The Best Animal-Themed Super Hero Costumes in Marvel Comics

The Marvel Universe is a vibrant place, brimming with costumed heroes who try to save the day in colorful spandex. From fierce felines to astonishing arachnids, many of these super heroes wear animal-themed costumes. Today, we’re here to spotlight the iconic looks that rule the roost! Making this list required something these heroes are all too familiar with: sacrifice. We took the bull by the horns and narrowed it down to the most stylish, all while balancing form and function. Buckle up, True Believers, as we determine who’s best dressed! Plus, read on to find out where each costume below first appeared in the comics.

Black Cat’s Costume

Criminal cat burglar turned hero Felicia Hardy, A.K.A. Black Cat, never gets caught without her cat-eye mask, black suit, and furs. Her costume’s white fur accents give it a glamorous finish, making this famous feline extremely fashionable.

First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #194

Sam Wilson’s Falcon Flight Suit

Before becoming Captain America, Sam Wilson was the high-flying hero known as the Falcon. Alongside his avian companion, Redwing, Falcon’s flight suit fanned out with vibrant red feathers. His headgear also showcased the bird’s silhouette, while sharp raptorial talons adorned his boots. 

First Appearance: CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #170

Frog-Man’s Costume

Taking his criminal father’s Leap-Frog costume, Eugene Patilio reintroduced the suit to the world as Frog-Man. Using the suit’s leaping coils to help crimefighters like Spider-Man, Frog-Man leapt to hero status. With a giant frog head concealing his identity and webbed boots covering his feet, Frog-Man looks like a tree frog and hops like one too.

First Appearance: MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #121

Squirrel Girl’s Unbeatable Costume

With its fur accents and its eared-headband, Squirrel Girl rocks an unbeatable costume. And that tail is not part of her suit —it’s prehensile! Super villains better not come barking up the wrong tree, as Doreen Green is positively nuts about being a super hero.

First Appearance: THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL (2015) #1

Shuri’s Black Panther Suit

After Doctor Doom’s covert attack on Wakanda left T’Challa grievously injured, Shuri became the nation’s Black Panther. A tribute to the panther goddess Bast, this costume features a sleek black bodysuit, a panther mask with ears, and sharp claws. And, of course, a dramatic cape ties the look together, fitted with regal furs.

First Appearance: BLACK PANTHER (2009) #1

White Fox’s Super-Spy Suit

Ami Han, A.K.A. White Fox, is the last of the Kumiho, the mystical shapeshifting nine-tailed foxes from Korean mythology. While in her human form, Ami operates as a super-agent for Korea’s National Intelligence Service, wearing a mask that mimics a fox’s face. Her white hair and steely blue body suit make for a sleek and stealthy super hero fit.

First Appearance: WAR OF REALMS: NEW AGENTS OF ATLAS (2019) #1

Spider-Man’s Iron Spider Armor

Ahead of the Superhuman Registration Act and subsequent Civil War, Peter Parker, A.K.A. Spider-Man, received a gift: the Iron Spider Armor. Courtesy of his metal-plated pal, Iron Man, this new suit was made from nanotechnology and featured three mechanical arms. These new retractable limbs extended from the armor’s back, making the wall-crawler look even more spindly—like the spider emblem on his chest.

First Appearance: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #529

Stingray’s Underwater Suit

As one of the Marvel Universe’s leading oceanographers, Walter Newell turned his deep-sea diving suit into an armored exoskeleton. Equipped with weapons and a glider-system that mimicked manta ray physiology, he suitably dubbed himself the Stingray. His super-durable suit also features sonar tracking and an oxygen system akin to gills, allowing him to survive the pressures of being underwater… and of being a super hero. 

First Appearance: SUB-MARINER (1968) #19

White Tiger’s Striped Suit

An avatar of the Tiger God, Ava Ayala inherits the heroic mantle of White Tiger from her family, who bore the Jade Amulets of Power before her. Her costume honors the Tiger God, featuring a white bodysuit and a handful of signature stripes and tiger ears. With a look that strikes fear, the White Tiger is ready to strike.

First Appearance: AVENGERS ACADEMY (2010) #20

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