These DC Comics characters make fighting crime look good.
Since Superman first burst onto the scene in 1938, comic books proved that the old adage "you can't judge a book by its cover" was wrong. The Man of Steel's bright blue and red suit set the standard of superhero outfits, making a splash on the public consciousness and making it clear that the heroes of the four-colored page would always stand out.
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And while many heroes have colorful costumes that match their amazing powers, the vigilantes and ne'er-do-wells who walk the streets of crime-ridden cities tend to go the other way. Often dressed in dark hues that let them blend in with the shadows, the street-level characters of the DC Universe have made their own fashion statements that pack a punch.
While Dick Grayson started his superhero career in bright reds and greens as Robin, when he grew up and became his own man, Nightwing took on a darker look. These days, Nightwing's suit, a simple black bodysuit with a very large version of his blue emblem emblazoned across the chest, allows the hero to hide in the shadows without being too scary.
With most of his face viewable to the public, Nightwing is more accessible than his mentor Batman has ever been, and his suit is just showy enough to call back to his days as an acrobat in the circus. Few heroes are as stylish as Nightwing.
When Wesley Dodds decided to fight crime as Sandman, he decided to use a gas mask to cover his face. This served two purposes for the Golden Age vigilante. The mask protected Sandman from the sleep gas he used to subdue criminals, but it also called to mind the horrors of the chemical warfare used during World War I.
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Along with his gas mask, Sandman wore a sharp three-piece suit, which allowed him to instantly blend in with the public when he took off his mask. The purple cape he often wore helped Sandman act as a bridge between the pulp heroes of the 1930 and the superheroes who came after.
As an expert archer looking to fight crime, Oliver Queen took his inspiration from the most famous archer in the world, Robin Hood. Dressed almost exactly like the beloved British folklore hero, Green Arrow wears an all-green suit with a hood and a domino mask while sporting the most famous goatee in comics. The suit may be a little too on the mark considering his name, but Green Arrow isn't the kind of hero who likes to be subtle.
Green Arrow's suit has gone through a number of changes over the years, including losing the bycocket, but anyone who sets their eyes on the Emerald Archer will instantly know what he's called. And when it comes to being an iconic hero, having a look that quickly brings your name to people's lips is half the battle.
Despite making her debut decades before the Ramones and the Sex Pistols came onto the scene, Black Canary's look has a very punk rock feel to it. Part blonde bombshell and part biker gang, Black Canary's leather jacket over a bustier and fishnet stockings looks like something Blondie's Debby Harry would have taken the stage in.
Over the years, Black Canary has used this look to both fight crime and lead a band, proving that her style can adapt to almost any setting. While it may not be a great suit to wear in the winter, there's no arguing that Black Canary's costume stands out.
While his costume has gone through a number of iterations over the decades, Batman is instantly recognizable, thanks in part to the iconic silhouette his cowl helps create. Usually dressed in dark blues, grays, or black, the Dark Knight's costume set the standard for the street-level heroes not only of the DC Universe, but across all comics.
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It can be argued that Batman has the best costume in comics, and he certainly has one of the most iconic. Part of what really makes the Caped Crusader stand out is the bat symbol plastered across his chest, often peeking out from his flowing cape. When Batman fights crime, he does it in style.
The 1990s saw the superhero look change drastically. The spandex look of the past gave way to a more militaristic style as comic book heroes became "real," and started using guns a whole lot more often. As the superhero style left the military feel behind, one '90s hero who has been able to keep true to his original design is Grifter.
A look that is somewhere between Marvel's Punisher and '90s grunge fashion, Grifter wears his military-style suit - often with the bulletproof vest clearly visible - under a green coat. But what really makes this vigilante stand out is his red and black bandana mask that harkens back to the types of masks the James Gang may have worn while robbing trains in the 1800s.
Seeing a person's face is an important part of feeling comfortable in social settings. Even Batman, who covers most of his face, clearly has eyes, a nose, and a mouth, which makes it easier to see him as a person under the cowl. But with The Question, the blank face brings a sense of unease to anyone who runs into them.
Be it Victor Sage or Renee Montoya under that white, empty facemask, anyone who comes across The Question runs into the same problem - you can't tell what they are thinking or feeling. Along with the mask, Question wears a business suit that allows them to blend in with the masses, making it seem like anyone could be DC's faceless detective.
Many young heroes have gone by the name Robin while working for Batman, and while they all have their own look and feel, the basics have stayed the same. While other street-level heroes go for darker colors to strike fear in their foes, the Robins like to stand out in their red, green, and yellow suits.
Considering the line of work these teenage heroes are in, the color scheme doesn't make much sense, but it works as a counter to Batman's suit and instantly makes any Robin stand out from the crowd. The Robin suit, even with all the changes made to it over the decades, is instantly recognizable to the world at large.
Usually, assassins want to be as inconspicuous as possible. They wear bland clothes with desaturated colors to help make sure they don't stand out, dressing like pretty much every character from a Jason Bourne film. But Slade Wilson, better known as Deathstroke the Terminator, isn't one to do things like everyone else.
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Instead of blending in, Deathstroke chooses to stand out as much as possible, wearing a bright orange and blue suit that instantly makes him recognizable. One thing is clear, no one else in comics can wear so much orange and still be scary.
From her first appearance in a long green dress, to her purple dress, followed up by a purple bodysuit, and then her now more common black bodysuit, Catwoman has always had style - even when she wore that big cat mask for a while. As someone who spends their time climbing up the sides of buildings and swinging around Gotham either robbing the ultra-wealthy or fighting the many costumed villains that lurk in the city, Catwoman always does it in style.
Pretty much everyone looks good in black, but no one pulls it off like Selina Kyle. Catwoman's style has helped make her as famous as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, and with good reason.
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Born and raised in New York, Derek Faraci moved to Los Angeles in 2001 and joined Activision where he worked on many successful franchises including Spider-Man, Tony Hawk, and Guitar Hero. In October 2009, Derek left Activision to join Scientifically Proven Entertainment. Since joining SPE, Derek has worked on Man vs. Wild: The Game, Blood of the Werewolf, and the film Sucker directed by Michael Manasseri. Derek has written more than 1000 articles for a number of sites and magazines, including Blumhouse, CBR, Birth.Movies.Death, and Solis. Given the option, Derek would spend all of his time watching movies and reading comics. More of Derek's work can be found at DerekFaraci.com and you can find him on Twitter at @wh_woolhat.
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