Costume Thread: The Boob Window of Opportunity

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > BSS: Bisexual Super Son > Costume Thread: The Boob Window of Opportunity

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

This Tumblr is worth a look.

I actually really like this Ivy design...

# ¿ Jul 14, 2014 14:17

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 04:11

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

To be fair that tumblr also involves a topless-Ballerina-Hulk.

I like the whip even if that's cribbing from Catwoman a bit, but honestly I've never dug green skinned Ivy or her just being naked with carefully placed leaves.

# ¿ Jul 14, 2014 21:54

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

I like the new outfit because it reads as an espionage character. The retractable gliders in particular are very James Bondy. She's a character who can go into a nightclub without anyone ever knowing she's a superheroine until it's time for her to be a superheroine.

# ¿ Dec 20, 2014 21:38

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Lurdiak posted:

It was specifically an anti-pot PSA. It was pretty surreal seeing all these superheroes yelling about how marijuana is the devil and kills more people than disease and war combined or whatever. It'd be goofy for something from the 80s, but this was the late 90s.

Though I guess it would eventually be topped by those commercials that equated smoking weed to causing 9/11.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gw0y-KfGNk

The most out there drug PSA thing is Michelangelo's appearance in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue. It's like the worst ninja turtle to pick for it, because bull-loving-poo poo are you telling me that Mikey doesn't smoke weed.

# ¿ Dec 22, 2014 01:01

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

fatherboxx posted:

There was Leo Zelinsky, a tailor for superheroes and supervillains from JMS's run on Amazing Spider-Man. Leo has not been seen since he designed a costume for PENANCE, which probably sunk his reputation.

I actually like Penance's costume for what it's worth. Penance is a stupid character, but I think if you re-purposed it for some third tier villain then you'd have a decent and memorable costume that has a lot going on without ever being busy.

# ¿ Jan 11, 2015 23:03

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

zoux posted:

I don't know that AXM sold a lot of toys. I got that as more of them getting away from the boring black leather costumes (which I think they even said) and doing something more comic book-y and truer to their roots.

What do people think of the Phoenix Five costumes from AvX?

I think Scott could work if you removed the red crotch arrows and beak visor. To me, the key defining feature of the Phoenix costume was Jean's hair. poo poo's so unwieldy. Even before The Dark Phoenix Saga, the design always denoted a level of power that can be barely contained; breaking free. When it came for the Dark Phoenix Saga it denoted more about the character. She was someone with no restraints and no limits on her power.

That's why I think it's dumb to give Scott this big bulky visor. He shouldn't have a visor at all. I think you could give him some red angry Superman eyes to denote it's Cyclops.Make it look like a Cyclops who has let go.

# ¿ Jan 15, 2015 02:23

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Mr. Maltose posted:

Buddy had Gambit's weird head thing years before Gambit was a thing though?

It was obscured by the goggles that made it look a lot less silly because both components form a mask. Without the goggles, it just looks dumb.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2015 03:04

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Gaz-L posted:

There've been similar projects that came up with pitches that are literally just this, and no. It's not. It's like saying "just remove the lightning bolt from Ms Marvel's outfit!" (Either Kamala or Carol). You end up with a big chunk of negative space that looks unfinished. And I know the usual argument is that the epaulette is enough. I disagree.

I actually think the PG design is one of those cases where the other tack has worked. Not changing the costume to suit the character, but going "what kind of person would wear this?" and building a personality around it. Sue Storm having a cut-out to show off her boobs is completely tacky and misrepresenting the character in pursuit of T&A and objectification. Karen Starr just knows she's awesome, and doesn't mind showing a little d�colletage. Again, the issue is not simply that some costumes show off bodies. It's the consistent use of them to depict women as sex objects, and the prevalence of those designs that is the issue. If stuff like the current Batgirl or Ms Marvel designs were the norm, then PG and Emma Frost wouldn't even be mentioned.

(Still think the handwraps on the power button outfit are cool as poo poo, though.)

I think this design from Little Girls Are... works for a few reasons. One, it removes the high collar reducing the amount of negative space. I do think the smaller chest also does put your focus more on the epaulette and the chain which also helps.

# ¿ Mar 7, 2015 03:22

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

I think Reeve really cemented the leaner Superman.

With good reason, because while the production values on that suit doesn't hold up to scrutiny, GODDAMN does he look good.

# ¿ Mar 7, 2015 22:46

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Say Nothing posted:

They actually hired David Prowse as a personal trainer to put muscle on Reeves for that role because he was too skinny looking. You may know Prowse as the 6'7" guy behind this armor.

He was also a pretty good bodybuilder.

You know what's weird? Film adaptations of Dr. Doom suck when Darth Vader exists.

# ¿ Mar 9, 2015 00:11

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Superman could be wearing a polo shirt with a tiny S replacing the Ralph Lauren logo, and I'd still think it's be less dumb than Superman wearing armor.

# ¿ Mar 14, 2015 19:03

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Let me defend the t-shirt Superman. I think a lot of the problem is more context and broader character design. We've seen Superman scowling, standing in a pool of blood, and ready to in staring match. Also, his haircut is dumb.

I think the costume itself is fine although I'd prefer if he still had the cape. The problem comes with how they depict the character. I think the Morales t-shirt Superman didn't look as good, but it worked because Morrison and Morales created a character who fit the design.

The same design looked dumb as hell when you tried to make it intimidating, but Superman looks dumb as hell when he's intimidating.

# ¿ Mar 14, 2015 22:06

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Lurdiak posted:

Dude, that's still like half the stuff coming out. Although I do worry that there might eventually be a pushback, as there has been in gaming culture.

It depends where you're looking.

The weird thing is that a lot of comics communities are completely blind and insular to what people are actually reading and who is actually reading comics. I mean, that's the grossest thing about about what Larsen is saying. "I'm tired of the big two placating a vocal minority at the expense of the rest of the paying audience by making more practical women outfits." The implication there is that it's men who like tits who read comics, and not these SJW Tumblr ladies trying to take away our boobs.

Raina Telgemeier is probably one of the most influential comics authors around and not only has her name almost never been mentioned on this forum, you'd probably be hard-pressed to find her in an average comic book store. And it doesn't matter because Smile and Drama are being read by more 12 year old kids than any DC book. And when we go up to teens and young adults, you have Saga burning up the book shelves. And according to their most recent reader survey, Saga is predominantly read by women.

And that doesn't mean there's not still a niche for gross man children who need as much cleavage as possible, but the idea that those man children drive the industry is a lie. We no longer have to ask the question of how we get women and girls to read comics. Women and girls read comics all the loving time and they might actually be reading more comics than their male counterparts. The question becomes how you get women and girls to read your comics. And Larsen doesn't get that. He thinks that something like the Batgirl costume is pandering to an audience that doesn't exist.

Stuff like the Batgirl costume or Ms. Marvel's whole existence is seeking out an audience who is already being fed comics that look like this:

or this:

I fear the assholes who need their tits threatening sexual violence in the same way video games fans have. But I don't fear them winning or ruining the market. Fuckers have already lost.

# ¿ Mar 16, 2015 20:47

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Who the hell thinks Saga is that inappropriate for a sixteen year old or that sixteen year olds are not reading Saga?

EDIT: Either way it's off topic, and I was using saga as something that appeals to 16-24 year olds.

# ¿ Mar 16, 2015 21:53

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Lurdiak posted:

I just don't understand why anyone would ask Alex Ross or Jim Lee to design costumes, yet they keep doing it.

Can't answer the latter, but the former is because some of his Kingdom Come designs were dope. Skeleton Dead Man, black S superman, Red Robin. All cool

# ¿ Aug 30, 2015 12:58

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Not sure if it would work, but I was thinking if you had Cloak and Dagger essentially be pallet switched.

Turn Cloak's cloak white with the black void in the middle.

Have Dagger's costume be black with the dagger white in the middle.

# ¿ Apr 19, 2016 04:53

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Aphrodite posted:

They add the texture because flat outfits look mostly horrible on real people.

It depends.

It's hard for me to not feel like on screen Supermen are falling short to Reeve. It's not that I even love those movies, but look at this man. The costume has its flaws and might look cheap to some, but he definitely fills it out well.

Similarly, I really thought despite being intentionally goofy looking, Dollar Bill in the Watchmen film looked pretty great.

The new Spider-Man costume also honestly looks like the best take on that costume yet. But Spider-Man has translated surprisingly well to screen in almost all of his incarnations.

# ¿ Apr 21, 2016 12:56

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

I've honestly just been struggling to see Leto's Joker mesh with Affleck's Batman.They just don't look like they'd visually pair well together.

Chinaman7000 posted:

If you think kids today would agree that Reeve's costume is better you're foolin yourself.

I think that's a bit presumptuous. The point isn't really if Reeves' costume would work today, it's that a flatter fabric costume can work. Both Reeves' Superman and Dollar Bill fit great. They don't do what Adam West's costume did which was make him look fat when he was rocking a pretty great body in the day.

I will say that I think Reeves just looks better in his suit than Cavill looks in his own. Cavill looks like this loving adonis outside of his suit, but the actual Superman suit doesn't really compliment his body. He often looks oddly squat in it.

I do think on screen costumes do require some level of texture. The Dollar Bill costume works for me because the fabric lacks the cheapness and costumey-ness of Superman's costume. I feel like I could easily rip Reeve's costume and his belt probably feels like foam. Dollar Bill's costume looks like it has some heft to the fabric. And the Spider-Man costume is mostly flat as well, but has a modern sleekness to it.

Timeless Appeal fucked around with this message at 15:38 on Apr 21, 2016

# ¿ Apr 21, 2016 15:34

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Aphrodite posted:

Joker and Batman aren't supposed to pair visually. That's why he's a green haired clown in a purple suit.

I mean that i'm having trouble seeing Leto's Joker and Affleck's Batman exist in the same space.

# ¿ Apr 21, 2016 22:27

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Yvonmukluk posted:

Except this is supposed to be a cataclysmic ice age. So she'd have to do doing it, like, all of the time.

Apparently in the original story she'd be the one to unfuck the climate, but she'd die in the process.

I kind of want Storm to not be a super heroine, but be this literal Goddess who controls weather on a global scale and spends all her time negotiating with world governments and other entities.

Like she's generally trying to create the most ideal global climate, but obviously not everyone's going to be happy. So, she's constantly having to negotiate with different countries and industries and conservation groups.

I would read 60 issues of this. There could be some intrigue to spice things up and Kitty can be her assistant.

# ¿ May 1, 2016 18:31

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

What's kind of dumb is that it's Elizabeth Banks. She has such comedy chops that could really sell the cackling witch Rita Repulsa from the show. Like that costume would actually be pretty funny if she was in the big witch get-up from the show and this was her entering battle. But that's probably not going to be what happens.

# ¿ May 22, 2016 18:18

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Honestly, I think the white spider is to help distinguish this as a unique take on Spider-Man and not related to the Sony/Marvel film Spider-Man. And that's probably the weird thing in assessing it. Like maybe it's a good design? But it inherently looks off-brand. It's not like Miles Morales's Spider-Man or Scarlet Spider or Iron Spider which are different enough that they're their own things while still invoking the core elements of Spider-Man. It's a Spider-Man who is just slightly off. It's the same reason why I think both DC's t-shirt Superman in the new 52 look dope as hell, but the main New 52 design looks wrong. The t-shirt Superman are a redesign that keeps the color scheme and logo as key elements. The New 52 armor design is a traditional Superman design that's just missing things and adding things that seem unnecessary. It's not necessarily bad (Although I think the New 52 design fails to inform us about the character), but it can't help not looking off.

# ¿ Jun 17, 2016 18:21

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

I have a hard time believing that if I saw that design in a world where Spider-Man wasn't a thing that I'd actually find it bad. I may not find it to be one of the greatest superhero designs ever like I do Spider-Man's actual costume. But I don't think the white spider would stick out so much.

# ¿ Jun 17, 2016 18:59

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Aphrodite posted:

I guess someone liked this guy's look?

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Homeless_Avenger_(New_Earth)

That costume is a purposeful rip-off of Vigilante's costume. So yes.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2016 15:54

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

I don't think headsocks are that bad when it's actually functioning as a mask.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2016 12:02

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

mind the walrus posted:

Do you know who would be an ace outside the box choice?

John Goodman.

Especially if they went the Final Crisis route and he was both Darkseid and Turpin.

# ¿ Aug 1, 2016 02:15

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

NorgLyle posted:

Publicity stunt is stunt.

Publicity stunt really isn't a fair description.

Red Sonja looks loving embarrassing to read. And I have read Empowered in public. I think it was more a matter of seeing if you could get more readers because the metal bikini is a gate for some people. If they could do that redesign and pair it with a story that was on the level of the early Brian Azzarello Wonder Woman run, I'd be all over that poo poo.

Vampirella should be dressed in red pantsuit that maintains the big white collar of the traditional costume. Have her look very posh with gently caress off heels that still make her come off as vaguely dominatrixy while having her dress in something that isn't somehow more objectifying than just being naked.

# ¿ Sep 3, 2016 14:59

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

WickedHate posted:

I dunno if Red Sonja is worth the effort. Like, Playboy has always genuinely had tons of short stories and interesting articles and poo poo, but has there really been anything to Red Sonja worth redeeming? Even Conan the Barbarian was pretty much just juvenile romps of sex and violence. Batgirl of Burnside-ing it up feels like a waste of time.

Honestly I feel like she's enough of a blank slate that I don't think it's really hard to create an amazing Red Sonja run.

Squizzle posted:

GISing vampirella redesign turns up some decent ideas.

This is pretty solid. I think the only change I would make is either ditching the bat insignia all together or making it part of a belt.

# ¿ Sep 4, 2016 03:21

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

Lurdiak posted:

Costume designs don't need to be drawn particularly well.

I don't know. An artist can make a costume work when it otherwise doesn't. I think the most recent Batman costume literally only works when Capullo draws it.

# ¿ Sep 4, 2016 04:24

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 04:11

Timeless Appeal: May 28, 2006

qntm posted:

Red Sonja has superpowers?

To be perfectly honest, you could tell me anything about Red Sonja and I'd believe you. Something about that poo poo scares me away.

I've considered buying Sailor Moon action figures, but never a Red Sonja comic.

# ¿ Sep 4, 2016 21:49

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