In the last decade, the DC Universe has undergone a number of reboots, some softer than others. Of course, the two major reboots of note are the New 52, which spawned from the events of Flashpoint, and DC Rebirth. Both ushered in a new era for the publishing house, altering the histories of characters, while reshaping the DC Universe as a whole. These changes not only affect characters narratively, they additionally transform heroes and villains cosmetically. Therefore, every reboot gives birth to a new look or suit. Some changes are minor, hardly noticeable to those that can’t tell the difference between Superman’s suit from 2011 and the one he dons in 2016. Meanwhile, other design alterations are far more apparent. For instance, earlier iterations of a character may employ color schemes drastically different than that of a later versions. The change to the Nightwing suit's most accentuated color provides evidence of this.
For each character design, there exists something worth appreciating, regardless of which era it belongs to. Perhaps that something is the boldness of a particular color that artists do not often accentuate. Or maybe it is the form fitting nature of an armor piece. Either way, to the human eye, some designs are much more appealing than others. In the following list, we will look at character models for 20 different heroes and villains. 10 of the designs are for characters whose suits are more appealing in the New 52. Meanwhile, the other 10 choices are for those whose designs look better during DC Rebirth.
20 NEW 52: DEATHSTROKE
Deathstroke’s design has undergone several changes since his debut in the second issue of 1980’s The New Teen Titans. Each new iteration of the Terminator works to modernize him; for example, the design gets a little darker in color. Over time, his garb also begins to bear a more militant look, which makes sense. However, the transition from New 52 to DC Rebirth is minimal.
So why does the New 52 version of his suit favored? The bulkier armor pieces are what seals the deal, as does the suit’s more rugged design. His Rebirth attire couldn’t be anymore streamlined and consistently pops on the page. Yet, it has a G.I. Joe appearance about it that makes New 52 Deathstroke slightly more appealing.
19 NEEDED A REBIRTH: LOBO
One of the most lamented redesigns from the New 52 is Lobo’s. The bounty hunter who’d worn a heavy metal/biker look since his Omega Men debut arrived in the New 52 donning short hair, and the visage of a posh, young pretty boy. Suffice it to say, there was backlash aplenty. Eventually, changes were made and the lavish version of Lobo was deemed an imposter upon the original character’s return. Still, Lobo’s New 52 appearances are mostly remembered for his initial design in the continuity.
It’s no wonder, then, that his DC Rebirth design is favored. Much of the gruffness that Lobo debuted with in the early '80s returned during the 2016 relaunch. And he’s all the better for it.
18 NEW 52: AQUAMAN
Akin to fellow DC heroes Batman and Superman, Aquaman’s look doesn’t undergo too many drastic changes. The most jarring departure from his classic attire, apart from cross-media appearances and alternate dimension/Elseworlds stories, is the '90s design. In both the New 52 and DC Rebirth, the King of the Seven Seas keeps things simple. Both recent iterations of the orange and green attire are considered amongst Aquaman’s best designs.
Yet, his New 52 suit stands out a bit more, courtesy of intricate details. For example, the belt he dons has an ornate design compared to the one he wears in Rebirth. Even the New 52 collar has more going on, as its situated higher on his neck and is often adorned with jewelry of some kind.
17 NEEDED A REBIRTH: NIGHTWING
Save for his often made fun of '90s garb, Nightwing works well in just about anything. For decades, adult Dick Grayson was associated with the color blue. The New 52, however, changes this to substitute red into the color scheme. Does black and red look good on Nightwing? Of course it does. But it’s what he wears for years under Batman’s tutelage. It’s also a color associated with Red Hood, Batwoman, and the other Robins. Nightwing deserves to stand out among the rest of the Bat-family.
Thankfully, DC Rebirth reunites his suit with the black and blue color scheme. The symbol undergoes an additional change, too, taking up less real estate on the suit. Yet, the Rebirth design still manages to harken back to classic Nightwing.
16 NEW 52: RED ROBIN
In the role of Red Robin, Tim Drake essentially graduates as Batman’s sidekick. However, barring his solo missions whilst Dick Grayson was Batman, he’s not as independent as Nightwing, Batgirl, or Red Hood. Tim’s becoming Red Robin is typically tied to Damian Wayne’s adopting the Robin mantle. Perhaps this best explains why Red Robin’s New 52 garb best suits Tim Drake.
His DC Rebirth attire looks like yet another iteration on a Robin suit, despite his not holding that specific title. In the Bat-family, the red, green, and yellow color scheme should be Robin exclusive. No one member should be confused with another. Therefore, Red Robin’s New 52 attire fits him best in this stage of his crimefighting career. Plus, it’s incredibly awesome.
15 NEEDED A REBIRTH: DEADSHOT
Choosing a favorite of Floyd Lawton’s Deadshot suits isn’t a simple task. It basically comes down to what looks best on the character. What should a international criminal who prefers to take out targets from long range wear in the field? Wouldn’t any old tactical suit work just fine? For comics, the answer is a resounding no. Said criminal must also be stylish, especially if they’re considered the best in the DC Universe.
Thus, Deadshot’s DC Rebirth garb takes the win. Sure, he sacrifices maneuverability with the additional armor and ammo pouches. But he appears more combat ready in case a mission requires him to get up close and personal. Deadshot’s updated mask design in the Rebirth continuity serves as an added bonus.
14 NEW 52: BATMAN BEYOND
During New 52’s Futures End series, the Batman Beyond suit worn by Terry McGinnis, and later Tim Drake, is essentially the same suit from the animated series. The suit’s design works just as well on the page as it does on a television screen. If it isn’t broken, there’s nothing worth fixing, right? Wrong. In comics, redesigns are an unspoken must. Therefore, changes to the Batman Beyond batsuit were inevitable.
DC Rebirth’s Batman Beyond #4 issues Terry a new suit. It’s even more futuristic and tech-heavy than the suit before. Based on its design, the new iteration also seems to take cues from Spider-Man 2099. Is Terry’s updated attire awesome? Absolutely. However, nothing beats traditional Batman Beyond.
13 NEEDED A REBIRTH: SUPERGIRL
Supergirl and revealing outfits isn’t a novel idea brought about by the New 52 iteration of the character. The design of the suit itself is stunning, with regards to the way the colors and lines form to create something visually appealing. However, the tankini-style shorts she wears are quite unreasonable. Thankfully, the Maid of Might returns to form upon the arrival of DC Rebirth.
Taking influence from the television series, Rebirth’s Supergirl dons a look similar to Melissa Benoist’s and even borrows from the show’s backstory. Because of this, the suit design is simplified. Classic blue and red with yellow accents perfectly make up Supergirl’s new garb. Instead of tankini shorts, she dons a skirt. The show aside, her Rebirth look is arguably the best.
12 NEW 52: GREEN ARROW
The Robin Hood-inspired garb typically associated with Green Arrow disappears for New 52. Gone is the tunic and leggings pairing that once defined the Emerald Archer. The New 52 ushers in a new era for the hero. It sees him donning light-armored combat attire with the semblance of a symbol across his chest.
His Rebirth costume is comparably appealing. Couple that with Benjamin Percy's incredible run and Rebirth Green Arrow constitutes one of the character’s finest iterations. Deciding whether to favor the New 52 suit over Rebirth presents a tough task, then. The Rebirth look, with its muted color palette and simple design, may be sleeker. But something about New 52 Green Arrow is a touch more eye-catching.
11 NEEDED A REBIRTH: SUPERMAN
Superman’s New 52 costume does not universally receive love from fans. Maybe the high collar is responsible for much of the contention. Perhaps the absence of Superman's iconic yellow belt and red trunks is a deal breaker, in addition to the added armored pieces. Regardless of the divisiveness for Superman’s New 52 garb, fans generally favor the Man of Steel's Rebirth suit.
Sans a yellow belt and red underpants, Rebirth reintroduces his traditional suit design. Action Comics #1000 has recently brought back Superman’s iconic look full on, belt and underpants included. Thus far, opinions seem mixed. However, with 2018 being the character’s 80th anniversary, returning the Man of Steel to his most recognizable design couldn’t be any more fitting.
10 NEW 52: BATMAN
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with either the New 52 Batsuit or the one featured in DC Rebirth’s continuity. In Rebirth’s case, it is awesome seeing yellow creatively reincorporated into Batman’s suit design. Both the outline of the bat-symbol and the accents on his belt are innovative and appealing.
With all of the above in mind, there are, however, few things that beat a simple batsuit design. The black and gray look with a yellow belt has been the Bat’s primary appearance since DC retired the yellow oval emblem at the turn of the century. Perhaps the plainer design being most associated with modern Batman tales is what makes the New 52 version most eye-catching.
9 NEEDED A REBIRTH: JESSICA CRUZ
Jessica Cruz is one of the more recent additions to DC, first appearing in Justice League #30 in 2014. However, she doesn’t don her first Green Lantern suit until the series’ 31st issue. When Jessica becomes a Lantern during New 52, she adopts a new version of the Power Ring. Instead of the all too familiar Lantern emblem on both the ring and the wearer’s suit, an X-like design appears on both. There’s nothing wrong with the design overall -- however, it doesn’t exactly scream Green Lantern.
It’s no surprise, then, that Jessica looks fantastic while wearing the more traditional iteration of the suit in DC Rebirth. The green and black suit with white gloves suits the character perfectly.
8 NEW 52: DAMIAN WAYNE
Robin suits are typically straightforward with regards to design. In the past, Robins have worn shorts; every now and then, a hood is involved. However, the red, yellow, and green color scheme remains constant with most iterations. Damian Wayne’s Robin costume is no different. His New 52 garb is admittedly simple, not veering too far from Robin designs of the past. But that helps to make it work.
By contrast, Damian’s DC Rebirth attire, also aesthetically pleasing, aims to differentiate him from his predecessors. The Rebirth suit incorporates design choices harkening back to Damian’s League of Assassins roots. Both fit him well, but the New 52’s standard uniform edges out the win.
7 NEEDED A REBIRTH: DONNA TROY
When she herself isn’t taking up the mantle of Wonder Woman, Donna Troy’s suit often distances itself from the Wonder Woman garb of the time. Yet, the suits manage to accomplish this while also paying homage to design choices typically associated with the better known Amazon. The New 52 version of Donna Troy dons a suit that appears to be overly influenced by Wonder Woman. It’s also ornately designed.
Thankfully, Donna Troy in DC Rebirth bears a look that’s far simpler. Large white stars flow down the side of her plain black suit. This design is particularly special as it’s somewhat reminiscent of Donna’s return in the mid-'00s.
6 NEW 52: BATGIRL
Throughout her nearly 60 years of existence in comics, Batgirl has consistently had amazing costumes. Of course, some are better than others, especially in hindsight. While both the New 52 and DC Rebirth continuities continue Batgirl’s trend of stylish suits, her original New 52 design does stand out more. It is a rather simple look, honestly, with no special bells and whistles.
The original New 52 suit’s primary colors of black and gold perfectly compliment one another. Purple lining for the underside of Batgirl’s cape tops it off. However, the DC Rebirth outfit she dons is almost equally as incredible. Choosing between the two is no easy task. Yet, the look that debuted in 2011 pops in a special kind of way.
5 NEEDED A REBIRTH: ARSENAL
As far as the costume is concerned, not too much changes for Arsenal with the transition from the New 52 into DC Rebirth. However, upon closer inspection, there does exist a few key and notable differences. First, the torso design for Arsenal’s New 52 garb has large arrows flowing across the side. The most notable of differences are apparent on his face. New 52 Arsenal wears his cap facing forward with a domino mask disguising his eyes.
Meanwhile, the DC Rebirth iteration of his suit seems a darker red and heavily incorporates the color black. Additionally, he wears his cap backwards and has a pair of red sunglasses. Both versions of the suit are incredible in their own right. Yet, Rebirth’s Arsenal is, arguably, more aesthetically pleasing.
4 NEW 52: HUNTRESS
Huntress’ costumes never cease to impress. They’re typically simple in design. However, her outfits offer so much visually thanks to the color scheme of purple, white, and black. Between the New 52 iteration of Huntress’ suit and that of the DC Rebirth, much changes. The earlier of the two continuities has her donning an all-black suit with white down the middle and purple armor pieces. To mask her visage, Huntress wears her traditional domino mask.
In DC Rebirth, both white and purple are far more dominant. The domino mask Huntress dons is smaller than before and a hood covers her head. Each of the two designs have their own special flavor. But the New 52 suit warrants the most attention for harkening back to her classic garb.
3 NEEDED A REBIRTH: STARFIRE
Unfortunately, Starfire’s appearance has been mired in controversy for years. While disrespectful folks online target their ire towards her impending debut on Titans, Starfire fans were rallying for DC to dress her in more appropriate attire during much of the New 52 era. For the better part of four years, she wore an almost indescribable and scantily clad outfit that belonged nowhere near a fight against aliens, monsters, and the universe’s worst criminals. The DC You initiative in 2015 gave her somewhat more suitable combat wear.
Thankfully, her DC Rebirth costume is a far less troublesome affair. Overall, the suit’s design is awesome, especially since there’s much more of the suit this time around.
2 NEW 52: BLUE BEETLE
Jaime Reyes’ New 52 Blue Beetle costume resembles his suit from his pre-Flashpoint days, where he first appears in the fifth issue of Infinite Crisis. The New 52 look remains a favorite amongst friends, especially since it’s so well translated in the Young Justice animated series.
Blue Beetle’s Rebirth suit looks similar to those before it. However, there’s a difference in the design pattern. There’s slightly more black in the blue and black pattern than before. The design on his chest also changes; so, too, does the one on his mask. Strange as it is, the look of his Rebirth mask is more beetle-like than before. It’s still a great design in general -- however, his New 52 garb is more striking.
1 NEEDED A REBIRTH: BIZARRO
New 52’s continuity is home to more than one Bizarro Superman character. For the purposes of this list, Subject B-0 acts as the key frame of reference. As Lex Luthor’s second attempt at replicating Superman’s powers into another life form, Subject B-0’s appearance unsurprisingly mimics Superman’s. However, instead of a full on super suit, this Bizarro dons a T-shirt with a mirrored “S” sigil, jeans and a cape.
DC Rebirth’s version of the character is another Superman clone. After escaping captivity, he fights crime alongside the likes of Red Hood and the Outlaws. Rebirth Bizarro wears traditional Bizarro garb, which, of course, bears resemblance to Superman’s suit. This look undoubtedly best suits the character.