DC fans are rallying around a few new heroic redesigns that appeared during the Lazarus Planet event. Jon Kent’s time as Superman saw a huge change as his powers experienced the same electrical shift his father took in the ‘90s. However, while Jon Kent’s shift to blue has excited fans, they weren’t as stoked for Kal-El’s similar redesign.
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There have been a few other heroic DC redesigns over the years that failed to impress fans. These overhauls sometimes brought something new to the table to reinvigorate the characters. Unfortunately, they often failed to capture the essence of the character or relied too much on timely trends which ultimately failed the heroes and their fans.
10Aquaman’s ‘80s Redesign
DC’s King of Atlantis has undergone a few redesigns over the years, with some working better than others. DC made Aquaman better over the years when he took on a dark new edge in the ‘90s that worked well for the character, his ‘80s redesign didn’t have the same effect.
The post-Crisis version of Aquaman attempted to redesign the character with a new blue camouflage costume. Aquaman hoped he would blend into his watery environment better. The costume worked at times in the mini-series thanks to the beautiful underwater art of Craig Hamilton. However, it was a nightmare for other artists and was soon retired for his more familiar costume.
Red Robin’s Drake Costume
Tim Drake first began his crimefighting career as the third Robin when he started training under Batman. He made a name for himself and impressed former Robin’s Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. Unfortunately, Damian Wayne’s debut in his own Robin costume changed everything.
Drake adopted the new identity of Red Robin as he struck out on his own. Unfortunately, the New 52 reboot failed his Red Robin identity, leaving Tim Drake adrift in the new continuity. He eventually donned a bland new costume and went by the simplified Drake, though fans hated it. He eventually returned to the role of Robin which he now shares with Damian.
Raven’s New 52 Costume
There were a few DC characters who rarely changed their costumes over the years because their original look worked so well. Raven joined the New Teen Titans wearing a dark hooded cloak that she wore for years. She briefly adopted a torn white version when she fell under the influence of her father Trigon, though that didn’t last long.
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The New 52 reboot featured a number of controversial changes, with more than one member of the Teen Titans called out for their poor redesigns. Raven’s “goth girl” aesthetic was abandoned for a bird-like costume and jagged bone helmet that obscured most of her face. Nothing about the design referenced Raven’s character from before the reboot, which fell flat with fans.
7Booster Gold’s Armored Design
When Michael Jon Carter traveled back in time to become Booster Gold, he used a stolen high-tech suit from the future that enhanced his abilities. Unfortunately, his suit was shredded in battle with Doomsday, and he was nearly killed. Thankfully, his best friend Blue Beetle was an inventive genius, and he helped design Booster Gold a new suit.
Blue Beetle’s technology wasn’t anywhere near as advanced as his original suit from the future. Blue Beetle couldn’t replicate Booster Gold‘s force field, so he outfitted him with a powerful but bulky suit of armor. Booster Gold soon became frustrated by his suit’s reduced level of efficiency, and he sought out a new uniform created by Dr. Emil Hamilton that suited him better.
6Black Canary’s ’80s Redesign
When Dinah Lance first started operating as Black Canary, she used the costume her mother wore during her career as the crime-fighting hero. Her iconic fishnet costume was a favorite among fans, though it became a problematic symbol of her sexuality that led to a change in the ’80s.
Black Canary adopted a new blue and black jumpsuit with wing-like extensions on her shoulder pads. Her hair was held black with a thin black bandana to reflect her status as one of DC’s most skilled fighters. Unfortunately, the whole failed to capture the skill and menace of Black Canary. While the classic fishnets weren’t working anymore, the blue jumpsuit wasn’t the best choice either.
5Green Arrow’s Eyepatch Look
Oliver Queen wore a few different costumes over the years as Green Arrow. However, they usually all had something in common as they were built to facilitate his life as one of the most skilled comic book archers. When his eye was injured in a battle, Green Arrow had to wear an eye patch that completely threw off his depth perception and ruined his aim.
He abandoned his usual green suit and bow and chose to use firearms instead while he recovered. He wore civilian clothing with an ammo bandolier and the eyepatch that limited his vision. Thankfully, it was a short-lived costume change and he soon returned to his usual green outfit.
4Doctor Fate’s ‘90s Overhaul
The ‘90s was an interesting decade in the DC universe. A number of heroes received huge redesigns that usually failed to land with fans. Doctor Fate was no different, though his redesign might have been the most outlandish in the ‘90s.
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Jared Stevens attempted to retrieve the Helmet of Fate, Cloak of Destiny, and Amulet of Anubis after the Zero Hour event. The mystical items instead empowered him when they reshaped into weaponry during the attack. As Fate, Stevens continued serving as an Agent of Order like his predecessors, though fans never got behind the redesigned character.
3Wonder Woman’s Biker Look
Diana Prince lost her claim to the title of Wonder Woman to Artemis in the ’90s. While Artemis donned a new version of Wonder Woman’s usually patriotic outfit, Diana Prince adopted a new costume that didn’t really fit with her character.
Diana Prince chose athletic biker gear as her costume instead, paired with an oversized denim jacket and her iconic silver bracers. Wonder Woman’s ’90s look wasn’t very well-received by fans, nor did it last long. Her earlier redesign during the mod era of the ’60s was another weird version of Wonder Woman, but the character’s fall to the excess of the ’90s stands out more to fans.
2Azrael’s Armored Batman
Bruce Wayne was nearly killed after his confrontation with Bane in the Knightfall storyline. Bane broke Batman’s back and left him for dead, though his allies were able to save him. However, Wayne had to step down and asked a new hero named Azrael to take over.
Jean-Paul Valley had trained a bit with Tim Drake, but he wasn’t fully prepared for his role as the Dark Knight. His programming as Azrael took control, and he redesigned the batsuit to fit his usual style. The dark new suit was heavily armored and incorporated deadly weaponry and some gadgets that Batman shouldn’t use before Bruce Wayne finally reclaimed his cowl.
1Superman’s Original Electric Blue
While Jon Kent’s electrical transformation in DC’s 2023 Lazarus Planet event excited fans, it didn’t have the same effect in the ‘90s. Clark Kent’s powers shifted and he developed an unstable energy form that required a sleek new blue-and-white containment suit.
Superman’s electrical transformation made headlines across the world as the Man of Steel developed a new look and abilities. He learned how to work with his new form, though it never really caught on with fans. He eventually returned to his usual look, though not before undergoing an even worse redesign as his energy form split into short-lived red and blue versions.