MCU: 5 Best Superhero Costumes (& 5 Worst)

With so many superheroes the MCU works with, it’s no wonder that the universe has seen its fair share of various costumes. Superheroes value their costumes since they not only make their job easier but also form their identity, let the world know who’s the person wearing the costume, what they’re like.

Some of the MCU costumes are heavily inspired by the comics, others offered their own interpretation. And with so many of them, it was only inevitable that some suits would turn out better than others. Not every superhero suit hit the mark, some were just plain bad or at least insufficient in a certain way.

10 Best: Thor’s Infinity War Costume

Thor has impressive powers, and his suit reflected that on more than one occasion. It also underwent a serious transformation in the MCU. When Thor shows up in Infinity War, ready to face Thanos’s army, his arrival makes for a grand spectacle.

It shows that Thor is finally closely connected to his powers as God of Thunder, and the lightning in both his suit and his weapon of choice reminds everybody what it is that Thor can do.

9 Worst: Hulk’s Pants

Like these pants that look like they’ve seen much better days. Hulk is one of the few Avengers who doesn’t have his own superhero suit, and it looks like he could certainly use one.

8 Best: Spider-Man’s First Suit

If one doesn’t count the overly simplified suit Peter makes for himself, the first truly efficient suit he has comes from Iron Man. And it’s minimalism at its best, design-wise, at least.

The suit works with iconic Spider-Man’s colors and the little spider on the chest is a nice touch. It also is more advanced than even Peter knows at first and contains a lot of additional programs that help the young superhero fight crime. That’s a lot of content for a relatively small costume that’s easy to store.

7 Worst: Wasp’s Dark Costume

It’s true that Wasp’s suit from Ant-Man and the Wasp (2017) works well in combat and even allows her to fly which is something Ant-Man can’t do on his own (and he becomes jealous because of that).

But from a visual point of view, the suit’s colors make it just the tiniest bit boring. Especially when one compares it to the original colorful suit from the comics. In the comics, the Wasp was closely connected to fashion and her suit reflected that.

6 Best: Doctor’s Strange Otherworldly Look

Doctor Strange is one of the few wizards in the MCU, and his look fits this fact. It immediately makes it clear that the man wearing those clothes is special. Doctor Strange’s appearance then leaves no doubt that he takes his position as the Sorcerer Supreme seriously.

In a way, that’s inspiring – and also has the power to bring fear into the hearts of his enemies. Plus, there’s also the cape that has the power to function on its own and comes in handy on more than one occasion.

5 Worst: Scarlet Witch’s Impractical Clothes

Much has been written about Wanda Maximoff’s clothes in the MCU and while it doesn’t make sense for her to wear such clothes. Especially when it’s overly revealing and it also doesn’t seem to offer a lot of protection.

The clothes are made of ordinary fabric, nothing enhanced that would protect Scarlet Witch from potential injury. It’s true that she uses her magic to ensure people will keep their distance, but it would be better to wear more durable clothes anyway.

4 Best: Captain America’s Endgame Costume

Captain America has had a rich variety of suits in the MCU. Some were more colorful (his original, World War Two suit), others darker (the one he wore during Infinity War). And then there’s his Endgame costume that brings together the best from both worlds. It has just enough color, especially thanks to the large star on his chest.

But it also is moderately subdued, made not to impress but to serve as best as possible in a fight. And also to show Captain America as the symbol he is. That’s when the letter A on his head and shoulder come in, and cement Captain as the leader of the assembled Avengers.

3 Worst: Captain America’s USO Uniform

Speaking of Captain America… his first suit was no miracle. Yes, it fulfilled its purpose – it was colorful, over-the-top, and it amused the audience. But Steve himself didn’t feel particularly good in the suit, and he was only too happy to later replace it with an actual combat suit.

The fabric of this costume would be no protection in a fight. While this costume’s not entirely bad, it’s nowhere near the level of Captain America’s later suits, quality-wise.

2 Best: Efficient Black

Black Widow has also switched from one costume to another in the MCU. Some worked better, some less. The overall rule states that when the creators tried to add more color to Widow’s suit, it usually didn’t work so well (such as her costume from Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015).

However, Widow’s clothes from the second Captain America solo movie are a whole different story. The impractically loose hair aside, this suit is the true definition of the word ‘stealth’ – which is something Black Widow’s work as a hero is all about. Her suit from Iron Man 2 (2010) also deserves an honorable mention.

1 Worst: Hawkeye’s Avengers Costume

Story-wise, Hawkeye is the one who drew the shortest straw. Even Black Widow will finally get her solo movie which will leave Hawkeye as the only original Avenger who never had one.

And his costume in the first Avengers (2012) also raises some eyebrows. The color’s fine, albeit it too closely mirrors Natasha’s suit, but what earned him a spot in this category is the lack of protection. Especially Hawkeye’s arms are uncovered which makes it easier for others to injure him and put his shooting arm out of commission.

About The Author

Kath Leroy
(523 Articles Published)

Kath Leroy is a writer at Screen Rant. She also publishes in a number of Czech magazines. She works as an actress and appeared in feature films, short films, as well as TV series. Kath has loved movies, TV, and literature ever since she was a child and her father first played Star Trek for her. Since she has a background in writing genre fiction and screenplays, Kath enjoys fantasy, sci-fi, and superhero films and shows above all – however, she likes to watch films of all genres.

Visit Kath Leroy’s blog for her articles about culture, acting life as well as other topics, follow her on Twitter and on Instagram as @girlartistgeek or contact her directly at [email protected]

More From Kath Leroy