What’s in a costume? When it comes to superheroes, pretty much everything! Last month saw the debut of a hip new modern costume for Spider-Woman, a character who hasn’t had a costume change in decades. The new suit is definitely trendy, with a focus on looking like realistic clothing over colorful spandex. And that jacket is just the snazziest!

Jackets are so hot right now

Spider-Woman is only the latest in a long line of superheroes getting new, hip costumes, and I love it! The new Batgirl looks very trendy, Hawkeye suits up in T-shirts, and even Captain America traded his old fashioned chain mail for a costume that more closely matches modern military uniforms. I’m a huge fan of this trend, and I think there are a few other superheroes who could use a modern costume makeover.

Six of them, in fact. Join me after the jump!

6. Phantom Stranger

Secret identity: Judas Iscariot. Yep!

Who could possibly think this costume is still a good idea? The fedora, the suit jacket, the cape/cloak over the suit; this is beyond retro. Characters as old as the Phantom Stranger fall under the umbrella of “It’s so classic, you can’t change it!” but look what that’s done for Spider-Man over the years? Costumes don’t get anymore perfect or classic than Spider-Man, but he’s got more than a few equally awesome alternate costumes. Nothing is too classic to change. The Phantom Stranger looks like your grandfather’s superhero. The last thing you want is for your comic book to be ‘stodgy’.

5. The Phantom

The Ghost Who Walks…hopefully to a tailor’s

Speaking of ‘classic phantoms’, what about old purple britches here? I know for a fact that, somewhere out in the world, Phantom comics are still being published, and I’m fairly certain he’s still wearing the full purple body suit and the striped underoos. That may have been an interesting look back in the 1930s, but time has made fool of him.

And the great thing about that costume is that it’s so basic it’s open to any kind of interpretation! A good artist could take the Phantom in any direction, from a more spandex-y superhero to a cooler, tougher modern hero. Granted, TV already tried that and failed, but new Phantom comics are easier to make than Phantom TV shows.

4. Mister Miracle and Big Barda

The couple that fights monsters together…

Is there any uglier costume in comics than that of Mister Miracle? I get that he’s a Jack Kirby classic, and that he comes from a race of apparently colorblind New Gods, but get with the program, mister! Bright red, yellow and green? That cape? Sheesh! His wife, Big Barda, isn’t much better. The rest of the New Gods have made a big splash in DC’s New 52 comics, all with updated costume (I especially like the new Orion). But Miracle and Barda have yet to make a proper appearance (though they did cameo in Earth 2). Geoff Johns recently teased that they might be coming to the regular New 52, so now is the time to put these two characters in the spotlight. Miracle and Barda have only ever been C-list associates of the Justice League at best, but they could be so much more! They just need to look the part.

3. Hawkman

Very chesty

It’s easy to mock characters like Hawkman. He’s Hawkman, for crying out loud. But that’s not what this is about. I’ve never read a Hawkman comic, so I don’t know anything about the guy. What I do know is that he’s a big, brawny asskicker who wields a giant mace and can fly. That sounds pretty cool on paper. When the New 52 came around, they decided to make Hawkman cooler by giving him massive armor. That’s one way to go. But why not something sleeker? Hawkman has been through more reboots than probably any character in comics, so why not one more? Sleeker, cooler and more modern, but still a mace-wielding asskicker!

2. Kang the Conquerer

Not quite ready for his close-up

Considering how big a deal The Avengers are these days, it’s time for all the Avengers villains out there to step up their game! Loki, Ultron and Thanos have already been name-checked for the movies, so who does that even leave? Kang the Conqueror, that’s who, and his stupid purple and green outfit, with that ugly blue face. Kang is a time traveler, but not just any time traveler. Unlike The Doctor or Marty McFly, Kang has pretty much become the Lord of Time. He travels through all centuries at a whim, sometimes trying to conquer, and some times just trying to set things right. It’s pretty complicated, but would also make for a pretty cool movie villain.

Just get him a better outfit. Of course, being a time traveler, ‘modern’ is a very subjective term. Just like at how style has changed between the 1980s and now, imagine how style changes between 10,000 BC and 10,000 AD! The guy has a lot of options.

1. Nightcrawler

It may not be broke, but it can still be fixed

What the heck has Nightcrawler been wearing all these years anyway?! I know he looks like a demon and was raised in a  circus, but he’s still a man, and grown men don’t go around wearing onesies anymore (at least not according to security at the Fingerlakes Mall, thank you very much). Nightcrawler has had a few costume changes over the years, but he always seems to revert back to his classic 1970s original costume. That’s fine, to an extent, but what is up with his shoulders? How much starch does he use to keep those things so pointy?

Nightcrawler is in desperate need of a new look that’s more in line with the 21st century. He needs a new costume and a new hairstyle (though don’t go back to that horrible goatee). Nightcrawler’s hole schtick is that he’s still a friendly guy, despite looking like a demon. But he’s still treated like the team’s freaky-looking pet. Underneath that costume, Nightcrawler is just like all of us, and I would like to see an emphasis on dressing like a normal human being.

Whatever happened to this costume? Oh right, he died in it…

Nightcrawler was recently killed and resurrected (because comics!), but Marvel don’t seem to have changed anything in the interim. He has come back exactly how he left. Even when he got his own solo series, Marvel called on classic X-Men writer Chris Claremont to just keep treating Nightcrawler like he was back in the 70s or 80s. That’s not going to fly anymore. Nightcrawler, more than anyone else, needs an overhaul!

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Who do you think could use a fancy new costume change? A lot of characters these days are sporting modern duds, but not all of them are all that fashionable. Who else should be on this list? Let me know in the comments!

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