Superheroes are not exactly known for their great sense of fashion. After all, these are people who run around in spandex onesies with face masks hiding their good looks. Some of the most notable superheroes are also famed for their fashion faux pas, like all those gun-toting vigilantes who think ammo belts with lots of pouches are a good look or the Hulk with his questionable life choice to go around shirtless in torn purple sweatpants.
Despite the abundance of garish costumes out there, Marvel had some amazing outfits on display in 2019. Here are the 10 best-dressed Marvel characters of the past year.
10 Professor X (House of X/Powers of X)
One does not usually associate Professor Charles Xavier with good fashion sense. The man is known for being the stuffy old leader of the X-Men who wears grandpa clothes. He also has too much on his plate to prioritize going the extra mile when it comes to his wardrobe.
Recently, Jonathan Hickman rebooted the X-Men franchise with House of X and Powers of X. In these books, Professor X walks about in form-fitting black catsuit that showcases his muscular physique, his head hidden by a sophisticated metallic mask that accentuates his jawline while hiding the rest of his face, giving him a sense of mystery.
9 Punisher (Punisher: Kill Crew)
The Punisher's usual outfit is a black T-shirt with a white skull on it, at times accessorized with either a black trench coat, helmet, or various pieces of protective armor. While black is good at hiding the bloodstains, the T-shirt is not exactly the peak of fashion, while the trench coat is a little "late-90s goth."
Well, Frank Castle finally found his new look. In the series Punisher: Kill Crew, Castle travels through the realms to avenge the children orphaned during the War of the Realms, all the while wearing a Viking Age steel helm as he smiles through the berserker rage of sweet, sweet vengeance.
8 Aero (Aero/New Agents of Atlas)
Aero is a fairly new character, appearing in War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas before getting her own English language series (this series is a translation of her first appearance in the 2018 Chinese comic Aero). This Shanghai-based superhero's real name is Lei Ling and she has the ability to control the movements of air.
Aero has a stunning but practical superhero costume. The one-piece bodysuit is sleek and appears to be insulated against the cold of high altitude, while the sleeves hook onto her thumbs so they won't roll back as she's flying through the skies. But what really makes this costume work is her cape, which appears to be made from the very air she's manipulating!
7 Sword Master (Sword Master/New Agents of Atlas)
Sword Master is the nom de guerre used by the Chinese martial artist superhero Lin Lie - a title he has more than earned. His father is an archaeologist who unearthed the sword, while Lin himself has used the blade while fighting alongside the New Agents of Atlas against the forces of Muspelheim that invaded Earth during the War of the Realms.
Sword Master's costume is clearly inspired by classic martial arts attire. His gloves and boots are functional for combat, but one can envision his shirt, pants, and the various leather and metal fittings on his clothes being part of the outfit worn by a wushu fighter in a historical action movie about China's past. Also, the scarf may or may not be functional, but it definitely looks cool whipping through the air as he fights.
6 Ironheart (Iron Heart)
A mech suit is a pretty dated piece of equipment. After all, Tony Stark was wearing one back in the Vietnam War. Of course, battle suits have gotten sleeker and better with time, but Riri Williams really stands out with her Ironheart armor, which is both practical and flashy.
There is a dire lack of pink in the world of robotic mech armors, but Riri manages to pull it off with accents of black, slate, and gold, looking fierce but non-threatening. Also, this form-fitting design adheres to her body, which is probably a whole lot more comfortable than wearing a one-size-fits-all metal suit.
5 Miles Morales (Miles Morales)
Miles Morales already had the coolest costume of any of Earth 616's Spider-Men (though to give credit where it's due, Silk also has a pretty neat costume). The red over the black suit just pops off the page.
However, the reason Miles is on this list and other heroes aren't has everything to do with the new clothes he's wearing in his civilian life. In the recent Miles Morales: Spider-Man series by Saladin Ahmed and Javier Garron, Miles continues to look amazing issue after issue, wearing a variety of sleek jackets as part of his new image. It's nice to see him having developed his own sense of style after all these years.
4 Nico Minoru (Runaways)
Nico Minoru has rocked the goth look since she first debuted in the original Runaways series back in 2003. Of course, goths were far more abundant back then. That's what makes it so impressive that she can continue to wear this iconic look and make it work for her in the current ongoing Runaways title.
The fishnet stockings and not-quite-knee-high boots she dons will never go out of style, but Nico's new haircut and her black dress with its inverted pentacle combine to show that while she still loves the goth scene, she's also matured and found a way to make it work for her as an adult.
3 Gertrude Yorkes (Runaways)
In many ways, Gertrude could not be more different from her teammate Nico. The daughter of time travelers, she was an awkward teenager who relied on her pet dinosaur as a support animal.
Modern-day Gertrude is honoring her time traveling origin while living in the present with her awesome steampunk threads. Her double-breasted jacket's frilly flare at the base and the delightfully unnecessary amount of buttons on her pants look like something a Victorian adventurer would wear to a modern dance club. Also, those curve-tipped glasses are a great expression of fun quirky personality.
2 Amadeus Cho (Agents of Atlas)
Amadeus Cho is one of the smartest people in the world. He's also a Hulk (though he prefers to go by the title of Brawn). A member of the Champions, he joined up with the New Agents of Atlas during the War of the Realms, eventually coming to lead the team.
Cho's outfit looks like a cross between a suit of battle armor and the sort of sportswear athletes were to show off their muscles. Well, this outfit definitely lets him show off, while its complex color scheme catches the eye.
1 Emma Frost (Marauders)
Emma Frost is best known for being the White Queen of the Hellfire Club and one of the most powerful psychics among the X-Men. She has always possessed a stunning sense of style, usually taking inspiration from dominatrix fetish attire.
Emma's new look Emma in the Marauders series seems to combine a David Bowie glam aesthetic with a fierce femme attitude that radiates wealth and power. Of course, she is still rocking all white as part of her signature look. The White Queen has reclaimed her role as Queen of Fashion among the X-Men.