Off THEIR Minds: Do Supervillains Really Need Costumes?

Because if they don't, comic books would be boring.

Some do, some don't. If their powers are based on their costume (any symbiote, most of the Goblins, Doc Doom, etc) they should have them. If their entire rep is based on their costume/apperance (Symbiotes, Joker, Riddler, etc) they should have costumes. if its just a random costume with no good purposes, then they shouldn't have one.

Because villains don't care. They don't need to care about how they look. If I were a supervillain I would wear whatever the hell I want.

@CATPANEXE said:

As to why Mandrill wears a costume...to fit in with the other supervillians? I don't know anymore. V_V

No. Mandrill wears a costume because he's a badass.

You do run into the old Spider-man costume problem...how do these guys make these suits? How do cosplayers learn to make their suits? There's a real spectrum of skill and quality you can see in cosplayer outfits and supervillian costumes that weren't done professionally would have the same range.

I like how they addressed this in Secret War where Nick Fury was tracking down the source of various villians super-science gear and suits. They also addressed it in Kick-Ass and the first Spider-man movie (except they skipped the step between Peter's "Human Spider" hoodie and his spandex suit). You notice the only villian in the Spider-man movies with a traditional costume was also a billionaire inventor. None of the Nolan Batman villian's have a traditional costume. Now that I think about it, Nolan specifically and explicitly addresses the construction of every costumey element from the components of the Bat-suit to Scarecrow's mask to Joker's custom suit.

@Malonius: Well most tech villains make their own stuff(Shocker's armor for instance) and some comics have established businesses that specialize in making costumes for villains and such.

what's the point of robbbing a bank if you can't look nice robbing it

@Decoy Elite: LOL...I think it's funny the lengths we'll go to try and rationalize the silliness of superhero/supervillian costumes.

@Malonius: I like the explanation for Gladiator's(the DD villain) costume.

He just happens to make costumes for a living, and is also a crazy villain.

My guess super-villians are like actors, they make you think their incredible, but behind all that...well Ive seen joker cry more times than Id like :P Truth betold their just under dogs with one bad day that makes them try to be something more but in a direction opoosed to law and order, you ask me their more relatable to me than some heroes, in the words of the scrubs theme song, Im no superman

Joshua Hale Fialkov = I Agree!

Villains usually have a message they're trying to get across. The costume is the most effective medium to get their point across. Toyman, for instance, had his toy company stolen from him; so he uses toys to get the point across that he's f*cking pissed.

yes!

@cosmo111687: @Mega_spidey01: Thanks ya! (:

@EugeneSaxe: Exactly.

Leisure Suit Doomy............CANNOT UNSEE

Does Supervillains need costumes?

my answer? PIS

Very cool collection of POVs. I agree with the outlook that for some villains they're just expressing their personality through their dress (like the Joker), like all of us do in regular life.

For your genius-humans-who-use-technology villains, like Lex Luthor, they usually don't wear a traditional costume but they often have "wear" technology (like a mech suit) to commit their evil acts -- so they still don't have the option of "hiding in the crowd" even w/o a costume. (Though sometimes they build technology that can be remotely controlled & at least temporarily stay out of the public eye......they should probably do this more often :D)

I think I agree with Christos Gage's comments...they don't need to wear them, but if they look good in one, why not wear it?

@Shotgun said:

Lex Luthor works the 'no-costume' thing pretty well.

yep.

Yes. Costumes are awesome!

yes because costumes are what make them SUPER villains lol otherwise they'll be just villains...meow oink oink moo

I've always thought if they were ugly, or had a feature that looked weird, like a large nose, colored eyes that were not normal, horns, wings, or any abnormalities they should have some crazy cool costume. Othere who are 'normal' would be more dangerous if they didn't, but if they were publicly known they would have the same issues the good guys did if they didnt wear costumes either.

I would say yes. Supers, either heros, villians or anti's, its all the same to me. Some, like the FF, might not care, but there are some things Joe Smith can do, that "Bad-Man" can not. At the same time, would Batman have as much problems if his arch-nemesis was Keath Slater, & not dressed up as the Joker?

The costume inspires great hope, as well as great fear. Also, the persona can be inherited. Plus, I would prefer if the villians had their identies kept hidden by the hero-community, neither side should know who is under their opponent's mask. No villians going to prison, just foiled & getting away to strike another day.

Jimmy Palmiotti explained it so effortlessly, that it's perfect to just reference. Villains indeed have an S&M POV when it comes to getting attention from the heroes.

Yes, otherwise how would you distinguish them from the average thug? This for me was one of the dissapointing aspects of Nolan's BATMAN franchise. Plus, I hate what they did to CATWOMAN, I hope they bring back the 2nd series costume. I guess I can make an acception in the case of LEX LUTHOR, but BATMAN villains? Part of who they dress definitely reflects who they are, they're supposed to be flamboyant. I wouldn't pick up a comic book if I saw SPIDER-MAN fighting a MYSTERIO who looked like Harry Houdini. Would you?

I think 2 things:

One: This one Silver Age Flash comic where the first thing Mirror Master does after escaping jail is donning his costume because he doesn't feel comfortable without it. Which in my opinion tells you everything you need to know about a supervillain's psyche.

And Two:

That Joshua Vialkov guy always cracks me up. He's very real and I like it ...really thinking about getting into some I, Vampire. My wallet just can't win

No, we need they in costumes. We'll feel weird if we saw the Joker with jeans 0_o

How many villains actually "rob banks" anymore!?

There are two identities within ever costumed character, be they hero or villain, and the costume reflects them changing their personas, essentially. Think of it like this, Bruce Wayne doesn't fight crime, Batman does; Dr. Harleen Quinzel was a psychiatrist, Harley Quinn is a psychopathic (former) lover of the Joker. Their identity changes the second they put on the costume.

I dunno, I think the Joker would seem even more creepy if he went around in a t shirt and jean shorts.

The costume is so much more than the secret identity. Do they need them conceal their identity? No. To hide scars? Instill fear? Assert their presence? Boost their ego? Flair? Panache? Yes.

I don't know why superheroes need a costume. Unless it's a costume with powers (i.e. Iron Man, Venom) or part of some particular heritage (Superman) it's actually pretty ridiculous to wear a stylized outfit. Everyone should basically wear tactical body-armor. The very idea that wear skin-tight unprotective clothing is a good idea, especially considering many heroes are not bullet proof, is stupid. It's one thing in a Silver Age 'anything goes environment', but if they're trying to be 'serious' as they often are these days they should just ditch the outfits altogether.

Firstly, comics are, primarily a visual medium and there are only so many colours of khakis and sweat shirts.

Secondly, as with superheroes, Villains should only really have a costume if it matches their character and intent.

Dr. Doom's costume not only suits his personality, but there is also a reason for him having it. Ultron IS his costume. Braniac IS his costume. Dr Octopus wears modified overalls. The Riddler is a walking question mark. They serve a purpose to further define the villain against the insanity that is the hero.

ALL Super characters are mad. You just need costumes to tell them apart.

There's a great scene at the beginning of New Avengers: Breakout when Electro is talking to his employers:

Electro: Costume or no costume?

Mystery figure: That is completely up to you.

Electro: Costume (full page panel of him pulling his mask on electricity crackling around him)

I like that J.T. Krul is repping the Winnipeg Jets!

Only if they feel like it :D ..

Yeah, I think they need it, it's part of the whole idea of being a superhero.

I like that villains have costumes, a way to mock their goodwill counterparts and also how interesting would it be to see a bunch of guys in sweat suits trying to take over the world? The only costumes I don't like are the real corny ones that make some vilains look like a joke (when not intended).

Maybe there should be a level of badass you need to surpass before you get your costume card??

well I think some of the supervillian women should wear costumes

No, they don't. I like it when the villains look like the complete opposite of the heroes in certain ways. I loved the Hellfire Club and how the men wore 1800s type clothing while the women wore dominatrix gear. It just reflects that these characters really want to change society to get what they want so appropriate what is "normal" for themselves, whereas a superhero/costumed vigilante operates outside society in order to preserve it, so a costume announces who they are and that they should be the target instead of regular civilians.

yes! they need a secret identity too; whethor it be a nice home life to protect and keep out of the mix, or in order to not have the cops all over your everyday life outside of "bank robbing" besides they'd need some way to buy crap other than just off the villians market

Yes they Wouldnt be Anything but Badmen with costumes, At Least The costume is like a red light

Seems to me that it depends on the character. Most super villains are in need of being noticed. They want to send a message having a guy in a t-shirt saying 'what's up Gotham?' doesn't strike an image where as the stand out that also creates the dilemma of being picked out of crowds and attacked by heroes is pit against their egos. Have you ever met a SUPER villain that WANTS no one to be able to find him? They want to be able to be an icon for their message, whatever that might be. Now is it true in all cases? No. Point and case, Albert Wesker wears a trench coat and sunglasses. People who haven't seen him being mean and nasty aren't aware he is. Then again Wesker uses that as part of his guile. If you can relate to him be appearance or otherwise then you are less likely to fight his domination. Those villains looking to not make a message, they dissuade from wearing a super villain outfit, but those looking to just do what they came for without the attention of others certainly don't need one. In the case of the Joker, like the guy said, I think he just liked green and purple. Hahaha. The makeup was the stand out.

@exlmagician said:

Seems to me that it depends on the character.

This

@Dernman said:

I think it depends on the villain and the costume.

Like if the power you have comes from the costume or if your a villain that wants to hide his identity.

Sometimes it's a rep thing.

They don't NEED them. But if they ever want to walk into a nice fancy fast food restaurant and order a #2 supersized ... they should probably have something that protects their identity. Because with fast food service now adays, a hero will be attacking them before they get their order.

So need? No

Identity protected Advised? Yes.

@Jayso4201 said:

How many villains actually "rob banks" anymore!?

Yes.

For the reader's sake.

The reason why heroes and villains have the silly costumes is because you can't guarantee that artists will be able to make them look recognizable every time. The various faces of Steve Rogers are pretty diverse. Costumes make it easy to recognize characters.

If I had one complaint about Bendis's run on Daredevil, it's the way he eschewed costumes. He drew on some really good artists for that run, but I was still often like: who the eff is this guy talking?

Think of the movie Underworld... how often did you lose track of whether you were looking at vampires or werewolves, right? That's the problem with a lack of costuming. The silliness could be toned down a lot, but for sheer readability it's hard to get along without costumes.

Eat The Babies!