Wolverine's suit: The definitive guide to 50 years of evolution

Wolverine's suit has become a hot-button topic since the first reveal of Hugh Jackman's return to the character for the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine. Jackman's new costume does what the original X-Men franchise never dared, and puts the beloved actor in yellow spandex (or something like it) for a costume that looks more like Wolverine's comic book outfit than any we've seen on screen yet.

But Wolverine has 50 years of costumes in comics, with his look changing and evolving significantly since his 1974 debut - sometimes accompanied by drastic changes to his character and personality as well. So now, we'll look back at the evolution of Wolverine's costume, from his original '70s first appearance, to his modern day look, which not coincidentally looks a heck of a lot like what Jackman wears in Deadpool 3.

The Original

Wolverine's original costume was designed by artist John Romita, Sr. who was Marvel's art director for many years, under the guidance of writer Len Wein, who wrote Wolverine's first appearance in 1974's Incredible Hulk #181, which was drawn by Herb Trimpe.

The original Wolverine costume would provide the general look and color scheme of many of his outfits, from its distinctive mask to its stripes. But the original concept of Wolverine was a bit different than his later development. He was originally envisioned as much younger, with claws that attached to his gloves.

Giant-Size X-men

Wolverine joined the X-Men in 1975's Giant-Size X-Men #1, also written by Len Wein. In this issue, artist Dave Cockrum begins refining some of the shapes and details in Wolverine's outfit into a slightly more streamlined appearance that adjusts to the idea of Wolverine being much, much older than initially envisioned, while also putting more emphasis on his retractable claws.

Interestingly enough, though Cockrum's version of the classic Wolverine costume is the one that sticks most in peoples' minds, Cockrum himself didn't particularly like Wolverine, as he had previously invented an unused character with the same name. Still, he stuck it through, and wound up helping develop one of the most popular superheroes of all time.

Fang

The second version of Wolverine's main costume, with its brown and yellow-orange color scheme, is almost as famous and beloved as his original look. But before he donned his classic brown costume, he briefly wore another outfit with the same color scheme, but a very different origin.

During a mission in space in Uncanny X-Men #107 by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum, Wolverine and the rest of the X-Men battle the Shi'Ar Imperial Guard while in space. In the fight, Wolverine's costume is shredded, leading him to take the brown and orange costume of the bestial Imperial Guard member Fang, wearing it throughout the story before going back to a classic look after returning to Earth.

The Brown Costume

Starting in 1980's Uncanny X-Men #139 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, the issue in which Kitty Pryde joins the X-Men, Wolverine makes a permanent costume switch for the first time, leaving behind his blue-and-yellow costume which was issued by the Canadian government when he was part of the Weapon X program. This is also the issue that reveals he goes by the name "Logan."

Instead, he takes on the brown and yellow-orange costume that has since become his second most famous and popular suit, borrowing the color scheme and some of the vibes of the costume he stole from Fang. And when asked why he decided to make the change, Wolverine simply says "Why not?"

Going Solo

In 1988, Wolverine finally embarked on his own ongoing solo series by writer Chris Claremont, who was also the writer of Uncanny X-Men at the time, and longtime Marvel artist John Buscema, who also designed a sleek new costume for the hero in Wolverine #1.

Wolverine's new look for his solo title was a simple black suit with a splash of black over his eyes, reflecting his ninja training and his somewhat more anonymous presence in the lawless island of Madripoor, where he also used the alias Patch.

Patch

Speaking of which, in 1989's Wolverine #8 by Claremont and Buscema, Wolverine's Patch look went in a fashionable new direction. In addition to his signature eyepatch, which he began wearing a few issues earlier, he was now sporting a tuxedo in the casinos of Madripoor. 

Wolverine #8 also marks a reunion for Wolverine and the Hulk, his original opponent way back in his debut. But with Wolverine and Hulk both in different guises, as Patch and Joe Fixit, respectively, their antagonistic relationship was cast in a whole new light.

Weapon X

In the pages of his now legendary 1991 run on Marvel Comics Presents, an anthology title led by Wolverine stories, writer/artist Barry Windsor-Smith dug into a previously unseen chapter of Logan's history, showing his brainwashing and training under the Weapon X program.

And then in Marvel Comics Presents #79, the nascent Wolverine is dressed in a special training rig consisting of a mind-control helmet and body-sensors. This gear became its own iconic look for Wolverine which was recently adapted into a Fortnite skin.

Training Uniform

Also in 1991, in Uncanny X-Men #273 by Chris Claremont (his name comes up a lot on this list, as he wrote X-Men for almost 20 years) and artist Whilce Portacio, Wolverine dons a slightly updated version of the very first X-Men uniforms designed by co-creator Jack Kirby for the original team way back in 1963's Uncanny X-Men #1.

Portacio's updated version of the classic X-Men training uniform is worn by the whole team on a mission to space to rescue Professor Xavier, which was partially adapted in the smash hit X-Men '97 animated series.

Jim Lee

In 1992's X-Men #4 by writer John Byrne and superstar artist/co-writer Jim Lee, Wolverine returns to a new version of his classic blue and yellow costume, inspired by the '90s X-Men's official Blue and Gold color scheme, along with taking another dive into his mysterious history by introducing Omega Red, an enemy from Wolverine's past.

This updated version of the classic became the standard for Wolverine again for years, partially thanks to X-Men: The Animated Series, and is the look most closely adapted by Hugh Jackman's costume in Deadpool & Wolverine. It's also being revived with some very slight adjustments for the new Uncanny X-Men #1, on sale in August.

Feral Wolverine

As adapted in the closing arc of the first season of X-Men '97, Wolverine had the adamantium pulled from his skeleton by Magneto in 1993's X-Men #25, leaving him with bone claws for years to come. And in Wolverine #100 by writer Larry Hama and artist Adam Kubert, the villain Genesis attempts to put the adamantium back, with disastrous results.

In the story, Wolverine's body not only rejects the new adamantium, he also takes on a more feral mutated form with talons, fur, and, infamously, not much of a nose to speak of. This version of Wolverine is well-known among fans, but not for good reasons, as it's widely considered his worst incarnation ever.

Horseman of Death

1999's Astonishing X-Men #1 by Howard Mackie and Brandon Peterson introduced the next version of Wolverine - though no one knew it until a bit later. In this issue, a new version of Apocalypse's Horseman of Death appears, stalking none other than X-Men '97 villain Bastion.

As revealed later in Wolverine #145, this new Death is none other than Wolverine, dressed in a very different costume which includes armor and a sword - and, most importantly, his returned adamantium skeleton, successfully re-bonded by Apocalypse, and lasting even after Wolverine escaped his control.

New X-Men

New X-Men #114 by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely landed in 2001, and changed the entire X-Men franchise by relaunching the story (but keeping the numbering started with 1991's X-Men #1) and bringing the look of the X-Men themselves closer to the black leather of 2000's mega-hit X-Men film.

For Wolverine's part, he begins wearing his own version of the team's now iconic black and yellow X-Men jackets, often with no shirt underneath. This has become a kind of standard variation for Logan ever since, even with some slightly altered colors.

John Cassaday

In 2004's Astonishing X-Men #1 (yes, there was an Astonishing X-Men #1 in 1995, and one in 2004), artist John Cassaday introduced a new costume for Wolverine that carried on his classic blue and yellow color palette, but with some updated twists that created a whole new look.

Cassaday revamped Wolverine's body suit, adding blue side panels to offset the yellow, added a new style X-Men logo which Wolverine would wear even when he was hanging around with the Avengers in those years, and making his mask slightly smaller in a callback to his very first costume. Some of these bits make their way into Hugh Jackman's new Wolverine MCU costume.

X-Force

2008's X-Force #1 by writers Craig Kyle & Chris Yost and artist Clayton Crain introduced another look for Wolverine, this one part of a whole set of black and gray espionage style suits for the new version of X-Force that debuted in the issue.

This black and gray look for Wolverine became instantly popular, though it never became his main costume. At the time, he would only put it on when working for X-Force, which was then a secret black-ops team doing the X-Men's dirty work. He still wore slight variations of his John Cassaday designed look when doing his regular superhero stuff.

Hot Claws

For a few years, Logan was dead (or at least frozen in a block of adamantium, Han Solo style). When he eventually broke loose through the magic of comics and came back to the land of the living, he had an updated power in the ability to heat up his razor sharp adamantium claws thanks to a lingering portion of the cosmic Phoenix Force.

He also briefly took on a new black and red costume designed by Declan Shalvey, and first drawn on the page by artist Steve McNiven in 2018's Return of Wolverine #1, before Shalvey himself drew it in #2. Like the suit, Wolverine's hot claws ability was short-lived, and he soon went back to a more classic look and powerset.

Krakoa

First appearing on the cover of 2019's House of X #1, Wolverine's suit in the now concluded Krakoa era was designed by artist Pepe Larraz to call back to one of Logan's most beloved costumes, reviving the brown and yellow-orange color scheme of his '80s costume.

Larraz's design adds some updated details to give it a new modern polish, calling back to John Cassaday's revamp of his yellow and blue outfit, carrying on the longstanding tradition of artists embracing and honoring the evolution of his costume.

From the Ashes

Wolverine's most current look is a slight revamp of his beloved '90s costume by Jim Lee, with some modernized details. This version of his costume, which also bears a strong resemblance to the one worn by Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine, will debut in August 7's Uncanny X-Men #1 by artist David Marquez and writer Gail Simone.

It's no surprise that Wolverine is returning to a classic look, as the new 'From the Ashes' status quo of the X-Men line is aimed at recapturing the original dynamic of the X-Men, with the team living closely among humanity and striving for a more equal existence for mutantkind.

Can't wait for Deadpool & Wolverine on July 26? Check out the best Wolverine stories of all time.