As superhero movies continue to dominate the world of cinema, fans are starting to take a closer look at how franchises like the MCU and the DCEU design costumes for their characters. A lot of viewers have taken to the internet to share their opinions on suits they feel are over the top and too complex, sparking a major discourse over what makes a good super suit.

There are strengths and weaknesses to both comic accurate and redesigned suits, but which one is best when it comes to making movies? Here’s how the suits stack up in terms of practicality, hero individuality, and context of the fictional universe they were created in.

RELATED: She-Hulk Reiterates The MCU's Shift In Approach Towards Villains

Practicality

practicality

A majority of Marvel’s comic book suits weren’t very practical when it came to fighting crime. A hero needs to wear something that keeps them physically protected, while also enhancing whatever powers or special abilities they have.

Take Wanda and Vision, for example, who donned their comic-accurate suits in episode 6 of WandaVision. If the Scarlet Witch had worn nothing but pink pantyhose and a red leotard when fighting Thanos during the Infinity Saga, that likely would’ve raised some eyebrows for fans and other characters alike.

The same can be said of Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger. Cap’s original comic book suit is extremely reminiscent of the one he wore while performing in his musical around the country, but it wouldn’t have protected him on the front lines or against an alien army. The MCU made his combat suit more practical by creating something with less spandex and more tactical functionality.

Seeing comic-accurate suits on the big screen is definitely enjoyable for fans, and is a fun Easter egg for avid comic book readers. However, it’s hard to deny that the over-designed suits of the films are much better for battle. Copying outfits directly from the comics works well when the heroes wear them as costumes, but isn’t practical for any other use. Not all redesigns are done for the better, though, as seen with Harley Quinn in the 2016 Suicide Squad movie. Her outfit wasn’t practical, nor did it call back to the red and black color scheme she typically wore in the comics.

Individuality

hero individuality

All that being said, a lot of Marvel’s heroes are starting to look the same. Every character had a rather distinct look in the first Avengers film, when they were just starting to embrace a life of heroism. Now that the franchise continues to progress, there’s a major overlap between suit designs, even when characters come from completely different worlds.

The DCEU doesn't seem to have this problem as much, and most of their live-action suits still bear a striking resemblance to the looks that the characters had in the comics. Even when multiple heroes stand together, like in Justice League, there’s still a clear distinction between aesthetics, and every costume looks different. The lack of homogeneity in character appearances makes it abundantly clear that each hero comes from a different background, has a different set of strengths, and keeps everyone on screen from looking too similar. Sticking closer to the comic-accurate designs helps in this regard, as each character's original look was designed to reflect them as an individual.

Context

context

A component of costume design that’s often overlooked is the context in which it was made. Over time, the heroes’ suits have begun to evolve, just as the heroes themselves have grown, changed, and experienced both wins and losses while saving the world. It’s reasonable to assume that they keep changing their looks to give them more advantages on the battlefield and patch-up areas that were weaker than others. So, the continuous upgrading of superhero suits seems only natural as the heroes learn what they need to do to keep themselves safe and continue to face threats that become more severe.

For the MCU in particular, the relationships between characters can play a huge factor in determining what a super suit looks like. There were a lot of complaints about Peter’s Iron Spider suit, but his relationship with Iron Man contextualized the outfit’s appearance. Tony Stark was nothing if not over-the-top and at times a bit tacky, so his costume design philosophy is bound to be the same. Tony built the suit for Peter, so it’s supposed to be reflective of both their styles. The advanced technology and unusual color palette is all Tony, while the more traditional Spider-Man features encapsulate Peter’s hero identity. Plus, the nanotechnology saved Peter’s life from Doc Ock and helped him cure the scientist in No Way Home, which also gives the suit a more functional purpose in terms of actual plot.

The DCEU tends to keep their focus on comic books, balancing comic accuracy and modern redesign. So, the relationships between characters in their movies don’t typically influence how a hero looks. DC’s characters are meant to appear almost exactly the way they did when they were first drawn out in the comics, with little influence from outside factors.

Overall, though, costume design doesn’t take away from the storylines of either franchise. Suit style mainly comes down to a matter of personal preference. Based on audience reactions, it seems that neither the strictly comic accurate nor over designed suits are superior, and a combination of the two is what fans like to see best. If these superhero franchises keep working towards finding a happy medium between the two fashions, a majority of fans should be happy with the result.

MORE: Comic Book Characters Who Got Their Powers From The Weirdest Sources