Despite being a worn out phrase, “clothes make the man” holds some truth about presenting yourself to the outside world. It especially has some significance in the comic book world, as a superhero’s costume has to grab a reader’s attention and accurately express their character. However, whenever a hero hangs up his cape and cowl, there seems to be less attention paid to the casual clothes he wears. Juliet Kahn, a writer and cosplayer, addressed the issue of crappy superhero fashion brilliantly on her Tumblr. While Kahn suggested in her essay that she doesn’t need “every character looking like they steeped off a runway,” New York City artist Peter McNierney has essentially done that for his Marvel superhero prints.

Commissioned for Dolce & Gabbana’s Swide Magazine, McNierney has dressed Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, and Storm, in the finest clothing available from the fashion brand’s Spring/Summer 2013 Collections. While it’s obviously a promotional piece, McNierney fits each Marvel character with an apparel matching their style, color, and personality. For example, Spider-Man’s sleeveless shirt not only shows off his slim muscular physique, but the skin exposed highlights his duality of man and hero that plagues his personal life. Below are McNierney’s Marvel artwork for Swide Magazine.

While McNierney’s Marvel fashion statement won’t amend all the poor clothing designs found in today’s comics, it shows superheroes can make an impression beyond their iconic costumes.

 

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