Who's your favorite Marvel character? Is it Wolverine because of his savagery and his ability to survive almost anything? What about Ghost Rider due to his supernatural nature and his intimidating flaming skull and motorcycle? Perhaps you're in awe of the planet-eating Galactus, or you cower in fear at the unstoppable power of the Juggernaut? What if you wanted to cosplay as some of these characters? The very thought of dressing up as Juggernaut or Galactus doesn't even seem possible. Where would you start? Cosplay is about creativity and finding new takes on favorite characters, but is it possible to cosplay any character, even the ones that are supernatural or cosmic in nature?
Have we got the list for you! We have 25 of the most amazingly creative cosplayers that will have you smile at just how clever these costumes are. These guys don't have the money or resource of Disney and Marvel, but they certainly do have creativity and boldness on their side. Not as muscular as the Hulk? No problem! Your body isn't made out of sand? No problem! Missing metal arms? No problem! Come check out 25 weird Marvel cosplay costumes (that put the originals to shame)!
25 GHOST RIDER
There have been various versions of Ghost Rider over the years. One version of Ghost Rider appeared around 1,000,000 BC and rode a wooly mammoth. Another version rode a motorcycle, and yet another incarnation drove a 1969 Dodge Charger. All versions of the demon feature the character with a horrific flaming skull and the Penance Stare, a fiery glare that makes someone have to relive the pain of their victims.
Behold the car-driving version of the Ghost Rider, Robby Reyes, complete with "metal" head and paper fire coming out of his mouth! This costume by CeramicHearted is genius, tapping into Ghost Rider's scary persona in a fun, accessible way. We may be scared to approach the Ghost Rider, but this guy we want to be hanging out with every Halloween!
24 ULYSSES KLAUE
Ulysses Klaue appeared in Avengers: Age of Ultron as well as Black Panther. In the Avengers sequel, he lost his arm thanks to Ultron and although we don't see him as a living sound creature like we do in the comics, in Black Panther he gets a prosthetic arm that comes equipped with a Wakandan sonic weapon. It's quite formidable and it conveniently hides in his prosthesis when walking around.
In this cosplay by blackzerocosplay, we see him not only looking like Klaue but also rocking his sonic weapon as well. It's cleverly done and placement of black material looks like his mechanical hand has split open to reveal the weapon, just like in the movie. We also wonder if his Soundcloud account is as legit as the one that Klaue wanted to share with Agent Ross in the movie.
23 X-FORCE
X-Force started out as the New Mutants rebranded with Cable as their leader. Eventually it became a black-ops team created by Cyclops that used lethal force to put down threats against mutants. The team wore black and gray versions of their iconic outfits. Cyclops disbanded the team, but Wolverine, Archangel, Fantomex, Psylocke and Deadpool formed a new X-Force without Scott's knowledge. Eventually Cable came back and joined the team.
Behold the new X-Force! We're impressed at the X-Force version of Wolverine, and even Archangel in the background seems to be rocking a blue face and metallic wings. Cyclops looks like he's rather be in a Wes Anderson film, and instead of the Beast, an adult version of Stitch joined the group! No wonder Psylocke is looking in the other direction! The photo can be found on the DeviantArt account for the man that is Cyclops in this photo: starwind824.
22 GALACTUS
If you see Galactus coming, don't bother running anywhere because it will do you no good. He's here to eat your planet and there's not a whole lot you can do about it. He has an insatiable hunger that can only be satisfied by consuming the energy of a planet, and the giant purple man that stands at around 30' weighing approximately 18 tons is infused with the Power Cosmic, a source of energy that makes him able to fight The Fantastic Four, Celestials and Thanos.
Here we get a gender swap cosplay, featuring Ichi Cosplay. Check out her wonderful take on the giant Galactus headpiece. We hope it's not as heavy as it looks! She's got the purple outfit down as well, with a decidedly pinker twist that we just love!
21 DOCTOR OCTOPUS
Spider-Man 2 premiered in theatres back in 2004 with Tobey Maguire playing Spider-Man and Alfred Molina playing Otto Octavius, the man who would eventually become the evil Doctor Octopus. It's not due to his love of seafood, but because four mechanical arms were grafted onto him after a freak accident. The tentacles were 13 feet long and each weighed about 60 pounds altogether.
Here we see cosplayer RetroTrooper giving us quite the Alfred Molina expression. In Sam Raimi's sequel, it took four puppeteers per arm to get the movements right, so how is she doing this all by her lonesome self? She even has the ominous red light emanating from inside each of the claws. We wonder how much those arms weighed when mounted on her back!
20 WOLVERINE-BOT
Wolverine is one of the deadliest mutants to ever walk the Earth. He's been a member of various X-Men teams, the Avengers, even the Fantastic Four at one point. Mikehemmig gives us a version of Logan that was a member of... the GoBots? Given how blocky his is, perhaps this is a version of Wolverine that could be featured in Minecraft?
How big is this sucker? It looks gigantic! (Why does there always seem to be a direct correlation between an outfit's coolness and how uncomfortable it can be?) Perhaps in an alternate universe, Wolverine was not only a mutant but also a part of the Playmobil toy line? Or maybe in between gigs he was part of DJ Lance Rock's toy collection from Yo Gabba Gabba? Either way this cosplay gets mad points for giving us a Wolverine that we may never see in the comics or on the big screen!
19 FORBUSH MAN
Thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in which most of the movies involve a sub-plot with the Infinity Stones, fans will be introduced to Thanos and his Infinity Gauntlet. However, how many true die hard Marvel fans know about Irving Forbush, known by none as Forbush Man? Instead of a mask, Forbush Man rocked a cast-iron pot with eye slots cut out, and red long johns with the yellow letter F stitched onto the front.
High five to mikehemmig for not only showcasing an awesome depiction of such an obscure superhero, but also a hilarious version of the Infinity Gauntlet, which consists of the Infinity Stones affixed to a yellow cooking mitt. Forbush Man's only power was his "Forbush-vision" the ability to cast realistic illusions into people's minds. With the Infinity Gauntlet, is he more intimidating? Absolutely not.
18 WORLD WAR HULK
In interviews, Mark Ruffalo stated that fans may not be seeing a solo Hulk movie anytime soon due to complex legalities. However, in Thor: Ragnarok, we did see Hulk return, as well along with elements from the Planet Hulk storyline. Fans were thrilled at watching to see who the strongest Avenger was, with Thor and Hulk fighting in a combat ring designed by The Grandmaster.
In this cosplay by veloria.solo.cosplay, we see a profile shot of the gladiatorial armor that was worn by Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok. The armor was purely for show because we doubt the Hulk is worried about being injured, but his giant axe was something to avoid. The armor, weapons and look that Hulk was sporting all garnered extra applause from viewers, and right now we're applauding this amazing cosplay!
17 JUGGERNAUT
Once the Juggernaut is in motion, he simply cannot be stopped. This was due at one point to the Juggernaut being in possession of the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak. If Cyttorak sounds familiar, it's because that's the same extra-dimensional entity that Dr. Strange evokes from time to time. The Juggernaut is Flint Marko, the half brother of Professor Charles Xavier.
If you're going to cosplay the Juggernaut you have to go super big or go home. Cosplayer dagonstrom went the big route, and you can see his face inside that giant costume he created that looks about the size of the Hulkbuster armor. If you have the option of working out or wearing a buff costume, we would also go the giant muscular costume route every time!
16 VENOM (GRUMPY CAT)
The character of Venom was played by Topher Grace in the 2007 film Spider-Man 3. Eleven years later the character is getting his own solo film starring Mad Max: Fury Road's Tom Hardy. Topher Grace was not a well-received choice and fan reaction was mixed when it was announced that the actor that played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises was going to play Eddie Brock. Who would make a better choice? How about Grumpy Cat?
Does this count as Cosplay? Is there a legit cat under there? Perhaps we should ask symbiote-x. We appreciate its handler's web-like tattoo all over his right hand and arm, but could this be the best and most sinister of combinations: a venom symbiote on the most non-plussed of all animals? Seriously though, is there a real animal underneath all that?
15 CABLE
Decimation was an event in Marvel Comics in which the Scarlet Witch made the majority of the world's mutants lose their powers (except for 198 of them). When a child named Hope was born, the time-traveling mutant Cable said that she would eventually become a savior for both humans and mutants alike. Knowing the dangers that surrounded her, Cyclops had Cable take Hope to the future where Cable could better protect her.
In this gender swap cosplay, we see nicolemjean in a sweet Cable outfit, complete with a little mutant baby bjorn carrier. The details are (dare we say it) uncanny, with even the baby being a redhead to match Hope. She looks determined to protect that baby, and she'll do it either with her metal arm or with her giant gun!
14 CYCLOPS WITH PHOENIX FORCE
Avengers vs. X-Men was a crossover event in 2012 that featured the return of the Phoenix Force. With the Phoenix returning to Earth, the Avengers and X-Men had a disagreement over what action to take, resulting in both teams coming to blows. The attempt by the Avengers failed to destroy the Phoenix Force but did succeed in splitting it up into several pieces, resulting in multiple hosts. Cyclops, Namor, Colossus, Emma Frost and Magik became the Phoenix Five.
Here we see (in this cosplay by JonathanDuran) Scott Summers as the host of one-fifth of the Phoenix Force. His costume has changed to feature a red phoenix symbol emblazoned across his chest. His visor also has a gold beak-like quality to it, but we can tell he truly possesses the Phoenix Force due to the fact that he's holding the broken remains of Captain America's shield. Only the destructive force of the Phoenix could achieve that!
13 VOLSTAGG
In Thor: Ragnarok, the Warriors Three, consisting of Hogun, Volstagg, and Fandral, meet a very quick death at the hands of Hela. However, in the comic books, Volstagg not only lives (though at the time of this writing, he's in a vegetative state), he also gets a chance to be Thor. Dubbed War Thor, Volstagg picked up the Mjolnir once owned by Ultimate Thor and transformed himself into a Thor-like character. It drives him a bit mad but eventually he gains his sanity back when he ditches the weapon.
Here we see cosplayer sirnacosplay showing off their understanding of Volstagg. The warrior may have been buff back in the day but he's past his prime with a big round belly and a giant bushy beard. Although it would be more accurate to see him with a plate of food than an axe, it's the exaggerated big stomach and copious facial hair that makes this cosplay so much fun.
12 BUCKY
James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes started out as a sidekick to Captain America during World War II but then evolved into so much more. Bucky died in the same plane crash that resulted in Captain America falling into icy waters and into a state of suspended animation. Death is rarely a permanent thing in comics, because in later years we would see both the return of Captain America and Bucky Barnes, but Barnes would become the Russian assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
Instead of a cosplay focusing on the Winter Soldier, we see cosplayer RocketDerek in his World War II outfit. The color scheme is spot on and we love the healthy amount of buttons that his outfit has. There's even Captain America in the background rooting his former partner on!
11 DEADPOOL
Deadpool is a hilarious character because he doesn't take himself seriously. He also doesn't take the world he's in seriously and we mean that literally. Deadpool is notorious for breaking the fourth wall, acknowledging that he's in a comic book and doing impossible things such as being a Herald of Galactus, picking up Thor's hammer and killing everyone in the Marvel Universe, to name a few feats.
Here cosplayer digitallee does the impossible: we see Deadpool crossing over to the Pokemon universe by becoming a weird hybrid of Deadpool mixed with Pikachu. What's more disturbing: the fact that Deadpool would make such an attempt or the fact that it looks really good and he should have done this a long time ago? Well played, Deadpool-achu!
10 FANTASTIC FOUR
The 2015 crossover series Secret Wars depicted all of reality being reshaped by Doctor Doom. Secret Wars #9 gave us Doom's defeat as well as the recreation of the Marvel Universe; however Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Molecule Man and others opted to stay behind to recreate the multiverse. In August 2018 The Fantastic Four will return to the comics in their own series and with any luck they will also join the Marvel Cinematic Universe sooner than later.
Here in this massive cosplay we're treated to some awesome Fantastic Four action. Once you're done admiring the details of the Thing's rocky orange skin, Mr. Fantastic's Ultimate Nullifier or Sue Storm's invisible shields, you'll notice in the background Mole Man, Silver Surfer and Galactus. Watching them in the distance is The Watcher! Don't think we don't see you back there, Uatu! Photograph at DeviantArt account Gomezvsrufio
9 SPIDER-MAN/VENOM
Peter Parker traded his red suit for a black and white one, starting with Secret Wars #8 in 1984 and Amazing Spider-Man #258. Parker found out the hard way that his costume was actually a living, breathing organism that didn't want to let go so easily. Knowing that the symbiote attached to him was vulnerable to sonics, he was able to rip it off of him while standing next to the ringing bells of Our Ladies of Saints church.
Cosplayer veloria.solo.cosplay does an amazing job of giving us that climactic moment. Here we see her ripping off the remains of the black symbiote costume and not only can we see the iconic red suit underneath it, we can see the costume's horrific teeth and long red tongue trying to hold onto her!
8 RACHEL SUMMERS
The X-Men represent the vision of Charles Xavier. His hope was that mutants could co-exist with humans with neither side fearing each other. Although there is great optimism in Professor X's mission, there are representations of the future that show Xavier's dream becoming a nightmare for mutants. In the Days of Future's Past comic series, we saw that mutants were forced into camps with mutants being hunted by Sentinels and a man named Ahab.
Ahab used Hounds (brainwashed mutants) to do his bidding. One Hound was Rachel Summers, the alternate reality daughter of Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Hounds had zebra-like markings on their face and red jumpsuits with spikes on them. Cosplayer thatdjspider wonderfully captures Rachel's outfit and short red hair. We may not see the Hounds, Ahab or Rachel on the big screen, so let's enjoy the cosplay here while we can!
7 VENOM
Being the wearer of the Venom symbiote certainly has its perks. It's an organic creature that has the ability to create webbing, change its appearance to resemble clothing, change its size and create weaponry. It can also increase your strength and speed. The downside is that once it bonds with you, it may never want to leave you, so that seems like a huge minus. Fortunately symbiote-x is only cosplaying and not bonded with the Venom symbiote.
We love people that commit to their cosplay roles, and we also love a good Venom cosplay. Seeing symbiote-x in action is awesome and they've got Venom's predator-like crouch going on. Since Venom moves around on its host like liquid, they have added to the costume protruding tendrils to give us a sense of the suit being a living, creepy organism!
6 SANDMAN
Sometimes he's been a villain, other times he's been a hero, but Flint Marko has always been dangerous due to his ability to turn into sand. He can counter attacks by turning into soft sand and letting them pass through him, or he can attack by shaping his body into rock hard weapons like a spike or a mace. Make sure to keep Sandman away from your smart phone or computer because that could immediately void your warranty.
Here we see a clever cosplay by michaelcass91. We see Marko's iconic green and black shirt, but his left arm has swelled up in size and is a giant sand hand. Perhaps he's borrowing some sand mass from a nearby beach to go fight Spider-Man. It's a clever take on the costume and we love it. High five! Oh, on second thought, never mind.