Since 2009, RuPaul's Drag Race has helped pave the way for queer performers and entertainers in mainstream culture (though the show itself truly picked up around the late 2010s). Hosted by RuPaul Charles and featuring a rotating line of judges alongside series mainstay Michele Visage, Drag Race has come a long way since its humble beginnings on Logo TV.
Contestants on the show are tasked with performing in various situations, including comedy sketches, overdramatic acting, impersonations, musicals, and lip-syncing extravaganzas. Each challenge, however, is complete with a runway theme—which would often save contestants from being placed in the bottom. There have been over hundreds of runways lewks that have walked the main stage of Drag Race, but these lewks in particular would most likely make it into comics canon.
10 Gottmik's "Black & White" Finale Lewk Would Steal More Than The Spotlight
Earlier in 2021, Gottmik made history as the first trans man to compete on Drag Race—using he/him pronouns out of drag and she/her pronouns while in drag. In addition to drag, Gottmik is a highly prolific makeup artist, having done makeup for celebrities like Lil Nas X, Paris Hilton, Adam Lambert, and Pabllo Vitor.
Having gone to fashion school, Gottmik's runways never missed. As part of the grand finale of Season 13—where Gottmik placed second/third runner-up—the top four of the season did one final runway show. The first category of the night was "black and white," with Gottmik's runway paying homage to Hellraiser. This lewk could easily be featured as a horror-esque villain, stealing souls just as easily as Gottmik steals the spotlight.
9 Acid Betty's "Neon Queen Realness" Is Equal Parts Alien & Glamor
Though some may only remember her for her iconic lipsync against Naomi Smalls, Acid Betty was also an extremely strong competitor. Up until she was eliminated, she delivered in every single challenge and runway. She easily could have won three challenges in a row if she wasn't up against such strong competition.
While some queens may have taken "neon queen realness" at face level and slapped some bright fabric on themselves, Acid took it to the next level. Wearing a painted prosthetic face and ears, she transformed herself into a visitor from outer space gracing the runway with her presence. She could easily be seen among the Skrull or Kree, transfixing others with her power and beauty.
8 Shea Coulee's "Love The Skin You're In" Lewk Exudes Beauty & Naturalism
Originally the favorite to win Season 9, Shea Coulee was eliminated in one of the most controversial lipsyncs of the series. Despite winning four challenges, she lost a surprise finale lip-sync to eventual winner Sasha Velour. She would later return to the show for All Stars 5, winning the crown and beating out her fellow competitors Jujubee and Miz Cracker.
Nearly all Shea's runways were strong, but her lewks stomping down the mainstage of All Stars 5 fully cemented her as a strong competitor and a rightfully deserving winner. In particular, her runway from the second episode of All Stars where she secured her first win of the season. Dripping with expensive taste, beauty, and experience, Shea looks like she'd fit right into a comic book where she controls the elements of nature.
7 Aja's "RuDemption Runway" Lewk Would Set Pages Ablaze
Perhaps one of the most high-energy performers to grace the stage of Drag Race, Aja LaBeija (then known as Aja Kween or simply Aja) became a fan-favorite for their lip-syncing abilities and their iconic read/rant against fellow contestant Valentina. When they returned for All Stars 3, it quickly became clear that they'd amped up their sense of fashion and style.
One of the most recurring runway themes of All Stars, the "RuDemption Runway," queens are tasked with redoing a look that didn't go over well on their previous season. For Aja, they redid their "Fairytale Princess Eleganza" runway. Exuding grace, class, and confidence, Aja would look right at home in a comic book setting casting fire spells or ruling over a kingdom.
6 Mayhem Miller's "Non-denominational Christmas Eleganza Extravaganza" Lewk Beautifully Horrifies
Despite winning the first challenge of Season 10, Mayhem Miller remains perhaps one of the most underrated Drag Race contestants of all time. Despite delivering in various challenges, she was rarely praised for her efforts, usually only being critiqued when she stumbled. Even during her run on All Stars 5, it seemed that the judges never fully appreciated her talent.
In addition to her appearances on Season 10 and All Stars 5, Mayhem was also featured in RuPaul's Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular. Though the special was nothing more than a large-scale product placement for RuPaul's Holiday Album, all the contestants brought their A-game. In perhaps one of the most unique looks of the night, she stunned the judges and viewers with a beautiful and horror-inspired Krampus look, complete with rhinestoned hooves.
5 Aquaria's "Mermaid Fantasy" Lewk Is Straight Out Of Atlantis
Even before Aquaria walked into the Werkroom, she made a name for herself as one of New York's youngest and prominent performers. A Club Kid, she worked alongside Amanda Lepore and Susanne Bartsch, eventually being featured in Vogue Italia years before she was cast on Drag Race.
Aquaria dominated every single runway category, and while it's rather hard to choose one that was the best, her Mermaid Fantasy lewk would definitely best translate to a superhero comic. Slick with oil, her character could feature political commentary on global warming and the dangers of pollution, she'd likely have a worse relationship with the surface world than other water-based heroes like Namor and Aquaman.
4 Jujubee's "All Star Eleganza" Lewk Emnates Power & Class To Rule Over All
Jujubee is a Drag Race veteran and is one of the few contestants to appear on more than one All Stars season. Originally hailing from Season 2, she later appeared as a contestant on All Stars 1 (which had the contestants form teams) before returning for All Stars 5, where she could have more of a fighting chance. Often singled out for her wit, lip-syncing abilities, and comedic timing, long-time fans of the show have also been able to watch her fashion truly come into its own.
Fully evolved by the conclusion of All Stars 5, it's no surprise that her finale lewk is among one of the most acclaimed runways to come out of the show. Combining her heritage, family, spirituality, and culture into one cohesive look is a fitting end to her Drag Race journey. It's not hard to picture her reclining on a throne in this outfit, brandishing her powers with just a simple flick of her wrist.
3 Courtney Act's "Animal Kingdom" Lewk Could Easily Soar Through The Sky
Often hailed as one of the show's best seasons, Season 6 of the boundary-breaking franchise had the cast to back it up. Featuring the likes of superstars Bianca Del Rio, Adore Delano, Courtney Act, Laganja Estranja, BenDelaCreme, Trinity K. Bonet and many more, its contestants are among the most popular drag queens in the world.
Courtney Act—also known for her time as a contestant on Australia Idol, for being a runner-up on Australia's Dancing With The Stars, and for her historic win on the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother—never really had a bad looking runway (or a bad looking day in her life). However, her Animal Kingdom runway is among the best and most iconic lewks in the franchise. Looking akin to the X-Man Angel, Act could easily be seen fighting alongside or against him in the sky.
2 Bimini Bon Boulash's "PreHERstoric" Lewk Transcends Into Omnipotence
Drag Race has expanded itself across the entire world in more recent years, with notable spin-off versions of the show being produced—such as Canada's Drag Race, Drag Race Down Under, Drag Race Thailand, and Drag Race UK. Hailing from the second series of the UK show, Bimini Bon Boulash made a name for themselves as their season's fashion queen and front runner.
Boulash's lewks often blurred the gender binary—an ideal that they feel is important to drag as an art form. Tasked with becoming something preHERstoric (prehistoric), their runway lewk emulated the very basis of life: bacteria. It would feel appropriate to see Boulash becoming an all-powerful being in comic book canon, erasing or creating life with a simple tilt of their head.
1 Chi Chi DeVayne's "Book Couture" Lewk Cements Her Legacy
Featured on the season most often accredited with fully thrusting Drag Race into mainstream culture, Chi Chi DeVayne was a contestant on Season 8 of the franchise—later returning as a competitor on All Stars 3. Having made it to the top 4 of her original season, Chi Chi entranced both the viewers and the judges with her lip-syncing abilities, creativeness, and her heart of gold.
In one of the final episodes of her season, she and her fellow queens were tasked with coming up with three distinctive lewks, with the Book Couture lewk being the final runway of the night. Chi Chi constructed her garment entirely out of paper and gave it more texture and shape than the majority of the other competitors. It's a lewk that could easily be seen gracing the covers of comics everywhere, featuring Chi Chi as an ice queen or sorceress.
Chi Chi, unfortunately, passed away in late 2020 after living with scleroderma, an autoimmune condition. It would only seem natural to continue her legacy by paying tribute to her artistry in whatever media possible, including comics.