This week the face of the Mutant revolution Cyclops, who not too long ago played host to the phoenix ,started to dress very similarly to D.C's aerial avenger Nightwing.
Dick has been sporting the look longer but maybe Cyces' extra bit on the shoulders gives him the cool edge:
Nightwing vs Cyclops
Nightwing
He who wore it longest goes first.
The design for the costume was done by Brian Stelfleeze (I'm talking about the black and blue one) and debuted in 1995. In the comics it was Harold Allnut, Batman's old, pre New 52, mechanic (Has he been in the New 52 yet?) that Dick had to thank for his awesome new threads. This design is widely regarded as the best look for Dick and has endured with only slight changes in the New 52 and it's defining element is the V shape bird with the tail starting at the chest and then spreading out to both shoulders.
I should also mention that during the Hush story line Jim Lee cut off the blue strip that ran down both arms all the way down to the hand in favor of a V point that ended at the shoulder.
With the New 52 Jim Lee and Cully Hamner were in charge of the new costume creating an overall streamlined look with a jump from the cool blue to 'in you're face red' also less noticeable is the layering of material around the neck and forearms which made the outfit look durable or tougher.
All n all Fans have happily embraced the latest look and the color switch and I for one agree; it adds a bit of drama to the otherwise simple outfit.
Phoenix Cyclops
In issue #5 the Phoenix Force is broken by Tony Stark and in a hail mary dive it jumps into five of the X-Men, Scott included, who together become the Phoenix Five! Alas cause these lads and lassies weren't the intended hosts they all slowly fall into darkness culminating in Scott being the last one standing in a full on dark phoenix fury.
The design for all five was by the ever awesome Olivier Coipel who obviously took the opportunity to go ott.
With Scott it is quite a jump from the norm in terms of his usual look i.e the one piece spandex and visor (oh except for that punk look he sported after Apocalypse: The Twelve); instead ol' Slim wears black on red, the red is like armor or padding that goes from the chest to the shoulders in a phoenix shape. The red phoenix armor is layered at the shoulders, protruding out into pointy tips, and stretches up the sides of Scott's neck, added to this is is the fingerless ends to the black one piece and a big bright diamond shaped gold visor with the eye slit cut in a slight V shape. All the V's and edginess and red make for a bolder extravagant fearless leader and it makes sense when you think of how the Phoenix can project the most self indulgent aspects of it's host.
Verdict
The red phoenix on Scott's chest is way too much like Nightwing's to be ignored but the outfit worked for what was happening to the character at the time and is ticking all the right boxes for a cool superhero outfit. Dick's costume's success is it's simplicity; the image on his chest and shoulders is so well made while the rest of the costume is low key allowing the image to take precedence and pop becoming a symbol much like the Dark Knights own chest symbol. This success gives the outfit permanence and a lasting quality that outmatches all extravagance.
Just imagining that striking red appear out of the darkness of Bludhaven's night skies helps assure me of the victor.
Winner
Nightwing
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