Where YOU Weigh In on the Pros and Cons of a Character's New Attire
FEATURING:
The High-Flying Angel
Many early readers of Marvel books met Warren Worthington III while he was a card-carrying member of the original X-Men, attending the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters with four other "students" whose extra-curricular activities included risking their lives in battle with everything from evil mutants to mutant-hunting Sentinels. United in purpose under the guidance of Charles Xavier, they were also united in uniform design, adapted to their powers accordingly.
But we have Jean Grey to thank for the somewhat garish alterations in Warren's new outfit, with Xavier's agreement that the X-Men had finally grown into a group of individuals and should no longer look like "products of an assembly line."
Warren's curious view of what angels look like aside, we can probably more directly thank the issue's colorist for the costume's, uh, color coordination. Unfortunately, Marvel colorists weren't routinely listed in story credits until circa 1973, so our colorist here remains anonymous. (Count your blessings, pal.)
Thanks to a backup story in the book in April of 1969, we get a look at the Angel in action prior to his association with the X-Men, when he was just starting his solo career as "the Avenging Angel." Presumably designing his own costume at the time, Warren has the chance to show what he believes an angel should look like. Apart from the addition of a halo symbol (and of course the wings), it's obvious why Jean's outfit was a hit with him.
Regrettably, due to a misunderstanding, Warren and the fledgling X-Men don't hit it off, unless you count the actual "hitting" part:
But when Xavier helps him to save the city, a bond of trust is formed, and the rest is history.
Aside from the color choices, Warren in his early days is a reminder of the crimefighter from 1939 and the early '40s--though our Golden Age hero wore a cape rather than sporting wings, which were instead adapted for his own chest emblem.
(Nice touch with the halo cape clasp.)
As for the refitted Angel, it became almost blindingly apparent that care had to be taken when mixing him in with characters whose own outfits tended to clash with his duds.
Having him suit up again briefly as the Avenging Angel helped to alleviate the situation--but would it ever be possible to see the Angel for the costume?
Imagine having to pat Magneto on the back for bringing the Angel much closer to a representation of his namesake. But we really owe our thanks to artist (and, reportedly, colorist) Neal Adams for the costume redesign:
(art by John Byrne, from X-Men: The Hidden Years)
Later, however, it would seem that Warren remains partial to red and yellow--in this case, thankfully, only partial, since his P.R. person from his days in the Champions "got the colors wrong" when replacing Angel's tattered costume with the Adams design for the team's debut with the press. At any rate, the swath of white in the design provides a nice contrast and draws more attention to his wings.
Of course, during his days in X-Factor, Warren had to coordinate with the rest of his team (that is, those who were in costume).
At any rate, given my comments on the subject, you probably know where I stand on Jean's costume choice for Warren--but let's have your verdict!
OR: 
?
That's a definite 'no' from me.
ReplyDeleteIt always looked like Jean designed herself a nice 60's mini-dress, totally lost it with Angel's costume and then ran out of time for the others, just knocking some things up out of off-cuts. It's almost as if she went out of her way to make Cyclops look blander than he did before.
Angel's blue and white costume, which I rate as on of his best, was changed to red, yellow and white in an issue of The Champions when his PR man copied the design but got the colours wrong.
Being British and growing up on the black-and-white reprints, I was spared, and later very surprised, at some of the garish colour combinations that Marvel used.
I always wondered as to the motivation for the individual costumes. A gimmick to jumpstart some sales interest? The designs were nothing special, that's for sure. (So, I guess I also vote "No")
ReplyDeleteI know the artists and writers of the 1960's had the creative talent but, by all indications, they just didn't have the interest to put some thinking into the designs. Interest and/or incentive. "Just churn something out. The kids reading this drivel won't care." and/or "For what they're paying me, with this deadline, this all the sweat I'm putting out"
I reckon the individual costumes were a mistake. Like the Fantastic Four, the X-Men had a family-team-unity vibe that suited matching uniforms perfectly. I like the X-Factor same-but-different styling. Uniquely distinctive, but still obviously a team.
A side of picky: Angel's wings. The early art of Angel often had his wings folded back and he just flew like Superman. This was really weak. Later artists with more ambition, and possibly talent, depicted his wings spread and flexing like a proper bird in flight. This looked great, but didn't bear up on close thought. Can you imagine what a 4-meter+ wing span flapping in a library would be like? Books, antiques, beverages tumbling from the wind. Teammates buffeted and smacked by feathers...
Likewise. I always thought the blue and white combo was the best. It seems like, over the years, Marvel kept returning to reds for the Angel (Avenging Angel and X-Factor outfits), but red just doesn't work for that character...at least for me. Meanwhile, they've been pretty dedicated to keeping Cyclops in blue. I suspect a color swap would've produced better outcomes.
ReplyDeleteI see you decided to ignore the Archangel era with the blue skin and metal wings Comicsfan. Well done.
ReplyDeleteEveryone knows that Neal Adams was the best costume designer in superhero comics (not counting 70s Kirby) don't they?
-sean
Tiboldt, that's a cool piece of trivia vis-à-vis the Champions, thanks! And Murray, you make an excellent point about the fact that the X-Factor costumes were distinctive, yet still had their wearers looking like a team, so it obviously can be done. Perhaps Jean simply took the "individuals" part of Xavier's suggestion and ran with it a little too far.
ReplyDeleteSean, I must say that while Adams may be aces in costume design, I never particularly cared for his depiction of the Angel in flight--specifically, how far his wings often extended from his body, which seemed way out of proportion and looked like it would take a great deal of effort on Warren's part to flap. I would have much preferred Adams focused on the look of the wings, since, as Murray mentions, early efforts tended to cram the Angel's wings into a panel rather than show them as the impressive sight they surely were.
I say thee nay.
ReplyDeleteI think once they got the original X-Men outta their little blue and yellow jumpers, artists at Marvel have struggled to come up with a costume for the Angel that ain't ridiculous, but let's face it, he is ridiculous. He looks like he just flew off the inside sleeve of a Led Zep LP. I even had that T-shirt, which shows you how old I am. (I don't fit in it anymore).
No, basically red and white or blue and white, I guess. Not six different colors, like Captain Ultra. There's not a hecuva lot you can do with this guy. He's a rich kid who flies.
He can't pull the Conan-biker look off like Hawkman.
M.P.
Sean's costume is a definite thumbs down for me. Warren got the short straw in those redesigns because I don't think the other X-Men costumes are all that bad.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Angel's Neal Adams designed blue and white costume is one of my all time favorite superhero costumes.