Superheroes may have signature costumes (Janet Van Dyne aside), but if there’s one thing we’ve seen over the years, it’s that these costumes aren’t immune from change. Whether you’re looking at Superman, Batman or Aquaman, all of these characters’ iconic outfits have been altered throughout the decades. It’s almost become a staple of comics, where long-established fan-favorites go through a wardrobe change every few years, both to keep things fresh and to signal the coming of a different era.
Case in point: When DC relaunched its line of titles under the Rebirth banner, all of its heroes debuted new costumes: Batman had his grey and purple costume; Superman returned to something a little more classic; and Diana Prince into action in a costume that was almost exactly like the one worn by Gal Gadot.
Looking back on DC history, longtime collectors can pinpoint different eras just by recognizing the superheroes’ outfits. In Wonder Woman #51 however, Steve Orlando and Laura Braga examine the other side of that spectrum; instead of going to the past, the issue features flash-forward segments, imagining what Diana Prince’s upcoming costumes may look like years down the line.
The issue picks up on a story thread that began in last year’s Wonder Woman #28, after Diana last faced off with Moon Robinson, aka Mayfly. Now, Moon is currently being held prisoner for the crimes she committed as the super-speedy villain, and she has a lot of anger and resentment towards the superhero who put her there. But Diana Prince isn’t one to give up on anyone, so she comes to visit Moon in prison in the hopes of getting through to her, and to set her on a righteous path.
One Year From Now
Wonder Woman 51 United Nations costume
Of course, Moon wants nothing to do with her at first. But Diana keeps coming back to visit, chipping away at her emotional armor, bit by bit. In the first visits, Diana is seen wearing her Rebirth costume. But soon, we witness a visit that takes place a year from now, and the Amazon Princess arrives in the prison wearing a different costume. Instead of her armor, she’s sporting an elegant white dress that calls back to her Greek roots, and a long red cape. The result is a muted look that is both heroic and dignified. She informs Moon that this is formal wear was because, before her visit, she was at the United Nations.
Sure, it may not be a traditional superhero costume, but it’s still one that we could see catch on if Wonder Woman ever puts aside her role of warrior and embraces the responsibilities of a political representative.
Two Years From Now, and Beyond
Next, the issue jumps forward to a prison visit that takes place two years from now — and Diana is now wearing an outfit that slightly resembles the one she wore during the DC You era of 2015. She has one large shoulder plate on her right arm, and red and black are the principle colors of her look. There’s also a bit of Gotham City Garage in this costume, which appears to be much more tactical and practical.
In the possible timeline of her costumes, Diana’s days as a political emissary could have ended with her deciding to put on a new Amazon costume, and become a warrior once again. When her words fail, she could decide that it’s time to pick up her shield once more.
Wonder Woman 51 red and black armor
We jump forward again a little later. As Diana and Moon take a walk in the cold winds of the Antartic, it’s hard to miss the fact that Wonder Woman is wearing armor familiar to DC fans. The golden armor, complete with wings and helmet, was first seen in Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ classic Elseworlds story, Kingdom Come. Although it would later make the jump to main DC continuity, this marks the Rebirth relaunch debut of this specific look.
You have to wonder wonder what could happen that would prompt Diana to wear such powerful gear. This is something that she rarely wears, only donning it when the situation is more than dire. Are dark days ahead for Wonder Woman, and the rest of the DCU? With they way things have been going lately, it certainly wouldn’t;t be a surprise.
Wonder Woman 51 Kingdom Come Armor
The issue continues to jump forward in time as Diana comes back to visit Moon every few years, and we see a rotation of these looks. The Rebirth costume returns, as does the red, black and gold outfit. At one point, Diana wear a dress again, but this one is red on red. These costume changes are meant to show a leap in time, yes, but they also represent the character’s constant evolution. Just as Moon grows into a better person over the years, Diana also changes. Her role and responsibilities may change from one era to the next. She may hover from dignitary to warrior and back again… but she will always be Wonder Woman, no matter what.
It’s doubtful that Wonder Woman #51 actually showed us the exact costumes we’ll see Diana wearing in the coming years, but it’s still a nice hypothesis from the creative team. The costumes we see reflect a potential story arc for Diana — one that we may never ultimately see play out. But it’s still nice to wonder “what if?”
As the issue comes to a close with the 52nd visit, Diana is shown to return to a more traiditional costume, much further down the line. This look mixes the Rebirth costume with the cape and a star-spangled skirt of the ’80s, showing that everything old can be new again — just like Moon, who is now ready to become someone else entirely.