Costumes! Discuss them Here!

[DeathRaven]

They look just fine to me, I actually really like the nite owl costume.


hhhhhmmmm yeah....

 

[The Shape]

I'm not gonna lie, I like what they've done with the costumes here. I can't really make any complaints. I actually think Nite Owl's redesign is pretty good and would definitely work better on screen than the comic version. The only picture that seems a little off is Ozy's. That suit itself is an interesting update, and I don't think it's bad, but it doesn't seem to fit the actor right.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Considering that Niteowl has a cape, I think he'll look awesome AND like a tool.
Let's just hope the movie is good.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I hated 300 so I'm no big fan of this directors but...the costumes look freakin awsome to me.

 

[Prefix]

This movie will be nothing like 300, the director made that very clear.

 

[Mercurius]

I actually think Nite Owl's redesign is pretty good and would definitely work better on screen than the comic version.

I have some trouble trying to understand what the above in bold means.

I'm pretty sure his outfit wasn't meant to work even in the book.

Nite Owl is not meant to be cool, fellas.

 

[CaptainGenerica]

I have some trouble trying to understand what the above in bold means.

I'm pretty sure his outfit wasn't meant to work even in the book.

Nite Owl is not meant to be cool, fellas.

I disagree. His costume, and all superhero costumes, are meant to be "cool". It's just that Moore puts another layer on that by pointing out that "cool" in the context of the superhero aesthetic can translate to "mental issues" in the real-world context. He uses this idea to make a statement about the psychological underpinnings of our beloved costumed-hero archetype, but it's not meant to poke fun at the costumes per se.

(As WalterKovacs above me said, he can look awesome and stupid at the same time )

 

[Mercurius]

I disagree. His costume, and all superhero costumes, are meant to be "cool". It's just that Moore puts another layer on that by pointing out that "cool" in the context of the superhero aesthetic can translate to "mental issues" in the real-world context. He uses this idea to make a statement about the psychological underpinnings of our beloved costumed-hero archetype, but it's not meant to poke fun at the costumes per se.

(As WalterKovacs above me said, he can look awesome and stupid at the same time )

I think, with all due respect to WalterKovacs our buddy , that "awsome" and "stupid" are mutually excluded by definition.

And I really think Nite Owl was conceived to look awkward, like a brainy fanboy who got himself to the task of joining together assembled pieces of "hero" features: goggles, a cape (a very peculiar one, mind you, not very functional), and the whole design reminiscent of Batman and stuff like that.

Dan is a bit childish, and that's what is charming about him. Oh, and, of course, his paunch, which is absent from the movie version, sadly.

Snyder should have been quite radical in keeping this distinctive and pathetic feature. But, you know, paunchy superheroes can put regular moviegoers off.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

But, you know, paunchy superheroes can put regular moviegoers off.

Ouch! Please don't say that.

 

[Mercurius]

Ouch! Please don't say that.

Ahehehe. t:

Not meant to offend thee. t:

 

[Superhobo]

Dan is a bit childish, and that's what is charming about him. Oh, and, of course, his paunch, which is absent from the movie version, sadly.

Snyder should have been quite radical in keeping this distinctive and pathetic feature. But, you know, paunchy superheroes can put regular moviegoers off.

No, the paunch is still there; they're just approaching it differently, due to the way they're doing the costume.

Look at the photo again - at Nite Owl's left side, and you'll get what I'm saying.

 

[Manic]

I have some trouble trying to understand what the above in bold means.

I'm pretty sure his outfit wasn't meant to work even in the book.

Nite Owl is not meant to be cool, fellas.

I thought Nite Owl's costume was the coolest in the book. He's the only hero I've seen with a "snow variant" for their costume, and it worked. And as I've said before, I thought the costumes in the Watchmen comic looked kinda "on par" for what superheroes were wearing during the Silver Age. I mean, does Nite Owl's costume really look worse than Blue Beetle's?

 

[Wolfman]

I don't see why people want Nite Owl to look "cool". Nor do I think that he does. He just looks more modern than he does in the book.

I dont want Nite Owl to look "cool" cool. I just think that if he's costume were closer to the original, it would be... cooler. I mean it would be better that way. This movie Nite Owl's costume is like the Superman returns costume of Superman costumes. Not good. But I guess you can't debate on taste.

 

[CLARKY]

I think the costumes are great! That's what I call an adaptation. With the exception of Ozymandias. He looks good, but I don't understand the rubber/nipples thing. They should have dressed him like he is in the comicbook : kind of antiquity king.

 

[The Shape]

I think, with all due respect to WalterKovacs our buddy , that "awsome" and "stupid" are mutually excluded by definition.

And I really think Nite Owl was conceived to look awkward, like a brainy fanboy who got himself to the task of joining together assembled pieces of "hero" features: goggles, a cape (a very peculiar one, mind you, not very functional), and the whole design reminiscent of Batman and stuff like that.

Dan is a bit childish, and that's what is charming about him. Oh, and, of course, his paunch, which is absent from the movie version, sadly.

Snyder should have been quite radical in keeping this distinctive and pathetic feature. But, you know, paunchy superheroes can put regular moviegoers off.

How can you judge from this one picture that he won't be childish, or that his characterization will be different?

The way I see it, if Dan were able to design and build all of the various gadgets and such that he's created, why wouldn't he make a suit that appears to be more functional, just like everything else he has? This new suit only seems more protective and functional, and I don't see that as much of a problem. He still looks like Nite Owl to me.

 

[Katsuro]

I think the costumes are great! That's what I call an adaptation. With the exception of Ozymandias. He looks good, but I don't understand the rubber/nipples thing. They should have dressed him like he is in the comicbook : kind of antiquity king.

The nipples are in homage to ancient Egyptian armor, which was typically modeled after the human chest, including nipples.

Shumacher had the same inspiration for his Batman movies. He didn't put nipples there just because, he has specifically cited ancient armor as his inspiration for that.

 

[Rust]

The nipples are in homage to ancient Egyptian armor, which was typically modeled after the human chest, including nipples.

That's what I was thinking, but I can't seem to find any nippled armor on Google. But I'm cool with the nipplery.
The armor still looks like rubber though and it's very simple, almost prototype-like in it's design. It should've had some carvings and patterns IMO.

 

[Mercurius]

How can you judge from this one picture that he won't be childish, or that his characterization will be different?

The way I see it, if Dan were able to design and build all of the various gadgets and such that he's created, why wouldn't he make a suit that appears to be more functional, just like everything else he has? This new suit only seems more protective and functional, and I don't see that as much of a problem. He still looks like Nite Owl to me.

Let's put the house in order: I'm not judging HOW he's gonna be developed like a character in the movie, cause I haven't watched it yet.

What I'm saying IS: his outfit, judging by the pic we have, made him a good deal less pathetic, visually wise, than his comic book version, and that I think he should be visually pathetic.

Not ridiculous, just pathetic, like one outdated and a bit sad and paunchy fellow.

It concerns just the pic. Not the movie.

 

[CLARKY]

The nipples are in homage to ancient Egyptian armor, which was typically modeled after the human chest, including nipples.
Shumacher had the same inspiration for his Batman movies. He didn't put nipples there just because, he has specifically cited ancient armor as his inspiration for that.

I don't remember having seen such a thing on Egyptian soldiers. Yet I have studied archeology (but not the egypt, maybe that's why).
Nevertheless, I find it pretty ridiculous. Ozymandias was perfect in the comics, I keep preferring his suit in the comicbook, like an antiquity king.

 

[Prefix]

It's actually a reference to the chestplates Alexander The Greats soldiers would have worn, not Egyptian armour. Ozymandias models himself after Alexander, so it works. The egyptian influence is shown by the hieroglyph on that skirt thingy.

 

[Jamie Madrox]

The costumes are rad! I especially love Nite Owl's and The Comedian's. Nite Owl's the most though. He's gonna look great in motion. They're all gonna look great in motion.

Thumbs up to the costume designers and makers.

 

[sad lieutenant]

http://blog.clayenos.com/

So, Snyder directs fans to this blog on the official Watchmen site.

Basically, those (such as myself) who felt dubious about the aesthetic at play in the official character promo shots can calm the fawk down: the color palette, faux grain, and "300" look are all the creation of the set photographer. It in now way reflects the "look" of the actual film.

I whipped up some noise and grunge brushes, smacked 'em around and voila, they had something in common visually. It's not a Zack Snyder conspiracy. It's not an insult to Dave Gibbons (who is a fantastic guy btw) and it's most certainly not what the movie is going to look like. They're still photos for goodness sake.

"Grunge brushes"? Is this guy fawktarded or what? Oh, well -- at least he's lucid, honest and forthcoming:

Anyway, it's fascinating to know that my photos are now floating around cyber-space as the only available images for people to critique. If I'd known they were going to get the play they are getting I might have given it more attention.... It's a movie they are making, not a photo essay. I for one am glad that the focus is on that and not on some photos simply intended to wet appetites.... Make pictures, nothing to see here.

Is this not a bit of a relief for everyone?

And in case this fellow is watching these boards: I apologize for my belligerence over your use of the word "grunge". The grungified photos drove us Watchmen devotees into hysterics. Not that they're bad, but we didn't want to see those photoshop effects flickering at 24 frames per second come next March. Also: I looked through the rest of your blog, and your portrait work is really, really good.

 

[michephantom]

I like these costumes, although the fact that I've never read Watchmen may make my opinion not as meaningful as all you die-hard fan boys. Actually, what got me interested in Watchmen was the promo picture for the Comedian. He just looked so awesome with that crazy smile of his.

There is one thing about Nite Owl that bothers me. There is a purple space between his codpiece and his legs. Because of the weird bulges in that area it almost looks like his balls are hanging out.

I also wish he didn't look so much like batman.

 

[The Guard]

Not purple. Shiny brown.

 

[MightyGuy]

The Comedian looks AMAZING - absolutely spot-on! I'm not as wild about Nite Owl, but I guess I can get used to it; I think I was expecting something a little more "old-fashioned" and out-of-date.