Captain Marvelis one of Marvel Comics’ most classic characters, balancing a leadership role in the Avengers while taking on cosmic threats on the other side of the universe. Unknown to Carol and her father for many years, Captain Marvel is a Human / Kree hybrid whose mother, a Captain in the Kree Army, was tasked with breeding to help assimilate the Earth into the Kree Empire. However, her acts of heroism began far before her powers manifested.
Originally an Air Force pilot, Major Carol Danvers served as a military intelligence agent for a decade untilfatefully meeting the Kree soldier, Mar-Vell. Eventually, her Kree powers developed and she served as the hero known as Ms. Marvel. She held onto this title for decades until Captain Mar-Vell valiantly sacrificed himself, leaving the title in Carol Danvers’s hands. From Ms. Marvel to Captain Marvel,Carol Danvershas worn many suits over the years, some much better than others. To help distinguish between the bland and the best, here arethe ten best Captain Marvel costumes in Marvel history.
10Cosmic Captain Marvel
Debuted inCaptain Marvel: The End- Written by Kelly Thompson; Art by Carmen Carnero
While it may feel like it deserves to sit higher on this list, outside the cosmic brilliance of her own power, this suit is too simple. In this far-future version of Earth-616, Captain Marvel has achieved fullcontrol over her cosmic powers, allowing herself to permanently maintain asleeker representation of her binary powers.There is no doubt that Carol is captivating in this form to the point that any average being may mistake her for a god.
Frankly, with these powers, she may as well be one. The solar flares that burst from her collar,further accentuated by the void of space and starsright above and the nebulous wisps that accompany her hair, do make this spacefaring hero look like a literal star incarnate. Unfortunately, despite its ethereal nature, the overwash of white makes her lookrelatively single-toned.
9Captain Marvel: Sorceress Supreme
Debuted inCaptain Marvel (2019) #28- Written by Kelly Thompson; Art by Jacopo Camagni
Captain Marvel is very aware that one of her only major weaknesses is that of the mystic arts. For the cosmically-powered super soldier, the complicated weave of magical energies throughout the Multiverse has been a major source of information that she has had little experience with. Hoping to preventa dark future that sees the death of the Avengersat the hands of Namor and the Enchantress’s future son, Ove.
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Carol desperately pleaded to every magic user she knew, yet the only soul willing to help her was the Enchantress herself, purely to spiteDoctor Strange’s rampant ego. For the most part, this suit is carried by the addition of the long flowing cloak, a much-needed component to every magic user’s outfit. That said, this look is sleek and the red and black combomakes this cosmic hero far more terrifying.
8Hellfire Gala (2022)
Debuted inBlack Panther (2022) #7 -Written by John Ridley; Art by Stefano Landini; Costume Design by Erica D’Urso
Every Hellfire Gala outfitis ludicrously stylish as the event deserves. However, not all outfits stand equally with one another. While it seems that Carol phoned it in for this year’s mutant-led event, as noted with her distantly unimpressed facial expression, there isone major highlight that should come backin future suits.
Her longcoat is just as flat and blue as her pants, but it’s the field of Hala Stars hidden underneath that pulls the gaze. The glowing Kree Insignia’s, when displayed in this fashion, make it look likea snapshot of the endless cosmosthat Captain Marvel has sworn to protect. In a way, this look may be more brilliant than originally thought. On the outside, she is just another Avenger often overshadowed by her male counterparts, but hiddenunderneath her Earthly guise is a hero whose name is sung across the universe.
7Original Ms. Marvel
Debuted inMs. Marvel (1976) -Written by Gerry Conway; Art by John Buscema
This is the original costume for Carol Danvers’s initial debut as Ms. Marvel.However, this specific outfit would only last a year until it was redesigned to cover her stomach. While it may be simple, and oddly reminiscent of an Incredibles costume, this look is what defined the common traits that her future suits have continuously referenced for the following 48 years.
Outside the frequent use of the Kree Empire’s insignia, it’s Carol’s scarf that has persisted through time as the single most reused element in nearly every redesign the character has had. For who she was at the time, primarily being a sidekick and love interest toCaptain Mar-Vell, her overall appearance is cute and playful. Fortunately, however, the overly used and ultimately pointless face mask was dropped from her uniforms following this fit’s successor’s run.
6Full Body Flight Suit
Debuted inCaptain Marvel (2012) #1- Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick; Art by Dexter Soy
Prior to her most modern look, this outfit served as her most commonly used uniform throughout the 2010s. Significantly more militaristic than her previous looks, this outfit is a direct adaptation to the traditional Kree warrior uniform. This outfit would also serve as the inspiration forthe MCU’s adaptation of Carol Danvers.
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While Carol has made a habit of avoiding her affiliation with the Kree, only wearing their Empire’s insigniain honor of Captain Mar-Vell, this look almost more than any other ties her directly to the Kree’s militant culture and hostile approach to galactic expansion. That said, as a former pilot and a lifelong soldier, this combat suit is just as representative of Carol’s own history. Just as much as her debut look,this costume will remain an iconic piecesynonymous with an era that fullyredefined Captain Marvel’s character.
5All Black Ms. Marvel
Debuted inMs. Marvel (1977) #20- Written by Chris Claremont; Art by Dave Cockrum
Carol’ssecond major suit as Ms. Marvel, this outfit is a complete deviation from her original outfits. Ditching the red for an all-black look, Carol did preserve one major element of her original costume that has stayed with almost every outfit she’s had since - her scarf. In canon, this drastic new look wasdesigned by the Waspusing unstable moleculesto better adapt to her extreme powers.
By this point,Carol rejected any relationship with the Kreeand the new suit had been made specifically to distance herself from the Kree’s violent culture. When she first debuted this new look in 1978, only two years after the character’s debut, fans went wild. This likely informed why she kept this as her permanentMs. Marvel costumeup until she became Captain Marvel.
4Dark Captain Marvel
Debuted inCaptain Marvel (2019) #12 -Written by Kelly Thompson; Art by Lee Garbett
After consuming the greatest pieces of knowledge fromthe first Kree Supreme Intelligence, the Inhuman Vox Supreme arose as a new apocalyptic threat with a harsh vendetta against the Kree people. Wishing to harness the powers and minds of the Avengers, Vox Supreme kidnapped Carol and forced her to hunt and kill her heroic allies. To monitor her actions, Carol was physicallybonded with an oppressive-looking black suit.
Reflective of the outfit’s dark origins, this is the first suit Carol has worn thatfully conceals her identity, exposing almost nothing but her fingers. Trailing across her body are black tendrils that look like webbing that chaotically flow into her now shredded scarf. Interestingly enough, however, Vox Supreme decided to stillinclude the Kree Empire’s sigildespite his immeasurable hate for the species.
3Binary
Debuted inCaptain Marvel #34- Written by Kelly Thompson; Art by Russell Dauterman
Following a successfulteam-up with the X-Men, Carol and her new mutant allies attended a farewell banquet on a luxurious space yacht owned by the Shi’ar Empire. The party was cut short by an attack from the Brood. Subdued and captured,Danvers endured endless torturous experimentsuntil a new surge of cosmic powers manifested, giving the herothe powers of a star.
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Captain Marvel’s Binary appearance is a fantastic representation of the full scope of her powers. She often holds them back, but her unique physiology and powerset have made the cosmic hero one bad day from becoming a singularity. In this form, her suit perfectly blends together with her body,creating a unified look of red-hot cosmic radiation.Needless to say, thisCaptain Marvel is a star.
2Bodysuit and Jacket
Debuted inCaptain Marvel (2023) #1 -Written by Alyssa Wong; Art by Jen Bartel
Carol’s most modern suit, this outfit looks to be inspired bycolonial-era military uniforms.A semi-drastic change from her modern flightsuit looks, this look is both a visually beautiful spin on her traditional dress that maintains a solid nod to her lifelong military career. While they may be seemingly simple changes, this is one of the few suits featuring fingerless gloves and her first suit with a separate jacket.
One of the most notable adjustments from her previous clothing, is the noticeable alteration to her scarf. Instead, she’s replaced her decades-long iconic accessory with a military aiguillette,a mark denoting her honorable status as a soldier.Apart from her clothing, this is one of the few looks where Captain Marvel has changed her hair. Yes, she has worn her hair short and longas well as her iconic mohawk, but the thick brain is a minor yet refreshing detail that accents the elegantly composed nature of her newest look.
1Hellfire Gala (2023)
Debuted inCaptain Marvel: Dark Tempest #1- Written by Ann Nocenti; Art by Paolo Villanelli; Costume Design by Jen Bartel
By far Carol Danvers’s most stylish and refined out, is her2023 Hellfire Galafit. Admittedly, this look is fairly similar to her modern super suit, but with a series of extra embellishments that transform the already impressive clothing into something awe-inspiringly fantastic. For this alteration, Captain Marvel has increased the arm length of her current jacket, implementing even more obvious features traditionally seenin decorative Colonial Era military uniforms.Additionally, she has abandoned the fingerless gloves for a pair of red leather motorcycle gloves.
The look in Carol’s eyes shows that she’s reaffirmedher identity as Carol Danvers over that of Captain Marvel.
Captain Marvel has embroided both her hairstyle and outfit in full, witha series of gold and red variants of the Hala Star.The most glaringly obvious adjustment to this style is her exposed cleavage. While it may seem like an unnecessary detail to point out, it’s one of the few times since her Ms. Marvel days when Carol has exposed more of her body after having spentyears abandoning the concept to embrace a militaristic design.It’s a simple adjustment, but the look in Carol’s eyes shows that she’s reaffirmedher identity as Carol Danversover that of Captain Marvel.
Captain Marvel
United States air force officer Carol Danvers gains superpowers after an explosion fuses her DNA with a superhero colleague. With her super strength, speed, flight, and other abilities, Captain Marvel (also known as Ms. Marvel) has fought alongside the Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., and the Guardians of the Galaxy. She also appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, joining the films' other heroes to fight evil.
