2006-08-10T12:56:35Z")
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: If Hawkgirl wore her partner’s costume, she’d be the most popular character in comics. ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/31 "2006-08-10T13:18:46Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] I’ve never cared for the majority of costume designs by two of the most respected artists in comics: George Perez and Alex Ross. Most of Perez’s designs were overly busy, garish, and ugly (Deathstroke, Jericho, Kole, original Nightwing, Lady Quark, Alex Luthor), looking like bad 1970s Las Vegas disco revue costumes. His Firestorm, Lex Luthor in Kryptonite armor, and robot Brainiac were decent, but most of the others look laughably bad today (and many have been since updated as a result). [/quote] Blasphemy! Those are/were some of the best costumes in comics! (Well, not Lady Quark and Alex Luthor, whose costumes were pretty “meh”, but definitely the others. To those I would add Donna Troy’s first Troia costume, Starfire, Terra, Changeling, Pariah, Harbinger…I’m sure others will come to me. I adore Perez’s design sense. > [@](#): > > Ross’ original designs are also too busy and are plagued by asymmetry, like his red and gold Captain Atom look from Kingdom Come that sadly made its way into current comic continuity, and so many of the background characters from Kingdom Come. He goes out of his way to make costumes look like actual costumes worn by actual people (as opposed to details painted on over muscular bare bodies), and this is due to his reliance on photoreferencing models in homemade costumes. I just don’t like the “super-realism” of his work – it takes me out of the otherworldly escapism, and makes me think of Norman Rockwell’s portraits of timeless Americana. To be fair, I liked Wonder Woman’s “screaming chicken armor” from Kingdom Come, but that was an exception. I like the photorealism of Ross’s art. Come on, don’t you think it’s cool to see how the characters might look in real life? I think he achieves that without making them look as silly as they undoubtedly would IRL. It’s a fine line, but he walks it just right. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/32 "2006-08-10T14:33:41Z")
Re: Birds of Prey I have no clue what Evil Captor is talking about. Birds of Prey got the Batgirl costume down perfectly which was skintight and sexy as hell. Huntress’ costume was just ridiculous because it consisted of a bustier, leather pants and a lace (yes lace) robe. Canary I think just dressed as a normal person which was disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![First\_Amongst\_Daves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4491bb/32.png) [@First\_Amongst\_Daves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/First_Amongst_Daves)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/33 "2006-08-10T16:08:38Z")
No mention yet of Namor? The man wears Speedos and carries a big trident. **BBV Lou** - I agree on Perez designs. Jericho was singularly the most awful costume ever. ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/34 "2006-08-10T20:37:06Z")
I realize this goes beyond the caveat of “current” comics heroes, but what about **[Brother Voodoo](http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/b/brothervoodoo.htm)**? If you can include Captain Ultra, you gotta make room for Brother Voodoo. I even remember an issue of _Marvel Age_ where they had a parody strip in which The Watcher was hosting a “You Bet Your Life”-style gameshow in which the contestants were The Beast, Longshot, Blackbolt, and Daredevil. Longshot wins by pure luck, of course, and the losers are all made to wear the “Worst Superhero Costumes of All Time,” which cartoonist Fred Hembeck decided were Wonder Man, Brother Voodoo, DC’s Robin. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/35 "2006-08-10T21:03:13Z")
Lady Death, in her classic [“pale slut with a black thong bikini”](http://64.235.244.110/Lady_Death_II_Between_Heaven_and_Hell_No3_of_4_May_1995_Chaos-detail.jpg) costume. The costume itself is not _that_ bad, but the pale skin and the fanservice bust just equals ick in my book. (Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to bookmark that _Red Sonja_ fan page… 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/36 "2006-08-10T22:55:11Z")
[QUOTE=Licentious Ectomorph] I like the photorealism of Ross’s art. Come on, don’t you think it’s cool to see how the characters might look in real life? I think he achieves that without making them look as silly as they undoubtedly would IRL. [/QUOTE] I personally agree with you on the former, but not on the latter. Like I feel about **Push You Down** ’s post: the good part was that Birds of Prey got the Batgirl costume down perfectly; the bad part was that they got the Batgirl costume down _perfectly._ There’s probably some deep, philosophical meaning to that…with the detail and exquisite artistry of photorealistic media actually serving to highlight the fundamental cartoonishness of the original subject… …Oh, and the [Huntress](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntress_(comics)) looks like a hooker. She looks a deal better when she covers up, but most of the time, just…hooker. Hooker with a crossbow. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/37 "2006-08-11T03:26:45Z")
Come to think of it, considering what superheroes have to **do** – wouldn’t you choose a “costume” based on a military combat uniform? Something of tough material verging on canvas, loose enough in the joints to allow lots of freedom of movement, and camo or black as the situation requires. Esthetic considerations need not apply. ---
**Author:** ![First\_Amongst\_Daves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4491bb/32.png) [@First\_Amongst\_Daves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/First_Amongst_Daves)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/38 "2006-08-11T14:02:11Z")
You mean like [the Comedian’s costume](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/aa/Comedian.jpg/200px-Comedian.jpg)? ---
**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:** [August 11, 2006, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/39 "2006-08-11T14:07:49Z")
So how does the Comedian (and The Incredibles, and Robin, for that matter) keep those domino masks on (all the way to their eyelids) without having them fall off? And do they really protect your identity? They _can’t_ be as good as a forelock that falls over your forehead. Or a disappearing moustache. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966/40 "2006-08-11T14:16:45Z")
Most of them are not very current, but SomethingAwful did a [“Fashion SWAT” article](http://www.somethingawful.com/index.php?a=2916) a while back about awful superhero costumes. Dazzler makes an appearance, which adds some support to her earlier mention. And keep an eye out for “Whoopi Goldberg: Mexican Samurai.” I’m afraid I’ve blocked the site’s ads, so I have no idea if they’re SFW or not. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-uglist-current-superhero-costumes/367966.md?page=3)