Doug: Here are the ground rules -- vote for the costume, not the character. We discussed last week that in the nominations process, there may have been some costumes put forth more for character or character-in-storyline value than for the sheer fashion splendor that is their fightin' duds. If you come down to a real head-scratcher and just think you'd look swell in either super-suit, then break the tie in your own mind in your own way. But let's try to stick to the theme of Dressed for Success.
Doug: In the past, we've run the polls from late Saturday night through Wednesday early in the evening (American central time). We're going to switch it up just a bit, due to the large size of this bracket. Polls will go up on Saturday night as before, but they'll cut off on Tuesday evening. The next round of voting will commence Tuesday evening and cut off Friday night. That will get us through the first round, and then the second round will begin a week from today.
Doug: And if you are reading this and happen to be one of the goofs who messed with our lasts series of polls... please don't do that. This is all in fun, and the last time we did this it didn't end so well. Play nice, please.
Doug: So, use this space today and over the next couple of days to comment on the currently running polls. Also, for today, the general look of the brackets is fair game -- I tried to use small 4-line patterns and keep moving around the entire bracket. Hopefully it's "random-looking". Thanks in advance for your participation!
I had forgotten what a cool costume Rocketeer had-! Nice one.
ReplyDeleteBoy, here's the other distinction worth trying to hold onto for those of us with more adolescently hormonal memories: the difference between pulchritude and design, as it were. I looked up Harbinger because I wasn't familiar with her character at all, and thought, "that's a pretty unique and eye-catching look." Whereas I image-searched Starfire, and really, she's just mostly naked--- and it's her own orange coloring, big hair, and opaque green eyes that make her "look" distinctive. I dunno-- seems like taking the easy way out, to me. (Un-dressed for success?)
This is good-- already liking this as a Bracketology project.
HB
Will tune in attentively to see if my contention is supported: George Perez-while a lovely guy and a legendary penciller- designs the fussiest and least successful costumes in comics.
ReplyDeleteGreat fun! I had to set up another screen to look at the costumes, get a fresh view.
ReplyDeleteHB, you're right about Starfire's outfit, but is her hair included as "outfit", as part of her look?
I went with Rocketeer over Hela, but she does have a striking look. Also went with Shazam over Jack of Hearts, but another strong pairing.
E-Man got my vote for ballsyness of design--E=mc2!! I could never figure out if I liked that or if it was too silly. : ) But Valkyrie looks great.
Vigilante is a character I barely remember, but his outfit is simple and cool. Loki has a striking look, but I had to go with the power of the Spectre. Another simple one but powerful effect, even if you had no idea who the character was.
Nice to see the original Flash doing well!
Totally agreed with HB on Starfire.. DD's outfit was simple, all one bold color, yet it works pretty cool and vibrant with Colan did those 'majesty in motion' acrobatics DD did in jumping, spiralling, etc.. It drew you in.
ReplyDeleteCompared with Starfire..? OK, she was very well proportioned, but there's practically nothing there 'cept pure titilation. I actually preferred her more modest outfit in the Keebler Drug freebee comic with the full midsection covered. Her 'barely-there' outfit didn't do much, other than guarantee fanboy interest.
As for Hela, I found her outfit more striking and articulate, thus hedging her in the stylish category.
This is a minor quibble, but somehow I think it would have been better to pit the different outfits of the same hero (i.e. Falcon or Wonder Man) against each other right at the start.
ReplyDeleteDougie, about Perez and his costume designs, I noted in an earlier comment that his designs for heroes were often laughable (Nightwing's original costume comes to mind immediately), but he did create a really cool look for villains, like Deathstroke and Taskmaster.
I love the Cyclops costume, but I don't know how Cockrum's Star Boy can be losing to him. I wonder if people are occasionally voting for who they like better, or who they are more familiar with.
ReplyDeleteEdo --
ReplyDeleteIn regard to Wonder Man's two entries, I don't think they could be more different, so if we're going on fashion alone I think it's fine that they are separated.
That being said, dbutler, it is very difficult to separate the clothes from the character. Everyone knows this is highly subjective and that no matter how hard we all try we're eventually going to let characterization creep into our considerations.
I mean, the High Evolutionary? Really? And how does Polaris top Guy Gardner? You want to talk about an innovative take on the GL theme that perfectly fit Guy's personality... Oops! There's that characterization thing coming through again! :)
Doug
Edo, much agreed on Perez's outfits.. Villain outfits were very stylishly thought out and had charisma. As for heroes..? Changling's outfit was pretty good, but I never (**NEVER**) cared for Jericho; when he came in, I knew my NTT enjoyment was near over. His outfit/hairstyle was so embarrassingly.. unmanly (I'll leave it as that).
ReplyDelete"Not that there's anything wrong with that..", as Jerry Seinfeld would say.
@Garett: It was indeed a tough pair, but I fell solidly into Jack of Hearts' camp. Not in a small part because Jack's Face-Card containment suit was a completely unique design when he was first introduced. He kind of pre-dated the big shoulder-pad, extra gauntlets, lots o' gingerbread & doo-dads era that we'd see in the 90's, IIRC. Keeping in mind that he first appeared in '76, when we were just (barely just) starting to get past the idea of capes being mandatory apparel, and this outfit was very much a breath of fresh air. My favorite? Nah-- like it a lot, though, and am ready to stump for its further success-!
ReplyDeleteI did vote for the High Ev, too (although he wasn't my suggestion). I'm not even sure what the origins of that armor of his are-- but I always thought it look rather cool. In an issue of TtA we see him mortally wounded, and he removes the damaged helmet. . . and there's something touching about seeing the vulnerable, human scientist that's been inside it the whole time. Of course, that's now letting pure sentiment color my objective detachment. . .
HB