Long-time fans of the Dakotaverse are excited to see the return of a few favorite characters in the Milestone Returns era. Now taking place on Earth M, the heroes from Milestone Comics have been updated and in some cases, fully reimagined. Heroes like Icon and Static each received new costumes for their return to publication.
Of course, updated costumes aren’t always the best. Some of Milestone’s original costume designs still stand out when compared to the new versions. Yet there are a few modernized costumes that impressed fans as well. Milestone Comics’ costume designs have always drawn fans in with their edge and originality which continues with Milestone Returns.
10 Static's Original Comic Costume Was Simplicity At Its Best
Virgil Hawkins has worn a few different costumes as Static over the years. The success of the Static Shock animated series ultimately influenced his comic look as well. His modern costumes have mostly retained aspects of the animated design, though it’s his original comic costume that remains the character’s best look.
The late, great John Paul Leon penciled the first appearance of Static. He wore a dark blue bodysuit with a single lightning bolt on the torso to reference some of Virgil Hawkins' best powers. The look was perfected with an oversized coat and ball cap that he wore for most of his early career. Earth M’s Static briefly wore a modernized costume that was a perfect homage to his classic look.
9 Rocket's New Costume Is A Great Updated Look For The Hero
When Raquel Ervin first met the man who would become Icon, she was inspired. She not only designed an iconic costume for him, but she also included one for herself as well. As Rocket, she used an alien inertia belt to protect herself with a kinetic shield that could absorb and redirect energy, making her one of the strongest female superheroes.
Rocket’s first costume is still iconic, though her new look in the Milestone Returns era fits the character better. The costume was modernized while still retaining Rocket’s personality. Her new goggles fit the design of the costume, though some fans still miss the unique eye mask she shared with Icon from their original incarnation.
8 Oro’s Gold Armored Suit Deserved To See A Bit More Action
While he didn’t have as many comic appearances as some of Dakota’s other heroes, Miguel Medina was an interesting hero. Medina was a cop who gained his ability to absorb and redirect solar energy during the Big Bang. He became Oro and briefly joined the Shadow Cabinet. However, he was fired, experimented on, framed for murder, and forced to hide out with Blood Syndicate.
Medina’s costume was gifted to him by the Shadow Cabinet. He wore a dark blue and gold armored suit that he later paired with a dark blue mask after he was framed. Oro’s costume stood out among both the Shadow Cabinet and Blood Syndicate, so it was a shame that it wasn’t seen more.
7 Twilight’s Derby Hat Worked Well With His Cloudy Dimensional Form
Another character that made an impact without having too many comic appearances is Shadow Cabinet’s Twilight. Amnon Silverstein became a living dimensional portal whose body acts as a window to another realm. He was able to send his enemies to other realms or call out deadly other-dimensional creatures from his body to help in a fight.
Twilight’s dimensional form might not qualify as a costume to some fans. However, Twilight is a dimensional body of fashion, and he paired his usually cloudy blue sky body with a stylish derby hat. It’s a small touch that added a ton of personality to the character. He was last seen alongside the Shadow Cabinet collided with the JLA in one of the first returns to the Dakotaverse.
6 DMZ's Police Uniform And Mask Was Dynamic And Unique
The Blood Syndicate was formed after a number of gang members gained superpowers during the Big Bang. While they weren’t always big on the typical costumes worn by some of Dakota’s other superheroes, there were a couple who stood out from the rest. The mysterious and silent DMZ was one of Milestone's most powerful characters, as well as their best dressed.
DMZ was known for never speaking or taking off his mask. His colorful tunic had shoulder pads and a bare chest with a pattern that matched his dynamic mask. It was eventually revealed that DMZ wore the uniform of an intergalactic security force known as the D’amsi. While his connection to the D’amsi was never fully revealed, he definitely looked great in the uniform.
5 Iron Butterfly’s Winged Suit Of Armor Was Controlled Magnetically
The Shadow Cabinet frequently called in new members based on the situation, but Iron Butterfly was a constant on the team. Kahina Eskandari was a Palestinian who gained her powers of ferrokinesis after she was subjected to genetic experimentation. As Iron Butterfly, she was the field leader of the Shadow Cabinet who was loyal to their founder, Dharma.
Eskandari used her abilities to magnetically manipulate the metal required to fashion a modernized suit of armor. Iron Butterfly also created powerful metal wings that allowed her to fly at incredible speeds. While there were a few armored characters in Dakota, Iron Butterfly brought a classic elegance to her costume that hid her sometimes brutal nature.
4 Holocaust's Armored Shoulder Pads Fit The Era Perfectly
While he began as a member of Blood Syndicate, Holocaust soon made a name for himself as one of Dakota’s crime bosses. Leonard Smalls, Jr. was the son of the mayor who became a supervillain after he gained the powerful ability of pyrokinesis during the Big Bang. He took the name Holocaust, though he briefly went by Pyre as an initiation into Dakota’s crime ring.
Holocaust’s costume was perfectly suited for the 90s, as it featured armored shoulder pads with an unnecessarily high-tech vest. While the costume might not hold up today as well, it still created an intimidating look that worked well for Holocaust. His Earth M look has simplified and modernized the design, but it isn’t quite as eye-catching as his original costume.
3 Hardware 2.0 Was The Best Version Of His Powerful Armor
The brilliant Curtis Metcalf has created a few versions of his powerful Hardware armor over the years. He created the suit to get vengeance on his former mentor, though he ultimately followed a new path of justice. Metcalf’s ongoing improvements to his suit added more protection and introduced some of Hardware's best weapons.
Hardware’s 2.0 armor was not only one of the most powerful versions, but it was also his best-looking suit. Hardware’s helmet was given a major redesign. A protective jaw piece was added while his helmet was given a machined look that only increased his intimidation. The silver, black and red armor also added more gold details to further impress fans with his new look.
2 Duo's New Look Is A Big Improvement From His Xombi Days
Dr. David Kim was one of the most reimagined characters in the Milestone Returns era. He is barely recognizable from his beginning as Xombi during the ‘90s. Duo was one of the first series under the Earth M banner. Dr. David Kim and his lover Dr. Kelly Vu are partners in a nanotech project with healing properties.
When David Kim was seriously injured during an explosive attempt at sabotage, Kelly Vu used the nanobots to save his life. However, they used her organic material to repair his body while also transferring her consciousness into his mind. David eventually manifested a gold and silver bodysuit with a blue lab coat. This was a much better look than the tattered wardrobe he wore as Xombi.
1 Icon's Original Costume Still Stands Out As The Character's Best
The most powerful Milestone hero has had his look altered a couple of times in the Milestone Returns era. Icon’s new modernized costume has had trouble matching the same iconic look the character showcased in the ‘90s. Icon was an alien who was raised on Earth as a slave before he became a lawyer and then a superhero in Dakota.
Rocket helped design Icon’s original costume, which featured a red bodysuit with a golden ring on the chest. This ring was connected to a massive green cape that billowed majestically when he flew over Dakota’s streets. The Young Justice animated series did the best job so far of updating his classic look, though his original costume is still Icon’s best look.