There's no denying the enormous success of the MCU. For nearly two decades, Marvel Studios has adapted classic Marvel comics to the big and small screens. But with dozens of films and TV series and hundreds of characters, the cinematic universe has started to have an effect on the source material.
The Marvel Comics universe has slowly but surely become more influenced by the MCU instead of the other way around. Many iconic Marvel characters have gone through significant design changes and wound up in new costumes that have become just as iconic.
9 Hawkeye's Costume Has Become More Covert
Hawkeye has been a member of the Avengers for decades. After joining Earth's Mightiest Heroes as part of "Cap's Kooky Quartet" in 1965, the Avenging Archer has been a long-serving member of the team.
Originally sporting a headpiece and a long tunic-like costume, Hawkeye's look was modernized after the release of The Avengers. The MCU made the archer's outfit far more paramilitary, and the comics would follow suit for years to come.
8 Drax Received A Makeover For The Guardians Movie
One of the many prominent character re-designs in the Guardians Of The Galaxy movie, Drax the Destroyer received a new look in time for the first of James Gunn's trilogy. In the comics, Drax was created from the consciousness of Arthur Douglas, a real estate agent who was killed by the Mad Titan Thanos.
In the comics, Drax's costume was far campier and included a cape and shoulder pads. This fell in line with many of Marvel's other cosmic characters having more outlandish attire. Once Drax was re-designed for the MCU, the comics would follow suit, giving Drax a bare-chested, more aggressive look in the current 616 universe.
7 Mantis Was Given A Much More Practical Costume In The MCU
Mantis, a young woman who was believed to be the "Celestial Madonna" by a sect of the Kree, was trained in martial arts and given telepathic abilities by the alien Priests of Pama. She was later mind wiped and placed on Earth.
In the comics, Mantis originally had a much more risqué costume, with a long, waving green and yellow skirt with a top that came off the shoulders and pointed outwards. The comics would later favor the MCU's more practical interpretation after Mantis appeared in Guardians Of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
6 Quicksilver's Costume Became More Nonchalant
The brother of the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver's legacy in Marvel Comics is just as iconic as his sister's. The silver-haired speedster's classic green and silver costumes have been seen in battle alongside the X-Men, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and even the Avengers.
However, after Quicksilver's appearance in the 2015 Age of Ultron film, his costume in the comics would gain a much more simple redesign. The green jumpsuit was thrown out in exchange for a more casual look.
5 Sam Wilson's Wings Are A Classic Look
Sam Wilson is another character that has an iconic look. After all, there's nothing subtle about a man with giant wings flying overhead. Once the loyal partner of Captain America, Sam Wilson received holographic technology from the Black Panther, which creates "hard light" wings.
When the Falcon was introduced in the MCU in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the character's design was changed drastically, with Wilson's wings instead being a mechanical military design. This was later adapted to the comics, with Wilson's new wings having been tweaked by Tony Stark to be fully vibranium.
4 The Dora Milaje's Costumes Are Made With Vibranium
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=1.5)
The royal guard of Wakanda has protected the nation for generations, with their all-female army of fighters being some of the most skilled combatants in the Marvel Universe. Trained in hand-to-hand combat as well as having mastery over plenty of Wakandan technology and weaponry, the Dora Milaje are some of the fiercest fighters out there.
The Dora Milaje's costumes are based in Wakandan technology, with vibranium armor and weapons that are made to enhance their superior combat abilities. Their costumes in Black Panther would later influence how the characters were drawn in the comics, with a palette of orange and silver becoming a recurring theme in their design.
3 Ant-Man's Costume Was Toned Down In The MCU
Scott Lang may be the second person to don the Ant-Man mantle in both canons, but he's quickly risen to fame as one of the more prominent characters to sport the costume due to his part in the MCU. Scott Lang became the leading Ant-Man after stealing Hank Pym's Pym Particles, and later would join the Avengers after receiving Pym's blessing.
10 Best Ant-Man Quotes In The MCU
While Lang's costume in the comics was very close to the movie adaptation, it was much brighter. Like many of the costumes in the MCU, it was toned down, and given a more muted look, which would later find its way into the comics.
2 Yellowjacket Received A Tech Upgrade
Yellowjacket was the name coined by Hank Pym when he adopted another one of his many crime-fighting personas. The codename was later given to Rita DeMara, who was killed during the 90s. The third Yellowjacket was Darren Cross, and it was this Yellojacket that appeared in the MCU film Ant-Man
While the Yellowjacket costume was much more simple in the comics, it was modernized in the comics following its appearance in Ant-Man. A prototype of a Yellowjacket battle suit was fitted for Cross' character, matching the costume seen in the MCU.
1 Nebula's Costume Was Changed To Show Off Her Robotic Implants
Nebula was raised in her sister Gamora's shadow, causing her to hate her. In the comics, Nebula had a classic purple-and-blue costume, and it wasn't until she was torched nearly to death by Thanos that she was in need of robotic body parts, making her part-cyborg.
When Nebula appeared in the Guardians of the Galaxy film, her costume was far more low-key and muted, with shorter sleeves that fully displayed her robotic arm. The comics would later adopt this sleeker look from the MCU, which would dictate Nebula's costumes for years to come.