25 Superheroes and Villains Looks According to The Comics

Since the launch of the first Iron Man movie in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been expanding, captivating millions of fans with each new film and series. Amid this growing fandom, it’s easy to forget that these iconic characters originated not on screen but on the pages of comic books. Originally designed for a two-dimensional medium, these characters underwent various modifications to shine in the cinematic world.

However, one can’t help but wonder how these superheroes and villains would appear if their depictions remained strictly faithful to their original comic book designs. What differences would we see in the likes of Thor, Ant-Man, Captain America, and Vision, among others? In this article, we dive into the visual evolution of 25 superheroes and villains, contrasting their well-known cinematic looks with their classic comic book forms to explore what might have been if the movies had adhered more closely to the comics.

This article was originally published on worldtravelling.com and has been republished here with permission.

Aquaman

While other superheroes have a long history of film adaptations, Aquaman has largely been overlooked. However, this implies that the Aquaman film’s filmmakers were allowed to reimagine his traditional design entirely.

Instead of the traditional gold suit with scales and pink pants worn by Aquaman in the books, actor Jason Momoa sports a sleek silver suit that emphasizes his brawn. It’s all about Poseidon.

Hawkeye

Hawkeye, as we know him today, bears only a passing resemblance to the character who initially appeared in comic books. The cheap-looking mask and excessive usage of purple are no longer present, and it’s for the better.

Both versions of Hawkeye are former SHIELD agents and are very proficient at firing arrows. Hawkeye from the movies has a secret family, whereas Hawkeye from the comic books had love relationships with Black Widow and Mockingbird, a.k.a. Bobbi Morse.

Falcon

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Falcon is nothing like he is in the comics. In the comics, he wears a red and white superhero suit with giant red wings. MCU Falcon is a man dressed in army fatigues with sophisticated wings.

Falcon’s comic book history is likewise quite unique. He’s an ex-criminal who was mentally merged with a falcon rather than a retired paratrooper.

Superman

Moving to the DC Comics world, let’s take a look at the newest version of Superman. The fact that the new Kal-El suit is substantially darker is one of the most noticeable differences.

The new outfit is somewhere in the deep denim family, whereas the original Superman had cobalt blue body tights with brilliant red symbol detailing and a cape.