The Wolverine Wolverine's costume: Classic comic, Singer style and Kabuki masks

[eon001]

I've always hated Wolverines costume in the comics. For a guy as no nonsense as Wolverine, I always thought that it was too fancy. The shoulder pads, the boots with weird collar things, and the dominant yellow? Nothing says low key stealthy killer better than bright lemon yellow lol. Just didn't make sense to me.

BUT with the current success of comic book accurate Deadpool, and the great look of the faithful Avengers designs, I've found that it's triggered some nostalgia buttons and I'm very keen to see some kind of classic variation on screen. But how could they do it in a way that made sense and didn't look goofy?

I found this photo shop of the DOFP design and it looks awesome.

But I did find myself asking, How do you explain the face mask? It's a bit over the top. Then I started to think about the flamboyant designs of Kabuki masks.

Wolverine already has a history with Japanese culture. I think if they explain his mask as some kind of tribute to a Japanese spirit it would look and feel less silly to non fans and die hards alike.

Hopefully we'll see some classic variation. "Yellow spandex" would never work, but I think there's a middle ground that can please everyone.

 

[2kt09]

I'm of the same wavelength on the OG Wolverine suit. Retool the character to have a luchador background.
I'd also add that for a character whose mugshot is as iconic as, practically even more so than his mask, I see no inherent reason for him to don one.

If I had to keep the mask, I'd make certain the "horns" or "ears" on the sides are as short as can be like with his look in Astonishing X-Men.
Speaking of, that's a suitable yellow & blue update if they consider adapting those colors.

The other option would be his current black and yellow get-up which has just the right amount of color in just the right places

and retains a Samurai aesthetic.

The other alternatives would be to mute the yellow

Spoiler

or make it mostly black with yellow highlights.

Spoiler

The best we could have realistically gotten were the more X-Force geared militaristic garb of DOFP concept art.

 

[X-Maniac]

The original comic book costume with yellow sorta worked because it's the colourful comics and because it was like a tiger with the black stripes on the side, so it gave the feel of a deadly predator.

In a movie, yellow would not work unless kept very muted and minimal. A dark yellow or tiger-like orange maybe? Some of the DoFP concept art with yellow segments was pretty good.

As for the mask, it might need to be some sort of symbolic/theatrical thing in the grounded world that has been established so far. A Japanese mask would be one way of doing it. Having said that, the photoshop image above of the DoFP costume with the mask added is really, really good!

 

[2kt09]

The original comic book costume with yellow sorta worked because it's the colourful comics and because it was like a tiger with the black stripes on the side, so it gave the feel of a deadly predator.

Lol, even you have doubts. I just now realized those artists barely knew how to design a wolverine. His brown and yellow/orange makes WAY more sense than tiger stripes + random blue parts. Whatever stripes he adds at this point should be to align with his 6 claws. Any more than that and he's the wrong predator, especially given he's short just like how wolverines are small critters (a type of weasel to be exact).

 

[X-Maniac]

Lol, even you have doubts. I just now realized those artists barely knew how to design a wolverine. His brown and yellow/orange makes WAY more sense than tiger stripes + random blue parts. Whatever stripes he adds at this point should be to align with his 6 claws. Any more than that and he's the wrong predator, especially given he's short just like how wolverines are small critters (a type of weasel to be exact).

I do have my doubts, yes... over the original comic book costume and how best to adapt it.

I was just thinking... A set of motorcycle leathers might be one answer to bringing in something more colourful. Racing leathers worn on sports bikes are often quite colourful, so that would allow a yellow/blue/black mix to be more feasible.

 

[The Infernal]

Not entirely sure how best to adapt it (I have my ideas), but I just want to see Wolverine in his costume. The movies so far just havewn't cut it when it comes to costumes for the most part.

 

[psylockolussus]

I want the DOFP costume back!

 

[The Infernal]

I'm sure we can do better than that at least. Just use a working model of the extended edition of The Wolverine's costume that was in the box at the end. Mangold said he didn't include that in the theatrical release because he didn't Santo lump someone else with it, but since he's still currently attached to it I'd like to see him use it.