Ricky’s Custom Costumes Superman Returns Suit Review
Kal-El Fan asked what Ricky’s new cape was like and I promised I’d get back to him when mine arrived. Then Dave Kocher wanted to someone to “hit him up” with some advice on where to get a top quality Superman costume. I recommended Ricky’s Custom Costumes but couldn’t vouch for the quality of his work, as my costume hadn’t arrived. It has now and now I can…
It’s awesome.
Bodysuit and briefs
The milliskin material is perfect, it looks and feels like some kind of alien space suit, which is the effect they were going for in the movie and the same material they used. I went for the diamond pattern print, which gives the suit its texture and is a must for anyone wanting movie accuracy. The only slight downside is there are a few small streaks on the suit, which I assume is where the material creased slightly during the printing process. While these prevent the suit from being 100% perfect, these things happen and it doesn't make the costume any less impressive. Otherwise the suit fits perfectly and is extremely well made, I’ve made no adjustments and I’ve no concerns about durability. Additionally I had a few bespoke requirements that altered slightly from the standard body suit, which Ricky was happy to do and at no extra cost.
‘S’ Sheild
I have to say this is the best part of the outfit, a Superman suit can live or die by its shield and this doesn’t disappoint. The quality is excellent, to the point where I can’t imagine it being any better. The size, shape and relief are all movie accurate and it’s easily the best shield I’ve seen. It has all the tiny ‘s’s on it, which look sharp, well defined and of a high precision. It’s not quite as shiny as the one in the movie and I’ve even heard one buyer has used a gloss on his. Personally I’d advise against this, I actually prefer it as it is and why risk damaging your investment?
Cape
The costume took a little longer to arrive than originally anticipated but during that time Ricky appears to have changed his capes, so in a way I’ve benefited by this delay. When I ordered the suit, if I remember rightly, the cape was described as being like a ‘heavy duty flag’. Kal-El Fan, I’m not sure what cape you have but the one I received is made from high quality pleather, with a red lining. It looks and feels like real leather and was the item that shocked me most, it’s simply brilliant and makes for the perfect replica. It attaches easily, fits well and more importantly it looks like the one Brandon wore in the film.
Boots
I’d heard these were the weak point of the costume and the least movie accurate. In a way that’s correct, they aren’t an exact copy of the film’s boots but they certainly don’t let the costume down. They’re very well made, durable and are covered in the same pleather as the cape. In my opinion they still look excellent and when I showed my girlfriend, after describing the suit as “amazing”, the boots were the next thing she commented on saying they were “brilliant”. They’re very comfortable to wear, fit perfectly and the ‘S’ on each heel finishes them off nicely. I may stay on the lookout for something movie accurate, like a pair of motorcycle boots that I can spray burgandy but I have to say I’m in no rush to do this.
Belt
If I force myself to be critical, in a way this for me is the least movie accurate. It’s slightly wider than Brandon’s belt and the colour isn’t the same dirty yellow. The material also looks different from the film but this is all being very picky indeed. It still looks fantastic and when it’s on it really completes the costume. It’s strong, well made and fits perfectly. I love it. If I could wear it as a normal, every day belt I would. It’s also still the most movie accurate belt you’ll find for sale on the net.
Quality and Durability
There was one comment I’d read on these boards about the suit’s quality and durability and I’m happy to say these are totally unfounded. Whether or not production processes have improved or Streeter1981 got very unlucky/gave the wrong measurements, I can't say but I can confirm the quality is excellent. I’ve only had the costume for a few days, so I don’t know how it will hold up over time but I don’t foresee any problems. The sewing is precise and professional, nothing is cheaply done and no corners have been cut on the making of the costume.
Customer Service
This is another area where Ricky excels. My emails never went unanswered and he always replied quickly and with plenty of information. He obviously holds this with very high regard and never appeared to get p1ssed off, even when I emailed him for regular updates. As I briefly mentioned the suit took a little longer than 3 weeks to arrive but it was well worth the wait. The delivery date kept getting pushed back and a little doubt crept in. If anyone else is in that position and your suit hasn’t arrived, don’t worry it’s on its way, you will get it and when you do you’ll wonder why you were ever concerned.
Overall
The day the box arrives and you open it up, will be a day you’ll remember for the rest of your life. It may sound sad to some but as a Superman fan, this was quite a moment. At first I thought they’d been a mistake and sent me the real costume. I promise you, that’s how good it looks.
I’ve never bought something like this before or spent such a large sum buying long distance, so I don’t mind admitting that on occasion I was a little concerned. I dealt with Ricky entirely via email, where he took some throrough but basic measurements and then I waited and I waited some more. What if he gets something wrong? What if the suit doesn’t live up to expectation. What if it never turns up at all? Well anyone buying from him can relax. He’s a stand-up, honest guy who provides quality work and strives to provide customers with a quality service. I can’t recommend him highly enough and it's true, it really does look better than in the pictures.
It’s also worth mentioning that I didn’t buy my suit through eBay and I still received a perfect suit, that didn't take advantage of the fact that I wasn't buying through their system.
I hope that’s of help to some people and I’ll happily answer any questions you may have. I know a lot of the people on this thread have made their own suits and cast their own props and I have utmost respect for you. Unfortunately I don’t have the skills, knowledge or tools to build a replica Returns suit but fortunately for me someone else does.