7 DC Costumes You’ll Never See In The DCU

While it seems like nothing is off-limits in the new DCU, I think it’s safe to say there are a few costumes that won’t be making an appearance in the franchise. So far, I think James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new franchise has done a great job at making the new universe feel like a really lived-in world of heroes. And enough can’t be said about the great designs featured in movies like Superman or shows like Creature Commandos. But while we’ve gotten some accurate costumes so far, I wouldn’t expect to see every costume come to the big screen.

Even the most hardcore fans among us can all admit that every once in a while, a superhero gets a design that’s, for lack of a better word, hard to work with. I’m not saying any of the costumes featured here are bad, necessarily (though some may be questionable). But honestly, do any of us ever really expect to see Wonder Woman bust out her decades-old biker outfit? Or Nightwing’s old-school disco costume? While I have no doubt the new DCU will get creative in the costume department, I’m sure the following 7 outfits won’t be seen in it.

7. Flash’s All In Era Outfit

I wouldn’t say I have a problem with Wally West’s redesign for DC Comics’ All In era, but it is…very different. Instead of a field of red broken up by yellow, lightning bolt-like patterns, Wally’s latest costume introduced a lot of black on the legs, torso, and shoulders. Even more odd, the ‘wings’ on the side of his cowl are long and curvy, looking more like antennae than lightning bolts. It’s an interesting reinvention for Flash, but I have a good feeling the DCU will want something more traditional.

6. Black Canary’s 80s Costume

As a fan of Black Canary, I cannot wait to see her join the DCU. But also as a fan, the last thing I want to see is this costume in live-action. This blue jumpsuit with the large black bird motif attached to it was how Dinah was overhauled in the ‘80s. And while I can understand wanting not to be afraid of reinventing characters, this was just not it. When it comes to I’m not saying there’s not room for adjustment with Black Canary’s look, but the DCU should avoid this outfit at all costs.

5. Wonder Woman’s Biker Look

The ‘90s were an interesting time for comic book redesigns, and yes, Wonder Woman got a very era-appropriate new costume. She eschewed her traditional red, yellow, and blue costume for a more ‘biker-like’ appearance with a revealing (and perplexing) black number and a spiffy blue half-jacket. I actually really like the half-jacket, but not so much the rest of the costume. I know a lot of people really want the DCU to get Wonder Woman right, so hopefully, they won’t even consider this and go for her more iconic look.

4. Guy Gardner’s Warrior Design

We all just saw Guy Gardner in the new Superman film, and while his outfit was tweaked to match the rest of the Justice Gang, he actually looked really good. Now I know James Gunn has an affinity for the late ’80s/early ‘90s DC Comics era, but I can almost guarantee that we’re never going to see the Warrior version of Guy. In lieu of a green ensemble, the Vuldarian side of Guy appeared shirtless with numerous red, blue, and yellow markings all over his body. I mean, can you really imagine Nathan Fillion going full Warrior?

3. Nightwing’s Iconic ‘Discowing’ Suit

I have no doubt we’re going to see Nightwing in the DCU at some point (I mean, we are getting Dick Grayson in the Dynamic Duo movie). But I just can’t imagine that when we see a grown-up version of Batman’s first sidekick, he’ll be wearing his first and most infamous outfit. Don’t get me wrong, I think the ‘Discowing’ outfit is interesting, especially with that huge collar. But I seriously can’t imagine a DCU project using this as its defining look for Nightwing. Maybe it could get a slight reference, but that’s it.

2. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh

Unlike most of the costumes here, I actually really, really like this outfit. Yes, the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is incredibly garish with its red, purple, and yellow color scheme, but DC Comics made it work during the “Batman R.I.P” arc as the outfit assembled by Bruce’s unpredictable and extreme back-up persona. But as cool as this outfit is, it’d be a hard sell to audiences (not to mention hard for most casual audiences to take seriously). While I would actually really like to see this particular costume, I’m not holding my breath for it to appear.

1. Superman’s Extremely ’90s Costume

Man, what was it about pouches in the ‘90s? Even Superman couldn’t avoid the trend in Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey when Clark gained a new costume to help him in his rematch with Doomsday. It’s essentially armor on top of his existing costume, but with yellow gauntlets, slings, a shoulder pad, and again, a bunch of pouches. I can imagine James Gunn has a few new costume ideas for the Superman sequel, but I’ll say this right now: You’re more likely to see Clark become Superman Blue before this outfit ever makes it to the DCU.

What costume do you think has no chance of appearing in the DCU? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

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