Ali's Costume Corner

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Welcome to the all-new costume center, where each month I will be examining two seperate X-Costumes, each belonging to one male and one female. Costumes will be rated on the following criteria:

Originality
Style
Functionality
Overall Appeal

Once a review has been posted, readers will have the opportunity to vote on whether they agree with my assessment or not, as well as to give their own rating to the costume. YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT!

THIS MONTH

The return of Chris Claremont marks not only a change in writing styles, but also a change in the look at feel of the characters. To celebrate (or denounce) this change, this month we will be examining some of the new costumes.

Artist: Leinil Yu
Image Source: Wizard #102

THE BASICS: This costume is a dramatic change from anything the Beast has worn before. This new costume includes a skullcap, unseen on Hank since his X-Factor days, as well as a utility pack containing, well, who know's what. It covers most of his body, excluding his appendages, and includes a set of goggles that cover his eyes.

ALI'S TAKE ON IT:

Originality: There's no doubt that this costume is different from anything we've seen before, either on Hank or on any other X-Character. It does show some similarities, as I mentioned earlier, to his X-Factor costume, but this is mostly limited to the skull cap. So, if nothing else, I must say this costume is very original.

Style: Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Perhaps it's just me, but I really dislike this new costume. It is severely lacking in any type of style whatsoever. The way it surrounds his face gives him a bit too much of an apelike quality, which perhaps was the artist's intent, but makes me cringe (and this from someone who studies primates :)). The vest-like top is a bit old fashioned, and the goggles and skullcap make him look like a clown. I know that Hank is a fun-loving character, but this costume carries that quality too far.

Functionality: This costume allows Hank to carry a lot of materials with him, and with his considerable strength, their extra weight shouldn't be a problem. However, all the materials on his back could severely interfere with his agility, especially if he's trying to fit through some tight spots, as has been know to happen. The goggles could be helpful for blocking out the New York City smog, but I highly doubt they are going to be of much use. And finally, we had better hope the X-Men never end up anywhere really warm, such as the Savage Land or Egypt, because the combination of thick fur and insulated material is going to make poor Hank collapse from heat exhaustion long before he could be of any use to the team.

Overall Appeal: No amount of originality is going to make of for the fact that this costume is absolutely awful. I dislike the look of it, and really feel that it doesn't suit his character one bit. What does someone covered with fur need with such a constricting costume? The best costume for Hank would be one that emphasizes his wild nature, allowing freedom of movement. His costume consisting of little more than, if you'll excuse the term, underwear was more suitible for him.

STATS:

Originality
Style
Functionality
Overall Appeal

Artist: Leinil Yu
Image Source: Wizard #102

THE BASICS: Kitty's new costume is said to be a reflection of her attitude, which will become significantly more gritty. The full body blue and gold costume is gone, replaced by thigh-high boots, as well as a set of retractable claws, similiar to the ones worn in the Age of Apocalypse storyline.

ALI'S TAKE ON IT:

Originality: Tall boots and really short shorts...who does that remind me of? This costume is definitely more risque than anything Kitty (as an adult) has worn before. While the boots may be similar to Storm's original costume, the top is more unique, allowing Kitty to show off a little more than she used to. The claws, very original in the AOA, seem a bit recycled here, though I am happy to hear she will be using them again. As far as originality goes, however, Shadowcat's new costume ranks rather low.

Style: This isn't the worst costume Kitty's ever worn, but it's certainly not the best either. I'm happy that the artists decided to let her 'grow up' a bit, but it seems like a rather drastic jump. Still, the boots give her a sexier look without making her look like she's only there for T&A shots (see Witchblade), and the claws give her a sharper, more dangerous look. However, the top really doesn't seem to go with the rest of the outfit, causing her style rating to be reduced.

Functionality: Remember what I said about Beast and heat? The same thing now goes for Kitty and the cold. Short sleeves and shorts aren't going to keep her warm when the team is inexplicetly sent to Antarctica or plunged into the Atlantic. Her insulated costume was much better suited for some of the weird predicaments the X-Men end up in. But it is well suited for her powers, the dark colors allowing her to blend well with her surroundings. The claws give her a more pysical weapon to strike with, and her Samurai training should help her with them nicely.

Overall Appeal: The first thing I thought when I saw this picture was, "Oh God, the Bad Girl syndrome strikes again." Maybe so, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. I always liked Kitty as the girl next door, the team member that most of us identified with throughout the years. But if there's one thing I can always identify with, it's change. A character who remains the same over the years, especially during their teenage years, is very unbelievable to me. Kitty is still trying to figure out who she is, and her costumes have always been a reflection of this. This costume is no different, and while I doubt it will last for any extended period of time, it will be an important part of her life.

STATS:

Originality
Style
Functionality
Overall Appeal

*The opinions expressed here are Ali's, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the rest of the X-Rising staff.

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