DC Comics Costumes: Accuracy on Movie Set

Photo: DC/Warner Bros.

By Shrey Sankalp

Ah, we’re into the final stretch now.

Over the course of several articles, we’ve been talking about comic book costume accuracy in films and TV, and so far we’ve talked about Marvel and Fox, but now it’s time to get to the other powerhouse – Warner Brothers/DC Comics.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

1. 1. Batman

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3. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
   
4. Batman is without a doubt the world’s most popular superhero, a fact represented by the number of iterations he’s had on screens large and small.
   
5. The first iconic rendition was the supremely campy 1960s show starring Adam West, where thanks to Mr. West’s physique and the comically tight (yet accurate, for what it’s worth) costume, Batman was more like Fatman!
   
6. This was followed by the Tim Burton adaptations where everything had a gothic-noir feel about it, including the all-black rubber Batsuit with a fixed cowl that eliminated head movement. Was it comic accurate? Not entirely, but man, was it was a cool costume.
   
7. The suit that followed in Batman Forever was an over-stylized affair that strayed even further from the comics, but it was nothing compared to the rubber nipple travesty the Batman & Robin suit was.
   
8. Thankfully, Christopher Nolan brought back the seriousness to Batman, even if he eschewed a traditional comic book costume design for his suit in favor of a thoroughly militarized armor and cowl.
   
9. Now in his umpteenth iteration, Batman has finally embraced his comic book routes and Ben Affleck wears a 100% comic accurate costume inspired by Frank Miller, so he’s even more awesome now!
   
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11. 2. Superman

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13. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
14. Superman first appeared on our screens in the ‘70s with Christopher Reeves portraying him, and for the era, his suit was very impressive (even if it looks rather homemade today) and it was a 100% comic book accurate costume, right down to the shades of the colors and the laughably ill-advised underwear on the outside.
    
15. The 2006 Brandon Routh homage kept the suit identical, but made the costume a more believable affair thanks to spandex and textures, all while darkening the hues and reducing the size of the ‘S’ insignia.
    
16. In addition to these 2 best recognized screen iterations, even the smaller adaptations and TV versions kept the suit the absolute same before Zack Snyder crashed the comic accuracy party and well, Snyderized everything.
    
17. Man of Steel saw a different Superman costume that was no longer cloth, but some scaly alien rubber fabric with no underwear and extremely dark colors.
    
18. Some fans approve of the change while others feel it could have been done better, but either way, Superman’s costume is no longer comic accurate.
    
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20. 3. Wonder Woman

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22. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
23. Wonder Woman finally got her big screen debut in Batman v. Superman and her look was one of the most talked about things leading up to the movie. It’s neither the laughably scanty costume design from the early comics and most adaptations (including Lynda Carter’s version – practical? No. Comic accurate? Yes!) nor the more sensible New-52 design.
    
24. Instead, it’s an original creation designed to look like a Gladiator’s armor, and in my opinion, it’s definitely one of those cases where believability and practicality wins over comic book accuracy.
    
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26. 4. Aquaman

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28. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
29. Aquaman got a brief cameo in Batman v. Superman this year which marked his first appearance on screen.
    
30. Gone is the orange t-shirt and green pants combo for a shirtless look with strategically placed armor plates and designs intended to complement Jason Momoa’s tattoos.
    
31. Aquaman’s look is a radical departure from the comics, but a very good one, for it makes for a much more believable and sensible costume than the one seen in comics.
    

33. 5. Catwoman

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35. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
36. Catwoman has featured in two adaptations on the big screen so far (yes, I refuse to acknowledge the Halle Berry travesty), one being in Batman Returns and the other being The Dark Knight Rises. Neither iteration is very comic accurate, with one being too Burtonized and the other being too Nolanized – the Michelle Pfeiffer version of the costume is way too stylized (although it does keep the overall shape and design intact) while the Anne Hathaway version is too simple and practical for a comic book movie with its skin tight suit and domino mask with attached glasses.
    

38. 6. Green Lantern

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40. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
41. Green Lantern has only had one screen iteration so far, and it’s been much maligned.
    
42. One of the most ridiculed things about it is the costume, for it abandons the comic book’s simple designs for a CGI costume that looks laughably fake (a fact Ryan Reynolds himself was quick to laugh at in Deadpool).
    
43. It’s neither comic book accurate, nor believable, which is quite simply the kiss of death.
    

45. 7. The Joker

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47. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
48. Aside from the Cesar Romero iteration, the Joker has been portrayed on screen thrice.
    
49. The first was by Jack Nicholson, who played the Joker in a rather comedic (if just as dangerous) light and retained all his earlier comic book cues, from the costume design and colors to the absurd gadgets.
    
50. This version scores well on the comic book accuracy front, but doesn’t seem to believable 27 years later.
    
51. The second (and without a doubt, best) version of the Joker was the late Heath Ledger’s.
    
52. In true Nolan fashion, the Joker became more practical (well, relatively) in terms of his appearance (face-paint, Glasgow smile, etc.) and equipment, while retaining the signature cues such as the clothing and the green tinted hair. This version of the Joker maintains relative comic book accuracy and yet manages to be believable, which is what makes him all the more endearing.
    
53. The latest iteration of the Joker is Jared Leto’s and it is…well, something.
    
54. Gone are the classic and timeless cues only to be replaced by ridiculously excessive tattoos (which I will never be okay with), teeth grills and a change of clothing (somewhat acceptable, no one wears the same clothes all the time).
    
55. It’s so different from the comic book (and just for the sake of it!) that it’s less Joker, and more the outcome of Leto’s character in Dallas Buyers Club dyeing their hair neon green and walking into a tattoo parlor.  Far from costume accurate.
    

57. 8. Harley Quinn

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59. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
60. Harley Quinn’s finally making her debut!
    
61. Much like most characters in the Snyderverse, Harley eschews her traditional look for something else entirely. The Jester costume is given a miss (but then it was slowly being phased out everywhere anyway) in favor of a t-shirt, underpants, tattoos (few of them definitely unnecessary) and fishnet stockings.
    
62. Missing the classic costume is a minus, but having Margot Robbie is a triple plus, so I’m just gonna wait on this one.
    

64. 9. Arrow

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66. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
67. The Smallville version of Green Arrow may have seemed plasticky, but the leatherized version on Arrow seems rather solid.
    
68. The Robin Hood costume is thankfully avoided (let’s be realistic, it was always going to look odd) in favor of a more practical design (give or take the sleevelessness) with a hood and an eyemask and the overall effect is pleasant.
    
69. Again, practicality wins over comic book accuracy!
    

71. 10. The Flash

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73. Photo: DC/Warner Bros.
    
74. The show ensures that the costume remains close to the original design, while maintaining believability. The classic lightning cues and the emblem are all there, even if the bright red is a more muted maroon.
    
75. Even characters like Jay Garrick, Zoom and the Reverse-Flash follow the same pattern and yield pretty much the same result.
    
76. It remains to be seen how the movies represent the Flash’s costume, because the show does set a very high bar.
    
77. If the rumors of an Injustice inspired armor and flap-covered look are indeed true, then we’re in for something truly interesting!
    

Having taken a look at DC’s costumes, there’s only one conclusion to be drawn – apart from the new Batman and the old Supermen, they really haven’t shown much love for comic book accuracy, and while it is something that’s appreciated in a lot of instances, it also hurts them on the parameters we’re grading them on.

I think DC earns a C+ in comic accuracy, even if their costumes are more appreciable and realistic than most!

…and that’s a wrap on our discussion on comic book costume accuracy in movies!

I’m sure all this talk of superhero costume has left you all the more pumped for the Comic Con and Halloween, so head over to our selection of superhero costumes and see how comic book accurate YOU can be!