Comic Accurate Costumes
A fitting tribute
Source material accuracy is a coveted goal amongst fans yet the majority of live action adaptations go rogue. Sometimes these creative gambles pay off, but most lack cinematic synergy with their roots, and the original comics are forced into an uninteresting synchronicity. Occasionally, a few get the threads right, though.
Here are five costumes whose tailors stayed true to game.
Deadpool’s journey into movies has been a wild ride. Originating in a Wolverine prequel film, this take on Wade Wilson would haunt Ryan Reynolds until he was finally able to fire off a true-believin’ trilogy. Who knew letting the Merc With A Mouth look like himself would be a good idea?
1990’s Captain America movie is red, white, and corny - however, underneath the silliness, there’s a genuine effort to recreate Cap’s classic uniform. Gone was the motorcycle helmet from the previous attempt - but the little wings over the plastic ears wouldn’t survive the Chris Evans era. Modern MCU fashion has been hit or miss.
Robert Downey, Jr.’s portrayal as Tony Stark turbo-charged the MCU, and his main suit of armor was a big part of the success. Bearing a strong resemblance to the armor he wore at the time in the comics, the live action Golden Avenger was truly brought to life. And it sure looked better than “Exo-Man.”
There is some confusion about the 1977 Exo-Man flick - Google retrieves plenty of info about how this clunky walking trash can is a primordial attempt at an Iron Man movie, but the more conclusive data states that it is a separate, bizarre-looking sci-fi curiosity.
If you’re going to do a cybernetic character based on a relatively obscure series, then you make it like Doom Patrol. Brendan Fraser’s bigger than life performance as Cliff Steele sincerely made you feel something for this full-mouthed tin man with a mushy, human brain inside.
The TV show featured a more contemporary look, but I think they could’ve pulled off the OG Robo.
Christopher Reeve as Superman is iconic. No notes.
It’s not as if the four films he starred him were without flaws, but despite the weird time travel ability, etc., the traditional style of the costume cemented this as the definitive version of the Man of Steel.
This selection of styles does not share the same overly-designed costumes of more modern adaptations. Textures abound, with unnecessary patterns, excessive scaling, and even odd tubing and lining - all of the busy elements that get slapped into contemporary uniforms and outfits make for tacky and confusing lewks. That being said, source material accuracy isn’t necessarily a prerequisite of a quality project. At their core, movies and television programs merely “have” to be an enjoyable experience at the time of viewing. Wildly inconsistent incarnations can result in some of the most beloved content. However, for every film like 1989’s Batman, there are dozens of regrettable motion pictures like 2003’s Daredevil. Tim Burton got away with all black instead of blue and gray, but in the case of so many forgettable features, the clothes do make the man.
What are your favorite live action costumes?
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