Cyclops stands in front of his team's X symbol in X-Men 97 character poster
Some of Marvel's most famous characters looked quite rough when they made their first appearance. Marvel has long been celebrated not only for creative storytelling and character development, but also for innovation in visual design.
Spider-Man’s iconic red-and-blue suit and Wolverine’s mask and claws alone are instantly recognizable and have endured decades of character evolution. But of course, even Marvel’s greatest creators occasionally miss the mark on their first try. Some heroes and villains have needed time and a few redesigns to reach their full visual potential. Fortunately, Marvel’s artists have proven time and again that a flawed concept can evolve into a masterpiece with the right subtle adjustments. Squirrel Girl Doreen Green's First Appearance Is Hilariously Terrifying Squirrel Girl’s debut in Marvel Super-Heroes #8 featured a design that felt more unsettling than Marvel may have intended. Doreen Green's oversized smile and strange eyeshadow gave her an uncanny, doll-like expression, while her flat gray costume and thin tail made her look more like a rat than a squirrel. Squirrel Girl's bright red belt also clashed with the rest of her rather plain clothes. Over time, Squirrel Girl's design was subtly upgraded to reflect her quirky and adorable nature. Doreen received a warm brown jacket with a fur trim, more natural tones, and a much larger, fluffier tail that made her look adorable instead of eerie. Simplified facial features, a more defined set of buckteeth, and a squirrel-ear headband completed the transformation. Squirrel Girl's modern redesign no longer needs any major update to capture the character's personality perfectly. The Mandarin Marvel's Original Mandarin Was Poorly Conceived In More Ways Than One The Mandarin’s original 1964 design in Tales of Suspense #50 reflects the outdated stereotypes of the era. Iron Man's evil archnemesis debuted with a simple set of plain green robes, a flimsy scaled purple helmet and a simple “M” on his chest. This outfit varied with an oversized green or purple cape and a purple mask. Combined with insensitive writing, the Mandarin's design made him a cultural caricature rather than a credible threat. Later reinterpretations gradually modernized the Mandarin into a far more imposing character. The Mandarin first replaced his helmet and cape with a more regal green-and-gold robe, then experimented with armor, and then ditched the outdated imagery altogether by wearing a suit and tie. Ultimately, the Mandarin's imposing presence became a direct result of his power instead of his clothes. Black Widow Natasha Romanoff's First Superhero Costume Is A Terrible Choice For A Spy Black Widow’s first costume was a visual disaster for a spy. Natasha Romanoff's blue-gray cape, angular mask, and full-body fishnets made her look more like a stage magician than a covert agent. While the design was fitting for a Silver Age comic heroines, it clashed with Natasha’s personality and background. There was nothing about it that conveyed stealth or her “Black Widow” namesake. Thankfully, Marvel quickly realized the mismatch and reinvented Black Widow's outfit into the now-iconic black jumpsuit, paired with fiery red hair. Black Widow's redesign captured the elegance and espionage inspirations her first suit missed. Simple gold accents, wrist stingers, and a sleek silhouette made Black Widow instantly recognizable. It’s no coincidence that this refined look has endured virtually unchanged for decades. Wonder Man Simon Williams' First Superhero Costume Is A Bunch Of Stuff Thrown Together Wonder Man’s original superhero costume looked like a random mix of elements. The sleeveless green shirt with mismatched shades, the red “W” on his chest, black trunks over green pants, and that awkward half-helmet with a red visor reflected a well-defined lack of direction. It was impossible to tell what Wonder Man was supposed to represent. Wonder Man's later costumes chose a specific style and stripped away the excess, especially the black tank top look and the 1980s outfit with the big red jacket and red sunglasses, which perfectly reflected Simon Williams' Hollywood star charisma. Even his pure-energy form feels more natural than his garish debut. Luke Cage Power Man's Original Appearance Is Iconic, But Still A Product Of Its Time Luke Cage’s original Power Man costume is certainly memorable, but it leaned heavily into the Blaxploitation tropes of the 1970s. The open yellow shirt, silver tiara, and chain belt represent an era when Black heroes were often designed through a white lens. Though Luke's classic look has nostalgic value, it also underscores how early comics struggled to balance cultural representation with respect and realism. Modern iterations of Luke Cage have wisely abandoned the flashy aesthetic for a simpler, more powerful image. Luke's signature yellow T-shirt or yellow shirt paired with jeans and a vest perfectly embody his no-nonsense attitude. Today’s Luke Cage is far more practical but not less authoritative. Rocket Raccoon Rocket Raccoon's Realistic Appearance Wasn't Quite There At The Beginning Rocket Raccoon’s earliest designs struggled to strike a balance between realism and personality. In Marvel Preview #7, Rocket looked too much like an ordinary raccoon with a limited range of expressions. By The Incredible Hulk #271, Rocket's proportions were wildly inconsistent; pudgy in most panels, but oddly lean on the cover. Later on, Rocket Raccoon's solo series gave him big humanoid legs and oversized blue eyes. Rocket Raccoon’s design evolved to a compact yet expressive design. His face became sharper and more animated, and his size remained proportionate next to other heroes. While every artist offers their own take on the furry outlaw, the Guardians of the Galaxy movies cemented Rocket Raccoon's MCU appearance as the definitive template for the comics. The X-Men The X-Men's First Uniforms Are The Least Creative Part Of Their Origin The X-Men's original costumes are far from ugly, but they don’t reflect the revolutionary concept the team represents. Their matching blue-and-yellow uniforms made Professor X's first X-Men look like any run-of-the-mill sci-fi team of the era, as their identical designs erased their individual personality. Even Beast was almost indistinguishable from Cyclops or Iceman in silhouette. It wasn’t until Giant-Size X-Men in 1975 that the X-Men’s visuals finally caught up to their relevance. Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Wolverine and the rest of the new lineup each had distinctive, personality-driven costumes that immediately conveyed individuality. From then on, unique X-Men designs became a staple of Marvel’s creativity.
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