Superhero Universe: Creating Costumes

When creating your heroes and villains, an important thing is crafting the costume they wear when “on the job”. To help you come up with looks that are unique and interesting, below is a list of the more common elements of costumes - types found in comics and tips on what to do when creating the ones for your characters.

• Common costume elements 
• Costume types 
• Important tips

• A form-fitting body-suit, resembling tights, that is both easy to draw and shows off a hero or heroine’s appeal . . . made of materials that provide protection and work a character’s powers. (Example: Unstable molecules used for the Fantastic Four’s costumes)
• A mask to conceal the hero/villain’s identity from the public. This can range from simple domino masks, cowls that only expose the lower-half of the face, or ones that cover the head completely. Gloves are also worn to keep from leaving fingerprints.
• A special symbol, such as a stylized letter or specific icon, usually worn on the chest that is often unique to the character, like Superman’s S-shield or Spider-Man’s spider. Teams might also have their own symbols, like the ‘4' of the Fantastic Four.
• Capes are worn by some heroes like Batman and Superman, and even some villains, giving a majestic look. They’ve fallen out of popularity in modern times, mainly due to practically (considered a safety hazard), but are considered “classic”. Try to come up with a way that works if you do decide to use them.

• Classic - traditional costumes that look like tights, with no visible seams or openings. At one point they were so tight they looked painted on, molding to the boy like a second skin and showing off every line and muscle.
• Realistic - costumes that look like they would in real life, less flashy and more practical. Most likely made of leather, with visible body armor and maybe resembling sports or racing gear. See recent superhero films like “X-Men” or the “Smallville” TV series for ideas.
• Borderline - costumes that look like classic ones but drawn in a realistic way, with visible stitching and are form-fitting but not looking like they were painted on.
• “Civilian” - costumes that are profession-related; e.g., a lab coat for a mad scientist or a ‘hat-and-trench-coat’ for a detective-style hero like the Spirit. Could also be street clothes if you decide to not use costumes altogether, such as on shows like “Heroes” and “No Ordinary Family”.