Superheroes go through a lot while doing battle, and since many of them have been around for 50 years or more, costume changes are an inevitability. Most of the time smaller changes are made to costumes that acknowledge current styles or provide more protection for battle. Some, however, have made bigger changes that have been met with fan enthusiasm or have raised eyebrows.

Aquaman tugged on a new costume after the events in Crisis on Infinite Earth. When he returned for his self-titled Aquaman Vol. 2 series that began in February 1986, Aquaman started wearing a full body leotard designed with blue waves all over the costume. When the new costume debuted, with art by Craig Hamilton, it was recognized for its ability to give him some camouflage in the ocean.

Black Canary’s costume had a few tweaks that had a big impact in the late ’80s. She usually wears a skimpy outfit with a leather jacket, but in Action Weekly #627 (November 1988), she put on a high-cut bodysuit and a jacket with some large, pointy shoulder pads. Moving with the style of the times, the shoulder pads stayed with her costume through some redesigns into the early ’90s.

In Wonder Woman Vol. 2 #93 (January 1995), Diana traded in her red, white, and blue costume for a biker outfit designed by Mike Deodato Jr. Having been forced to relinquish her title and outfit to the Amazons, Diana started wearing a leather bra and biker shorts with a jacket. Like many costumes of the ’90s it was much more revealing, bucking the typical superhero outfits.

A new version of Wally named Walter West (also known as the Dark Flash) was introduced in The Flash Vol. 2 #150 (July 1999). Since this alternate universe version of the Flash was unable to save Linda from being killed, he was a moodier, darker hero. This costume reflects that with deeper shades of red, completed with a silver lightning bold across a shoulder and wrist gauntlets.