A lot has happened across Marvel Comics in 2022, including several major crossover events featuring heroes and villains new and old alike. When it came to villain fashion, nostalgia and tradition ruled the pages, with many characters returning to versions of their most classic or iconic costumes. A few villains even graced the comic book pages with entirely new looks.
Another big trend in villain fashion this year was a return to street clothes. Kingpin ran New York City during the Devil’s Reign event while wearing a tailored suit. Doctor Octopus, while working with Kingpin, also chose to don more formal human attire in the form of a suit and tie. At the Hellfire Gala, a number of villains dressed to impress, with Doctor Doom’s brocade and fur look a particular stand-out. 2022 has been a year of both exciting new looks and comforting classics for Marvel’s villains.
10/10 Kraven Wore Beast’s Pelt On The Cover Of X-Force
One of the most shocking covers of the year was X-Force #31 with art by Joshua Cassara. On that cover, Kraven the Hunter was pictured wearing the skull and skin of Beast, the former X-Man. Kraven’s traditional costume consists of the pelts of animals he has hunted, but this cover was particularly shocking due to the fact that Kraven was wearing the skin of a person, as opposed to an animal.
Beast has become increasingly villainous recently, so readers shouldn’t be shocked to see him killed. Kraven has also hunted heroes previously, including Beast himself. To see Kraven wearing the skin of a well-known character and former hero, however, was particularly morbid, and a perfect illustration of his evil deeds.
9/10 Doctor Octopus Dressed To Impress The Kingpin
Doctor Octopus, or Doc Ock for short, is not exactly known for his awesome fashion sense. This traditional foe of Spider-Man has typically been portrayed in some form of green bodysuit, sometimes with a lab or trench coat added on top. Naturally, an evil scientist cares more about his experiments than his fashion choices.
During the Devil’s Reign event, Doc Ock began working with the Kingpin in order to stop all crime in New York. During that time, Doc Ock decided to adopt a more formal look, wearing a white suit, black shirt, and white tie. The look was complimentary to Kingpin’s style and a fashionable, if surprising, departure from the doctor’s normal style.
8/10 Moira MacTaggert Has Blood On Her Hands
Comic book villains who work as scientists tend to have a certain formula to their attire. A genius obsessed with their scientific experiments doesn’t have a lot of time to consider clothing choices, so these villains tend to wear something simple, often accented by a lab coat. Now that former X-Men ally Moira MacTaggert is scheming with the anti-Mutant Orchis organization, she has adopted a similar look.
During the Hellfire Gala, Moira sent Mary Jane Watson to the Gala as an unwilling spy. MJ may have been dressed to the nines, but Moira took a different approach. She has most recently been wearing a relatively plain bodysuit with sheer purple elements on top, covered by a lab coat to catch any unfortunate blood spatters.
7/10 U.S. Agent Played Both Sides While Looking Great
John Walker, or the U.S. Agent, skirts the line between hero and villain. During Devil’s Reign, he was in charge of the villainous Thunderbolts units patrolling the city. However, he was also feeding information to the good guys. This split was obvious when the character appeared in the Falcon and Winter Soldier MCU TV show.
Given his code name, it’s no surprise Walker’s costume features American flag-themed elements such as a block of red and white stripes. His look is inspired by, but more modern than that of Captain America. The clean lines of his costume design are pleasing to the eye, but also a bit cold and exact, reflecting the dichotomy in the wearer himself.
6/10 Jewel Seemed Like The Most Innocent Jessica Jones Variant
In the excellent series The Variants, different versions of Jessica Jones from across the multiverse appeared on Earth-616. One of those variants, called Jewel, appeared sporting pink hair and a sleeveless white jumpsuit beating a pink diamond logo. Initially, she seemed far more innocent than the normal, rebellious Jessica Jones.
By the end of the series, readers discovered a different side to Jewel. Her costume and hair color concealed her true motives. Though she ended up being a villain, it was interesting for readers to see what Jessica Jones might have looked like had she made some different choices in life.
5/10 Chasm Is A More Fashionable Clone of Spider-Man
Ben Reilly started 2022 as a hero. It’s been a rough ride since then. After becoming a corporate-sponsored hero, the Beyond Corporation started messing around in Ben’s head. Eventually, he lost so much of himself that he degenerated into the villainous character Chasm.
Chasm has one of the most interesting costumes of the year, with a look and color scheme unlike most of his peers. His suit bears the same general form as the usual Spider-suits, but the red and blue have transformed into swirling patterns of aqua and purple. Thanks to Chasm and Spider-Man, Ben was both one of the best dressed heroes and villains of the year.
4/10 Loki Has Countless Looks And They’re All Glorious
There’s no telling what gender or even species Loki will turn up as in Marvel Comics, or whether they will do good or evil, but they always show up in style. Most recently, a version of Loki has joined the Defenders on a mission to save the world, in the delightfully psychedelic series Defenders Beyond.
In this series, Loki appears as a young woman with one broken horn on her crown. Her scaled green tunic is covered by a green overcoat with fur and gold trim, and overlapping belts. She carries her staff for magical fights and tricks. The bottoms of her pants and coat are ragged though, indicating the difficult times she experienced before unexpectedly joining the Defenders.
3/10 Monolith Rules Planet Hulk With Style
Monolith is a new character in Marvel Comics, and it’s unclear whether she will be friend or foe to its heroes. She is the Queen of Planet Hulk, a planet that evolved as a result of gamma radiation experiments in another part of the multiverse. Bruce Banner is just beginning to unlock the secrets of the planet, but he may also be in grave danger.
Monolith’s fashion look perhaps implies that she may have a more villainous future ahead of her. Marvel tends to use the color purple more often for villains than heroes. The horns on her headdress also imply she may be a villain, as that imagery tends to be used more for villains. Her motivations may still be a mystery, but her costume is spectacular.
2/10 Dr. Stasis Led The Fight Against Mutants Behind A Mask
Mutants have never been the most popular people on Earth. A variety of anti-Mutant organizations have risen to power over the years, and currently the biggest threat is from the Orchis organization. This shadowy corporation has been working against the X-Men and Mutants of Krakoa, and its leader was the mysterious Doctor Stasis.
Doctor Stasis met his end while tangling with the X-Men and the mystery of his identity was revealed, but it only led to more questions. His costume seemed to echo this mystery by forming a shape similar to a question mark. His mirrored mask would cause his enemies to see themselves as they fought against him, perhaps leading to some amount of hesitation.
1/10 Mother Righteous Is A Mysterious And Fashionable New Figure
A mysterious red figure has been appearing to people and offering to make a deal with them. If that sounds familiar, it might be because fans are speculating that Mother Righteous has a connection to infamous demon Mephisto – another red-colored humanoid who loves making deals. Like many of the newest Marvel characters, it’s not completely clear yet whether Mother Righteous will be helping or hurting Earth’s mightiest heroes.
Regardless of her allegiances, Mother Righteous’ design is dramatic. The white color contrasts with her bright red skin, and her mask adds a touch of mystery. Her voluminous cape is lined with black brocade. Mother Righteous appears elegant and in control, with a hint of mischief up her sleeve.
