MCU makeovers: Marvel costumes that look even better on screen

The MCU or Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken over Hollywood with its constant churning of superhero movies that have captivated audiences. These superheroes find their origins in the comic books of Marvel, and the studio has tried to adapt the heroes for live-action from these comic pages.

While some characters’ costumes have stayed similar, some have gone through a visual overhaul that suits the needs of the character in the movie and is more practical. As such, here is a list of 10 MCU costumes that are better than the original design in the comics.

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Loki, Valkyrie, and other MCU makeovers where Marvel costumes looked better on screen

1. Ant-Man

Ant-Man is one of those characters in the MCU who could end up looking comical if his suits are not done stylishly. However, the producers at Marvel made sure that the character was given a befitting makeover according to his superpowers and role in the movie.

Ant-Man had many suits in the Marvel comics, as there were different characters like Hank Pym and Scott Lang who took up the role of the superhero. Each of the outfits, therefore, was different, dramatic, and colorful. The character even has a large helmet that looks like an ant, which is coupled with an antenna to add to the aesthetic.

In the movies, Ant-Man’s famous burgundy-tinged suit is sharply made and looks smart. It is even more functional than the comic counterpart. The suit suits the character being portrayed in the MCU and is sleek. The suit is balanced as it does not look entirely like an ant, which would be funny-looking, but still retains touches of it.

Further, the suit in the movies has a conveniently located button that, when pressed, allows the character to shrink or grow. This ability is the hallmark of the character.

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2. Captain America

Captain America is the epitome of American patriotism and heroism. In the comics, Steve Rogers is a frail man who gains superhuman strength after being given a “super-soldier” serum. Once Rogers became Captain America, he had one of the most distinctive suits in the comics.

The vintage suit is in the 1940s style and has red, blue, and white to give off a distinct American feel. The suit, therefore, honors Captain America’s patriotism. There are even little wings on the head, which add flair and style to the costume. While the suit has a lot of colors and detailing, Captain America's shield is made with a simplistic design.

On the other hand, the MCU kept Captain America’s look more muted than the comic counterpart. His suit in the movies evolved over time as the character adapted to a new era. Finally, his look was streamlined. In the movies, Rogers has a more covert role; therefore, his look is akin to a spy. Therefore, unlike the comics, Captain America's suit is more subtle, though it has the same patriotic fervor.

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3. Valkyrie

Valkyrie is a Marvel comics character first introduced in 1972, and her costume reflected the sexism of the time. Even though the character is a powerful superheroine and an equal ally of Thor, her costume in the comics was impractical and served the male gaze. Her suit featured a cape, a leotard, and shiny orbs over her breast. Further, she wore gladiator sandals that made her whole look impractical.

However, her character is quite powerful in the comics. Therefore, the MCU made corrections and decided to give a fitting look to the Valkyrie of the movies. There are no revealing leotards and protruding chest. Instead, the character wears a silver armor that showcases her status as a warrior and which is completely functional.

The suit is made for Valkyrie’s role in the movies and reflects her power and her character’s history as a soldier. The updated look proves that the MCU can change with the times and update its heroes’ costumes.

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4. Yondu

Yondu is one of those characters in the MCU whose costume has had a radical change in the movies compared to the comic counterpart, and it’s for the better. In the comics, Yondu has a very cosmic avatar and has a large redfin on his head, and he wears a reddish-orange loincloth and boots. While the outfit is striking for a comic book character, it is impractical for the character’s energetic role in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

Therefore, in the movie, the character’s appearance is overhauled, and Yondu has a red mohawk-like fin much smaller than its comic counterpart for practicality purposes. Further, the character wears a long leather coat with a whistle-controlled arrow as his primary weapon.

The changes made to the character make him tougher and intimidating, and they fit well with his role as the leader of the Ravagers. The new design was instantly liked, and even the comics that were released after the movie decided to incorporate the new look. Therefore, the comic and movie look of Yondu is now much closer.

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5. Scarlet Witch

Scarlet Witch or Wanda Maximoff is one of the most complex characters in the Marvel comics and was first introduced in 1964. In the comics, she is a powerful sorceress; therefore, her costume was fiery red, campy, and had a classic cape and tiara. However, the outfit was once again catered to the male gaze as it had revealing details.

In the MCU movies, however, the character went through many changes. She first started off with a modern black outfit with a red coat. Finally, in WandaVision, her character was fully explored, and her costume had elements of the comics’ outfit, like the cape and the tiara.

Ultimately, the final design for the MCU outfit of Scarlet Witch was made more practical. It did not have a cape, but the tiara and the deep red were retained, and the costume had much more detail. The outfit was easy to move around in and was a big improvement from what the character wore in the early movies.

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6. Nick Fury

Nick Fury was introduced in the Marvel comics as the member of an elite United States Army Rangers unit. He was then transformed into a spy who leads the fictional espionage agency, SHIELD. Even though he often works as an intermediary between the US government, the UN, and the various superheroes, he was given a proper superhero suit in the comics and is known by his classic eye patch.

The comic version of the character’s suit reflected Fury’s diverse capabilities and was eventually adapted to be more similar to the character’s look in the MCU.

In the movies, Nick Fury forgoes the superhero suit in favor of a classic black suit that is clean and smart. He still has his classic eye patch, and his appearance is more subtle in the MCU as he is a spy and therefore needs to blend in. The grounded suit of Nick Fury in the movies gives the character a timeless and classic quality.

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7. Vulture

Vulture was first introduced in 1953 as Isidoro Scarlotti and then in 1963 as Adrian Toomes. Therefore, the arch-nemesis of Spider-Man has been the alias for various characters. But the defining feature of the supervillain is that his outfit closely resembles the bird it has been inspired by. The costume is simple but effective. It consists of a green jumpsuit with feathered wings attached to it.

However, for the character’s outing in the MCU movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming, the character’s outfit went through a complete makeover. In the movie, Adrian Toomes uses alien substances and weapons left behind after the alien attack on New York. This helps in upgrading his suit, which is now sleek, modern, and black.

Further, the new look has an intimidating helmet, powered mechanical wings, and gloves. Therefore, the character of Vulture gets a powerful upgrade in the movies as compared to its comic counterpart. The new design made Vulture extremely powerful and menacing.

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8. Loki

Loki is the brother and nemesis of Thor and is known as the God of Mischief. The character is therefore known for drama and chaos. In the comics, his suit is green and yellow in color, and he has massive horns. The Loki of the comics is therefore larger than life and has a devilish energy. The bright colors of the costume in the comic highlight the character’s mischievous energy and make it difficult for him to be taken seriously.

However, in the MCU, the character retains his mischief but is still an evil god. The suit in the movies have a deeper color that indicates the character’s serious side and makes him look more serious and grounded. The devilled horns are seen less, and throughout the MCU, Loki is seen in various different avatars, like regal Asgardian robes to a simple suit and tie. But the character is most comfortable in his full-blown battle outfit, highlighting his might and powers.

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9. Black Panther

Black Panther is the first Black superhero in American mainstream comics and was introduced in 1966. Also known as T’Challa, the character was given immense powers and is the king of the futuristic and fictional African nation of Wakanda.

His character’s suit in the comics is quite similar to what is seen in the MCU. In the comics, the Black Panther suit is black with silver accents and a sleek but intimidating mask that brings the image of a panther or jaguar to the mind. In the comics, Black Panther develops his suit with the latest Wakandan technology, which is also shown in the MCU movies.

The only difference in the avatar between the comics and the movies is that the suit looks more refreshed and upgraded in the movies. There are added purple accents that make the suit more royal and befitting a king. In both the comics and the movies, the Black Panther suit highlights the technologically advanced nation of Wakanda.

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10. Vision

Vision is one of those characters who is synthezoid in nature and is a mechanical being brought to life through the Mind Stone. The character was first introduced in 1968. While the backstory for the character has stayed consistent throughout the comics and the MCU, the character has had a more realistic upgrade in the costume department in the movies.

In the comics, Vision has a green and yellow suit with a red face. However, MCU changed that by highlighting the character’s android nature. The character wore a muted suit made with colors of red and blue, and the costume was a better visual representation of the character’s backstory.

While the comics felt a bit amateurish with the bright colors and striking red face, the character’s look in the movies is more rounded and smarter. The look highlights the fact that Vision is a mechanical being who has been brought to life, and he looks like an artificial life form.