Over on Jamal Igle's blog, he has posted a proposal he did for a Supergirl costume re-design. Here is the link ( http://jamaligle.blogspot.com/2009/04/way-back-machine-6-not-so-much.html ) and a quote.
Here's a rejected Supergirl redesign I did prior to actually starting the series. Everyone thought it was a good design but at the time particularly it would be too radical a change from the Michael Turner costume.
I have always been partial to the 'red skirt' look so this is appealing to me. I especially like it's shape, being longer in the front and coming to a point. This has sort of a Matrix feel to it.
Things I find intriguing are the off the shoulder cape and the short boots. I don't think I would end up liking the 'shoulderless' look.
The blurbs on the side of the picture are also interesting to read as it shows were Igle is coming from in his interpretation of Kara, one we have now seen fleshed out in stories.
I even did a penciled drawing to pitch it as well.
Now that is a lovely picture. I sort of miss the trumpet-ended sleeves on the costume, although the 'amazon bracelets' are one of my favorite parts of the current costume.
This drawing of Supergirl flying among the clouds reminded me of this:
Igle drew this picture to promote his taking over the main title. This was colorized for his banner at NYCC but I am pretty sure has never been printed. Maybe it can be included at the end of the eventual trade of the initial Gates/Igle run.
I love it when I am able to see some of the background pitches and creative processes of artists (like Drew Johnson's proposed redesign I posted here a long time ago or Josh Middleton's cover designs). Makes me appreciate the hard work the professionals do and their personal viewpoint on characters.
I definitely would liked to have seen Jamal's costume redesign (minus the shoulderless portion) implemented. I too have always been a fan of the Matrix/red skirt version of the Supergirl costume.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this link, basically a collection of SG in versions of her costume
ReplyDeletehttp://tiny.cc/stiE7
Basically each iteration is variations on a theme, and perhaps prompts the question - "Why the skirt?"
It brings us back to our earlier discussion, would a girl SG's age really pick this outfit? Knowing how much time she spends flying overhead, would she be comfortable in a skirt at all?
To me a more sensible and interesting departure may be a full-body suit, kind of reminiscent of the Jim Lee XMEN costume design on the 90's - all zipped up and belted, more kick ass and less frilly flash right?
Or what if SG ditched a formal costume all together? What if she wore jeans and store-bought superman t shirt? As a young Gen Y, she probably would chafe at the idea of a "get up" like the ones the older heroes wear.
Or taking that thought further, what if instead of a supes t shirt she wore a t shirt of older heroes she admired, like wonder woman, batman, nightwing?
Yes her regular clothes would get trashed with her activities, but jeans and t shirts are cheap, and it would be a cool way to show the effects of her environment.
If it was me designing it I'd go tshirt, jeans, workboots.
Getting her out of her legacy costume and into something that fits her and her landscape is one step to keep her character fresh and real no?
jeff caporizzo said...Or what if SG ditched a formal costume all together? What if she wore jeans and store-bought superman t-shirt? As a young Gen Y, she probably would chafe at the idea of a "get up" like the ones the older heroes wear.
ReplyDeleteOr taking that thought further, what if instead of a supes t-shirt she wore a t-shirt of older heroes she admired, like wonder woman, batman, nightwing?
Yes her regular clothes would get trashed with her activities, but jeans and t-shirts are cheap, and it would be a cool way to show the effects of her environment.
If it was me designing it I'd go t-shirt, jeans, workboots.OMG HELL NO! I'm sorry but you'd have totally dated her look in having done that. So early millennium looking for a Supergirl in '09. Yuck. Think more along the lines of Madonna, Rihanna, and Lady Ga Ga inspired fashion sense instead (i.e. bold, flashy and utterly daring) for that's where the compass is really heading it seems. Think less early years of Miley Cyrus and more of the above listed for how to update Supergirl's look henceforth.
Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system and finish this post in saying that I for one think Jamal would've rocked Supergirl in this look big time had stupid DC had allowed him to go through with it! :D
I like this new look and I do hope Jamal has the opportunity to incorporate it in the future. Just cover up the shoulders a little.
ReplyDeleteHaha - well we've proven that my model is working, namely that the old guy has no idea how a young woman should/would dress. Its a perfect question for an anecdotal focus group - or feedback in forum like this.
ReplyDeleteSo let's hear it from the young women in the blogosphere - what should SG be wearing if its not her costume?
jeff Caporizzo said...Haha - well we've proven that my model is working, namely that the old guy has no idea how a young woman should/would dress.Excuse me? For your information what I had wrote is purely based on what my very own 14 year old cousin has worn herself amongst her other slew of classmates and told me why they apparently now like dressing/parading around in come '09 that being is that jeans-t-shirt combo of any kind is in her words "frickin dated".
ReplyDeleteAre you labeling me as well as someone who I know that actually IS 14 year old female liars? Looks to me by the way you went about addressing me come your reply above that you're only looking to start trouble more then anything.
jeff Caporizzo said...Haha - well we've proven that my model is working, namely that the old guy has no idea how a young woman should/would dress.Excuse me? For your information what I had wrote is purely based on what my very own 14 year old cousin has been sporting herself as well as her other slew fellow classmates and told me why they apparently now like dressing/parading around in non t-shirt/jeans numbers come '09 and that being in her words "OMG that's frickin dated as!".
ReplyDeleteAre you labeling myself as well as someone who I know that actually IS a 14 year old female both liars here? Looks to me by the way you went about addressing me come your reply above that you're only looking to start trouble more then anything.
P.S. Anj I'm sorry for not only the corrected 2nd post but me also feeling no choice but having to defend myself against the rude poster that is jeff Caporizzo here in the process. "Haha - well we've proven that my model is working, namely that the old guy has no idea how a young woman should/would dress." Could the person be any ruder?
nono! i was pointing that finger at myself! not being rude - REPEAT- not being rude! I was saying *i* am the old guy who doesn't know how a young woman should dress, and was talking about your correction as proving that true
ReplyDeleteno offense, honest.
To me a more sensible and interesting departure may be a full-body suit, kind of reminiscent of the Jim Lee XMEN costume design on the 90's - all zipped up and belted, more kick ass and less frilly flash right?
ReplyDeleteOr what if SG ditched a formal costume all together? What if she wore jeans and store-bought superman t shirt? As a young Gen Y, she probably would chafe at the idea of a "get up" like the ones the older heroes wear. Well, I don't know where to begin with this.
The truth is their is such clout behind the 'S-shield' that it is tough to break away from that. And I think keeping it the classic red/blue is important to keep her linked as family to Superman.
I cringe at thinking of her in some Liefeld-esque 90's war suit.
And the t-shirt/jeans look has already been played out with Superboy and Wonder Girl.
In fact it is so played out it was a gag in Tiny Titans.
I think you have to stay iconic.
Getting her out of her legacy costume and into something that fits her and her landscape is one step to keep her character fresh and real no?If anything, the semi-retro nature of her outfit (classic colors and shield but funky sleeves and mini-skirt) is pretty fresh.
I definitely would liked to have seen Jamal's costume redesign (minus the shoulderless portion) implemented. I too have always been a fan of the Matrix/red skirt version of the Supergirl costume.
ReplyDeleteI like this new look and I do hope Jamal has the opportunity to incorporate it in the future. Just cover up the shoulders a little.Hmmm ... that's three of us who think the shoulders just don't work but like the rest of it.
And who says Supergirl fans can't agree on anything. LOL.
P.S. Anj I'm sorry for not only the corrected 2nd post but me also feeling no choice but having to defend myself against the rude poster that is jeff Caporizzo here in the process. "Haha - well we've proven that my model is working, namely that the old guy has no idea how a young woman should/would dress." Could the person be any ruder?
ReplyDeletenono! i was pointing that finger at myself! not being rude - REPEAT- not being rude! I was saying *i* am the old guy who doesn't know how a young woman should dress, and was talking about your correction as proving that trueGlad we cleared that up!
If there is one thing I like about the discussions here it is that it never derails into flame wars. I like hearing different opinions in a respectful manner.
I'm glad we cleared that up too.
ReplyDeleteAnd I get that jeans and a t shirt may be "played out" in comics, but any trip to a mall of high school will reveal every other kid in jeans and a T shirt. So the outfit may always ring true for that age group.
That was my point really, whatever the actual outfit, the change might ring truer than the traditional skirt and cape combo
I'm 29, so not exactly in the age bracket of a young woman who knows what the kids are down with, but here's my two pence..
ReplyDeleteI really don't like the red skirt..because it's reminisicent of the Matrix supergirl I think it looks dated. I also don't like the covering up of the torso - this incarnation of Kara is quite clearly into showing flesh so to suddenly cover up looks a bit odd. OTOH, going with an off the shoulder look kinda addresses this.
But an off the shoulder design would be really really annoying to wear. I'm not a fan of short boots either.
I like her current costume - girl teenagers do show lots of flesh - hell I did at age 17 and I was substantially bigger than Kara! The gold trim of the cape and wrist cuffs gives it a modern look.
As for the skirt issues, I think this is rectified by giving her shorts.
What I would like to see is a dress, maybe the dress that she wore as future adult Kara during the cancer story. Keep the S shield, or maybe make it a small badge over her heart. Keep it blue with gold trim. Leep the knee highs (but make sure they're flat!).
I liked Kara's everyday clothes in the clubbing issue - the mini skirt and pink shrug. If she's gonna wear everyday clothes that's the sort of thing she would wear. She's way too femme to wear jeans. Anyway, in the wrong artist's hands if Kara wore jeans we wouldn't know who was Kara and who was Cassie!
Also, I have a sheer and deep down hatred for the 80s fashion that's around at the moment. Don't knwo if it's the same in the States, but over here every woman looks like they stepped out of a time warp. All these baggy t-shirts and high waisted tops are sooo ugly and make you look pregnant. Girls such as Kara who wear tight fitting revealing clothes are not gonna go for this baggy must over up type shit. I hope.
ReplyDeleteJeff Caporizzo said... nono! i was pointing that finger at myself! not being rude - REPEAT- not being rude! I was saying *i* am the old guy who doesn't know how a young woman should dress, and was talking about your correction as proving that true
ReplyDeleteno offense, honest.My sincerest and humblest of apologies, Jeff Caporizzo.
thanks, now lets bring it into hug harbor
ReplyDeleteThe sleeves and off the shoulder bug me.
ReplyDelete