I've been in an artsy mood lately, and in a day an age where comic creators just pump out new costumes like hot cakes, I sat down and thought, what are some of my favorites? So I'm doing that. Today, I go through my top 5 costumes of favorite character, tied with Wolverine who will be next, and picked Cyclops. As a disclaimer, this is all in my opinion of course, feel free to comment, list your own, whatever. But again...my opinion. So let's get to it.

5. Eric The Red

Sexy, right? This is just a joke. I'm kidding.

5. Jim Lee Design 2.0

I am probably one of the few Cyclops fans that does not care for the original Claremont/Jim Lee design. I always found it boring, just not aesthetically pleasing to me. I know it's THEE Cyclops design, but I never liked it. However, I do like the modernized take on it from Rosenberg's Uncanny X-Men that Larrocca gave us by mixing it with the silver visor and the longer hair. I think it worked pretty well for the gritty run and overall, looked pretty cool.

4. X-Factor 2.0

I really liked this version in comparison to the first. I think it was a very big change from the classic blue and yellow that Cyclops is very famous in general when it came to his classic costumes. The white X and boots against the dark blue meshed really well and I think it's a really cool concept.

3. Eve of Destruction

A very short lived costume for Scott. Post Apoc possessed Cyclops came back with a much more reckless and darker persona with a costume to match. A very big step up from his more famous decor by completely abandoning all traces of blue or gold. The silver and black really stood out on Scott with this outfit and I thought it was a very awesome step outside the box and definitely an outfit that was a pure reflection of the character at the time. One outfit I wished we had for a little longer.

1st Place Tie. Astonishing/Utopia

I know the 2 have very minor differences, but I lump them together for the most part. I loved this outfit, and for a long time, it was my favorite. It is tied for 1st place, just kind of depends on the day. With that said, I love it. The darker blue, the gold trimming, the greaves, the silver visor. Going back to being a hero and an outfit given to us in my favorite X-Men run of all time by Whedon and Cassaday. It screamed superhero but also fit with Scott stepping out of Xavier's shadow and showing he could be the quintessential X-Man. Definitely was a nice change and one that stuck for almost 10 years. This was definitely my era of Cyclops.

1st Place Tie. Revolutionary/Marvel Now

So I'm probably gonna get mixed opinions and some flack for it, but I love this outfit. I will admit I hated it at first. I really did. The X-Visor, the red, it was Bachalo, who at the time was in a drawing slump before Uncanny with Bendis. But overtime, and Bachalo actually doing well, and the occasional Immonen and Anka pop up drawing it, they really brought the outfit to life. It is such a stark contrast to Cyclops' original color pallet, but the crimson alternating with black while the ruby red lines and visor set apart the costume. It really gave Cyclops a presence whenever he was in the room and just shown to how he has grown from that skiddish 15 year old to being an early 30ish a leader and bold adult. It is a costume I miss as I felt like we didn't get as much out of it as we could have, but for what we had, I have to say it is hands down a top 2 for me with the Astonishing outfit.

I gotta agree with your number one pick. While controversial and a huge redesign, it worked for the time period the mutants were a part of and more specifically, his own mindframe. He was terrified that everything he build would crumble even further than before. Hence the more aggressive looking suit.

Pretty solid picks, and I'm among the ones who dig the revolutionary costume. Pretty fitting for the image he was trying to convey at the time.

That X-Factor 2.0 costume actually looks pretty decent. Would like to see how it would look if it was drawn now. Will agree with your number 1 pick out of these but I think I prefer Cyclops more when his hair is visible.

@magian: That’s something I see quite often is the preference for his hair showing, but he’s only had maybe like 5-6 in 616 canon that had his hair showing. And I’ll be honest, Cyke himself has had a lot of bad costumes as well. He’s very dependent on color palette since the base for his costume is just the body suit.

@god_spawn: Well I think the same could be said about the vast majority of the X-Men as well. They change their costumes so often and honestly, most of the time they tend to be more on the bad side.

I don't know, I just think that visible hair makes it look more natural because some of his costumes where the hair was covered, looked a bit funny. Don't know if you remember the condom look joke. But the art can really make a difference.

Good choices

Man can't wait sdcc announcements for x men

@magian: I can see that. Not all X-Men have great costumes. And I remember the joke lol. But that’s the thing, he’s only had a handful of hair flowing costumes. I think the 3rd X-Factor one, then we had the Jim Lee outfit, Eve of Destruction, New X-Men jacket, which also partially used on Astonishing X-Men, and recently with keeping the Astonishing outfit but the hood down and that lasted a month, and then we got the Lee design 2.0 by Larrocca. It’s definitely his most iconic in the Lee costume, but I never cared for it. And I won’t lie, I don’t like a lot of the head condom costumes either. His black and yellow original costume I don’t think aged well. His blue with yellow trunks and head condom didn’t age well. The yellow and blue X-Factor outfit I think is behind the white one. His Phoenix 5 outfit, while not inherently bad, had its flaws from being Nightwing New52 with a red thong. And don’t get me started on the honeymoon outfit. That was atrocious.

@supermanthor: Thank you.

@god_spawn: I actually liked that Phoenix 5 outfit, although tbh I'm not sure that is because I actually liked it or because of Coipel's art. But I'll definitely agree on the thong thing lol Honeymoon outfit? Which one was this?

@god_spawn: @magian: This atrocity?

Or the one in adventures?

@theinsufferable: Well it's not as bad as GS said it would be. I think the art doesn't help either.

@magian: He could also be referring to this:

@god_spawn: Where are you?! Tell us which is the honeymoon outfit!!!

The best Cyclops costume, however, is this one. Don't ever forget it.

lol What's with the tutu? Did Deadpool have a something to do with this?

@theinsufferable: YUP!

@magian: I thought I sent a reply, but it’s the first one Insufferable post. It looks like some weird football costume. The yellow, zipper like line going through the headpiece. The orange shoulder pad like sleeves. It also goes around and covers the chin Like it’s a helmet. Overall, it’s just an ugly costume.

Actually, I can see that. But I don't think it's that bad. With the right art, it could look pretty good I think.

If we are sticking with 616 Cyclops...

5. "Tyke" v4 - The last costume he wore in the present before going back to the past. It felt youthful, yet carried design elements from previous (in his case - future) looks

4. Jim Lee 90s - I grew up with "classic x-men" and x-factor, but when Cyclops rejoined the X-Men with this design, it immediately became a favourite. Hasn't aged that well though. The yellow speedos and abundance of buckles is what stops this from getting into my top 3.

3. New X-Men - Frank Quitely's design challenged what a superhero look can be for the X-Men. The only drawback to this design is it really only looked its best when drawn by artists that have a very stylised approach, like Bachalo or Quitley himself. The ultra narrow visor, the ribbed inner shirt, the bright yellow "rescue team" accents.

2. Astonishing - The astonishing design/s was the perfect blend of Classic Giant-sized X-Men era Cyclops and Jim Lee Cyclops. My favourite version of the Astonishing design is a combination of the Cassaday and Utopia looks, with the X-logo on the upper left of his chest, gold trimmings and with a belt on. This can be seen in Romita Jr's art in AVX, and the last page of AVX Consequences by Gabriel Hernandez Walta.

1. Revolutionary / HoX - When initially shown via Joe Quesada's Marvel Now illustration, i wasn't sure what to think. But after seeing the Bachalo design in Bendis' run, it grew on me in a big way. The trick was always getting the X just right. and i believe later drawings by Bachalo nailed it with the wider X look. I'm psyched to see that House of X will pick up this design, but now incorporating elements of Tyke's experiences to visually evolve from the the revolutionary into this new take with the blue highlights and silver classic visor.

@slimlim: Nice list.

I think we all agree that his Marvel Now costume rocks.

Bump. After seeing the HoX Cyclops costume on panel now, I really dig it. Honorable mention and I’m glad to see it stick around for awhile.

@god_spawn: Lol see my big fear for the Hickman Era Costume is the consistency of it. Like there are times when Cyclops's Revolution costume (a personal favorite) came out looking like a mesh of red that didn't convey the same badass tones as it did in promo art a few times even in the run that produced it it just looks underdrawn as people forget the detail. The art in HoX being as beautiful as it is, i'm just hoping we get more of that in the next book as opposed to that X-Men v6 cover art style which is mostly "meh"

@koays: Agreed. Yu's cover just makes it look...bland, like a cheap random character generator in a video game. I think the revolutionary's costume was pretty consistent for the most part for most artists, but I guess when you look at the artists who were drawing it, Bachalo(on a good run), Immonen, Anka, Larrocca, there were a few people who messed it up. I think it definitely had some of it's low points and I can see the same thing happening to Hickman's costume, but I think it actually has a leg up in terms of pallet. A lot of people couldn't figure out if Cyclops' revolutionary costume was ruby on crimson or ruby on black. *shrugs*.

Nice list! I think from yours I like number 5 the best. I like seeing the hair. ?

@chloros: Thank you.

I personally have a liking for the "Astonishing/Utopia" and "House/Dawn Of X" costumes. Always felt that having bright primary colors that cover most of Cyclops' body for some costumes felt gaudy to look at. Mostly because it strongly contrasted with the dark blue or black tone of most of his costumes. The New X-Men costume is the only one that I felt exempted from this because of the professional feel the costume brings.

The Jim Lee design in Rosenberg's solo "Uncanny X-men" run works as well with the messy hair.

@god_spawn: his new house of x suit is also similar to his revolutionary suit. except the red lining is replaced with blue and instead of x on his head there is a visor.

@aross: I know. I’ve discussed this on other forums here. I think it’s basically a cross between his Astonishing and Revolutionary outfit, just using the blue instead of red and taking the silver visor from his AXM run. Sweet costume, just hasn’t been around long enough yet for me to give it a spot. I dig it, though.

@god_spawn:I also liked the caped Cyclops from the what if story line, where he lead a team of mutants under Sinister's control. I don't know why people refuses to give him that look. Even in the Fear Itself story line, there is a poster of him wearing Magneto's costume and it looks sick in comparison to his normal costumes. Check out the following images

@aross: Preference. Not ones I necessarily care for. And something like that nowadays I don’t see flying too well. It’s not a bad look, but personally, capes don’t suit Cyclops. It doesn’t really add anything, nor does it fit him. And in the case of something like ricochet shots, can easily get in the way, regardless of his spatial awareness. But again, preference. Some people like the head condom, some don’t. Some like the X visor, some didn’t. Some like the gold, others like the silver. I’ll say Scott’s costumes are very much polarizing at the least.

@god_spawn: that is what makes him one of the best marvel has to offer

Good list.

@god_spawn: @aross:

I thought i replied

Good list

@phisigmatau: Thank you.

@god_spawn: Would any of the Hellfire designs would have made your list?

Hellfire Gala 2021 looks awful, I know. Hellfire Gala 2023 looks majestic though.

@life_without_progress: Umm probably not. I haven’t read the latest Hellfire Gala issue yet but I checked it out. If I’m being honest and kinda reflecting on stuff right, I guess I could say I could push the X-Factor 2.0 back to 5, if not get rid of it. Swap the Jim Lee design to 3 or 4. Still an overrated but it is the quintessential Scott outfit. Eve of Destruction to 4 or 5. And then maybe put the Krakoa era in that last spot.

I do the think the Gala 2023 costume could push itself on one of those like 4 or 5 spots for me. It is a super cool and unique one. Maybe I’ll come back to this since we’ve had some unique additions to it. But agreed, the 2021 gala costume is abysmal lol.