The Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken the most popular and imaginative characters from the comics and translated them into visually appealing and entertaining ones. The process has done both – honoring the superhero source material and taking creative liberties for spectacle alone.
It goes without saying that costumes are central to a hero’s identity. They reflect an individual’s power and personality. So, any modernization of the classic superhero costumes may either turn out to be a risk well taken or a dissatisfying result of misdirected creativity. Some critics and fans feel like the MCU steers too far from the source too often. Especially with character redesigns.
However, the movies also have the huge responsibility of balancing decades of devoted fandom and allowing new fans accessibility to the same. Not every complex costume can be directly replicated. At their best, the design team needs to prioritize visuals over origins. In this list, we take a look at 10 MCU costumes that depart from their comic counterparts over the franchises’ many adventures.
10 The Shocker
Herman Schultz made his debut as the Shocker in Spider-Man: Homecoming. He was a salvage-worker-turned-professional-criminal who sold Chitauri-based weapons to the bad guys. He looked like a normal middle-aged man in the movies, donning a jacket and a hoodie. His sleeves, however, were yellow as a tribute to his comic counterpart’s costume. It housed vibrational emitters charged with high-frequency technology. Hence, the powers.
In a hilarious twist, he was actually the second character to take on the mantle, after the first was accidentally atomized.
Speaking of which, Shocker in Marvel Comics did not need to wear a gauntlet for his powers. Instead, he was a supercharged villain with a yellow full body suit and helmet. His handheld vibro-shock units made him fiercely powerful. Paired with the mind of a brilliant inventor, he was a formidable enemy in the Spider-Man universe.
9 The Ancient One
The Ancient One, or the Sorcerer Supreme as many of us know her, first appeared in Doctor Strange and reluctantly accepted Stephen Strange as her student. Her costume in the movie was simple. Monk-like robes in rich reds and golds patterned subtly, another open robe revealing a plain shirt. She had a completely traditional Tibetan look which was meant to portray her as a sorcerer of great power and wisdom.
In the comics, however, The Ancient One was an ancient Tibetan magician named Yao, who became a minor cosmic entity following his death. Wearing more flamboyant glowing robes with complex design, he looked like a deity. The Ancient One was the first movie character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to have their gender changed, and according to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, the idea “was exciting” and “opened up possibilities.”
8 Yondu
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Yondu was brought to life by Michael Rooker. He was a rough Ravager captain in Guardians of the Galaxy whose only similarities with his comic book counterpart were the blue skin and red mohawk. In the movies, he wore a dark leather vest with many pouches and accessories and baggy pants. Ferocious and iconic, the costume was complementary to his outlaw lifestyling in space.
The comic book version of Yondu, introduced in 1969’s Marvel Super-Heroes #18, did not even have any adventures on main Earth. He was part of Earth-691 and was native to a planet called Centauri-IV. He typically wore the traditional garb of his Centaurian race with just a cloth and sash covering him up. Exaggerating his appearance with a punk-inspired costume in the MCU made him more memorable as a mentor-figure to Peter Quill.
7 The Vulture
Not only did the creative minds working on Spider-Man: Homecoming take a more realistic approach towards Vulture’s costume, but they also altered his narrative to fit into the overarching story of the web slinger. Adrian Toomes was a blue-collar entrepreneur whose business was disrupted by Damage Control. He took on the identity of Vulture and went unnoticed until Spider-Man took to the streets. In appearance, he wore a suit made from salvaged alien technology and powered by makeshift metallic wings.
In contrast, the Vulture’s comic book costume was green, with wings and books that afforded a more fantastical look than practical. As one of the founding members of Spider-Man’s recurrent group of enemies, the Sinister Six, Vulture was essential to the story. Scrapping and fitting real world materials into his terrifying-looking suit maintained his image as a formidable foe in the MCU.
6 Hawkeye
Clint Barton popped up on the big screen in 2011’s Thor as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was dubbed “the Hawk.” Fans don’t really get a good look at his costume but his black combat suit with the utility belt and shoulder armor doesn’t go unnoticed either. His signature weapon, a bow and an arrow, is holstered on his back, making him look perfect as a hero who operates in the dark. 2012’s The Avengers spruced things up a bit and gave Hawkeye a purple variant of the same costume.
Marvel Comics, however, is both comfortingly familiar and oddly different from the movies. In appearance, he wears a distinctive purple and black bodysuit with an arrowhead symbol on his chest. Alongside other larger than life heroes and romantic alliances, this former villain brings a subtle covert experience and wide range of trick arrows that makes him valuable to the Avengers team.
5 Bucky Barnes
Before he became The Winter Soldier in the Russo Brothers’ globally celebrated sequel, he was just Bucky. He served alongside Steve Rogers as an officer of the 107th Infantry Regiment and wore an outfit that consisted of an olive green army uniform with a jacket, knee-high boots and a campaign hat. The look and his narrative established Barnes as a loyal friend and dedicated soldier.
The Winter Soldier was completely accurate to the comic books. Bucky, on the other hand, often showed up in the comics looking like Cap. He shared the star-spangled ensemble and a domino mask. He was essentially Captain America’s sidekick. Sebastian Stan’s portrayal enhanced his importance in Rogers’ origin story during simpler times as well as harsher times.
4 Quicksilver
Hailing from Sokovia, Pietro Maximoff first appeared in the MCU in Avengers: Age of Ultron as a young boy who lost his parents and became volunteers with his sister for HYDRA’s human experiments. He gained super-speed abilities and became Quicksilver. His costume was simple fitted athletic wear – a gray suit with blue lining – that allowed fluid and fast movement. He didn’t last very long in the movies, as opposed to his role in Marvel Comics.
Speaking of which, Quicksilver was more than just a misguided youth. He made his debut in 1964’s X-Men #4 as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. His classic suit was a full-body blue uniform with a matching scowl on his face. Both costumes look nothing alike, especially because in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Pietro simply picked one out from the Avengers Tower before heading into battle.
3 Killmonger
Earning his name after having numerous confirmed kills as a member of the Navy SEALs, Erik Killmonger made his ambitious debut in Black Panther. Having already fortified his body through rigorous combat training, it was only fitting that he wore generic military armor with various protective elements like a bulletproof vest. Killmonger also used other equipment, like the Wakandan Royal Ring and a ceremonial mask.
Alternatively, Killmonger’s classic comic counterpart donned a garish animal skin patterned with chainmail. His maniacal ego and need for domination was apparent in the equipment he used – like the amulet fashioned from pure Wakandan Vibranium. Killmonger also had pet leopards, and he created an army of super-intelligent wildlife to fight against his own kind.
2 Baron Mordo
A former close ally to the Ancient One and the only person on Stephen Strange’s side at the Kamar-Taj, Baron Mordo turned his back to his allies after learning about the Dark Dimension and decided to strip them of their powers. In appearance, he wore refined robes in muted earth tones to match his role as a sorcerer. He also elevated the look with accessories that aligned with other students of the Ancient One.
Baron Mordo’s comic counterpart had a different attire. He donned theatrical capes and metallic adornments; his arched eyebrows and evil grim amplifying his status and abilities. His modest look in the MCU probably hinted at his growing disillusionment and was meant to portray subtle elements of order before he unleashed vengeance and wrath upon his fellow sorcerers.
1 Malekith
The main antagonist of Thor: The Dark World, Malekith was the cold and calculative leader of the Dark Elves who led his people in a war against Asgardians with the sole intention of plunging them into eternal darkness. He was gardbed head-to-toe in metallic armor that resembled gnarly black plates, making his appearance accurate for a creature living in the shadows and drawing strength from the dark forces.
However, in the comics, Maletith has a more colorful and threatening look. His dark gray tattered cloaks were a striking contrast with his blue skin and long white hair. Also, the dark side of Malekith’s face is to the left rather than the right, as seen in the MCU. Apparently, the movie established himself as a tired, tragic and twisted character as opposed to the pure evil Malekith is in the comics.