Medusa has become a bigger fixture of the Marvel universe in recent years, thanks to the push the Inhumans have received in the comics. That push is now starting to expand past the comics and into television, as a new series will be debuting on ABC later this year, and Medusa will be front and center.
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The character has seen he share of unique and eye catching looks over the years. She’s gone from the Fantastic Fouresque costume (she was in the Frightful Four after all) to something much more fantasy oriented and a bit of everything in between. Some have worked, some have woefully underdelivered, but she’s remained one of the most popular Inhumans despite the changes in appearance.
That said, everyone has their favorite look for the Queen of the Inhumans, and you’ll find some of the character’s best on this list. Granted, it is subjective, so if yours is not on here don’t fret, because you still love it and that is all that matters. With that out of the way, hit the next slide to see ComicBook.com’s top 5 costumes for Medusa!
Speaking of Medusa, showrunner of Marvel’s Inhumans Scott Buck recently spoke to EW about the extesive work that went into producing Medusa’s hair effects on screen.”It is very difficult. Even now, it’s still a process. It takes quite a long time in post to make that effect work. We have some of the best visual effects people available working on our show. We still haven’t seen the final version of it; it’s very much a work in process.”
The reported synopsis for Inhumans is listed below.
“After the Royal Family of Inhumans is splintered by a military coup, they barely escape to Hawaii where their surprising interactions with the lush world and humanity around them may prove to not only save them, but Earth itself.”
Marvel’s Inhumans stars Anson Mount (Black Bolt), Serinda Swan (Medusa), Ken Leung (Karnak), Isabelle Cornish (Crystal), Eme Ikwuakor (Gorgon), Iwan Rheon (Maximus), Sonya Balmores (Auran), Mike Moh (Triton), and Ellen Woglom).
Marvel’s Inhumans will premiere the first two episodes in IMAX on September 1. The full series will debut on ABC later this fall.
MORE INHUMANS: New Details On Attilan’s Location Revealed / Black Bolt Will Communicate With Sign Language / Fan Art Shows Comic-Accurate Costumes For Inhumans
Inhuman
In the early days of Marvel NOW, Charles Soule, Joe Madureira, and Ryan Stegman launched a series called “Inhuman”, which illustrated how the terrigen mists affected the populace, releasing new Inhumans at a frantic pace. During the series, Medusa added a new look to her wardrobe, and so far it’s done the best job of blending the “Royalty” aspects of her character with her well-known purple color scheme.
Her shoulders, wrists, and waist feature armor with some ancient inspiration, most likely that of Greek or Egyptian design. Linking them all together are decorative beads and stones, and the bottom of the costume is also themed after a regal robe, flowing at the bottom. The gold and purple work quite well on the page, and it would be higher on the list if it weren’t so, well, gaudy. If the armor were streamlined a bit, and maybe the green orb at her waist reigned in a little, this could be even higher on the list.
The description for Inhuman Vol. 1 is below.
The newest super heroes of the Marvel Universe are born! A cloud of Terrigen mist is moving around the world, transforming regular people into Inhumans with amazing powers. But not everyone thinks this is a good thing. As the mysterious Lash takes an unwanted interest in the new Inhumans, Queen Medusa finds herself face to face with Captain America…and it doesn’t go well. Pressured on all sides for answers and action, Medusa takes on Lash for the fate of the new Inhumans! Then, as the history of an ancient branch of Inhumans is uncovered, a newly transformed Inhuman named Flint sees his world fall apart! And when Thor visits New Attilan, Reader debuts…but is he friend or foe? Discover the Marvel Universe’s secret history and get in on the ground floor of the next big Marvel franchise!
1602
The Marvel universe has its share of alternate realities, including Neil Gaiman’s delightful 1602. The book envisioned the world as it might exist in the year 1602, and one of the most interesting reworkings came courtesy of Medusa. Medusa hewed much closer to her namesake in 1602, with hair made up of serpents and a stone turning stare that had to be blocked by a veil.
The tweaked abilities would be enough typically, but then Gaiman went and gave her a swashbuckling pirate captain look and magic was made. She’s even got a sword at her hip. You can view the official description for 1602 below.
Award-winning writer Neil Gaiman teams with artist Andy Kubert to re-imagine the Marvel Universe in the year 1602! It’s Spider-Man, the X-Men, Nick Fury, Doctor Strange, Daredevil and more as you’d never think to imagine them in an utterly unique and thrilling tale of high adventure!
Uncanny Inhumans
When The Uncanny Inhumans series began, it imbued the royal family with some new blood like The Beast and Human Torch while also bringing some of the core Inhumans concepts back to the forefront. For Medusa that meant a return to the classic purple costume.
The costume is a throwback in many ways, with the smaller M logo on her belt and black boots, gloves, and mask breaking up the all purple jumpsuit. While it is simple, it still works and paired with her bright hair always commands your attention on the page. While the mask isn’t needed (she is royalty after all), the suit looks better with it in tow.
The description for The Uncanny Inhumans #1 can be found below.
Meet the Uncanny Inhumans. MEDUSA! BLACK BOLT! TRITON! READER! HUMAN TORCH?! BEAST?! It’s eight months later and everything is different for the Inhumans. Medusa and Johnny Storm are an item. Black Bolt is running covert missions of his own. And something so big happened between the Inhumans and the X-Men that Beast is now on the side of the Inhumans. And if that’s not enough, the most dangerous villain throughout Marvel’s history is against them-KANG THE CONQUEROR. Don’t miss what the epic team behind DEATH OF WOLVERINE (Charles Soule and Steve McNiven) have in store for you. All this plus a bonus story by Charles and Brandon Peterson (UNCANNY X-MEN).
Avengers Assemble
Some of the best interceptions come from the realm of animation these days, and Medusa shined in both Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers Assemble. The costume is similar to her popular all purple jumpsuit look, but this costume features a darker hue of purple. Her hair is also given a more purplish tone than other iterations, and all of it comes together with the lighter color lines around the chest, which also features her “M” logo.
This version of Medusa popped in Guardians on the “Blue Crystal Persuasion” and “The Inhuman Torch” episodes, and can also be seen in the “Inhumans Among Us” episode of Avengers Assemble. While they went a different direction for the upcoming ABC series, at least fans can hope she pops up again in the animated world to see one of the best versions of the character to date. The synopsis for “Inhumans Among Us” can be found below.
When the townspeople of Maple Falls are frightened by the sudden appearance of Alpha Primitives from a crashed ship, the Avengers attempt to help them but put themselves into conflict with the Inhumans Black Bolt, Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Lockjaw, and Seeker. While Hulk and Lockjaw work to get the Terrigen Crystal for a device that will help dispose of the Terrigen Mist that drove the Alpha Primitives crazy, the Avengers and Inhumans must work together to deal with the recently-emerged Inhuman Inferno.
Inhumans Vs X-Men
Medusa is intimidating in spite of her bright purple costume, but her costume matches the fierce personality in Inhumans vs X-Men. Towards the beginning of the series Medusa armors up to take on the invading X-Men, and the outfit featured here is the best one yet.
Medusa wears a darker purple costume for one, and the M symbol is larger, immediately commanding the eye. Her helmet accentuates the mask, and the silver in the pauldrons and gauntlets ties in with the logo. Combined with the black bands all throughout her hair, it makes for a striking visual, and it looks even better when the hair starts flying all over the page. Medusa still gives off the air of royalty while also looking ready for a throwdown, and it fits the character to a tee.
You can find the description for Inhumans vs X-Men #1 below.
The X-Men and Inhumans have been on a collision course since the link was proven between the Inhumans’ precious Terrigen Mist and the sickness and death of many mutants. When Beast discovers that the mutants have only two weeks before the planet is uninhabitable for them, an Inhuman/mutant war is unavoidable. Co-written by Charles Soule (Uncanny Inhumans, Daredevil) and Jeff Lemire (Extraordinary X-Men, Moon Knight), IVX delivers sensational set pieces, gargantuan grudge matches, all drawn by the sensational Leinil Francis Yu! Whether you’re for the X-MEN or the INHUMANS, IVX promises to shatter the Marvel Universe as you know it!
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Image Credit: Marvel Comics
