One of the most appealing parts ofMarvel Rivalsare the numerous costume skins for different characters, with each creating striking new looks for playable heroes. Some skins are 100% original, seen only within the game, or directly referencing an adaptation outside the comics. However, given how many unique designs every Marvel character has had, there is plenty of space for more comic-accurate costumes to be included.
In total,there are around 48 different costumes directly inspired by Marvel Comicsin the game, but not every character is represented. Despite thenew Season 3 costume featuresthat allow skins to be expressed in more ways, there is a shockingly low number of comic-inspired outfits for several heroes. This is a shame given the long history of comics, which have looks that would look perfect inMarvel Rivals.
10Spider-Man 2099
First Appearance:The Amazing Spider-Man #365(1992)
One of the most striking looks for Spider-Man inMarvel Rivalscould beSpider-Man 2099, a version of the wall-crawler from the future. Although not Peter Parker, but rather Miguel O’Hara,this costume has one of the most unique looks for any version of the character. The red skull pattern on Spider-Man 2099’s chest extends out onto the arms, contrasting well with the blue bodysuit to make a memorable mask design not seen on other multiversal spider people.
The white and red look of Spider-Man 2099’s second outfit would also be an excellent skin inMarvel Rivals, due to its more high-tech design that fits within the style of the game.
Thesmall web cape of Spider-Man 2099 comes with talons in each hand, with a futuristic mesh from Unstable Molecules creating a fabricwith tons of detail. The spine-like extensions of the costume’s arms would make it far different from Spider-Man’sother skins inMarvel Rivals, which all resemble far more traditional suit appearances. Since this is one of Spider-Man’s most popular alternate looks, there’s no reason not to include it in the game.
9Blackbeard Thing
First Appearance:The Fantastic Four #5(1961)
In the first appearance of Doctor Doom and one of the wackiest Silver Age stories in comics, it was revealed thatThe Thingfrom The Fantastic Four had become the infamous pirateBlackbeardin a time-traveling adventure.Ben Grimm still had their rocky skin, but adopted a classic pirate look, from a large hat to an eyepatch and an unkempt beard for sailing the high seas as an outlaw.
This campy outfit has come back in many different references throughout Fantastic Four comics, usually with a goofy tone. InMarvel Rivals,this kind of costume is exactly what the game needs, as a reference to a far more light-hearted storyline. Giving The Thing a pirate look with a pistol and cutlass would be far from what players expect for the character too, making it a desirable skin to get.
8All-New, All-Different Ultron
First Appearance:The Uncanny Avengers #9(2015)
Ultron is a character in Marvel with many different costumes and designs, as the robot villain will make new bodies of themselves constantly. However, theAll New, All-Different Ultronappearance is fascinating to me, asit shows Ultron in a merged body with their creator - Henry Pym, aka Ant-Man. This half-human, half-robot design is far different from the ways Ultron has looked in the past, making it one to stand out greatly inMarvel Rivals.
This merged"Pymtron"stems from the events ofRage of Ultron, where Ultron and Ant-Man fused into a single entity. While other looks for Ultron, such as those fromAge of UltronorAnnihilation Conquest, are intimidating,this aesthetic adds some humanity that you’d rarely seen from the mechanical menace.
7Grendel Venom (Knull Corrupted)
First Appearance:Venom #1(2018)
WithSeason 3 ofMarvel Rivalsrevolving around Knull, God of the Symbiotes, it’s slightly disappointing that we have not gotten a comic-accurate costume for Venom from that storyline. While a God of Light costume for Venom that he wore to defeat Knull would be excellent, the first time Venom was corrupted by the symbiote hivemind also made for a huge costume change.
Many symbiote-themed skins are being included inMarvel RivalsSeason 3 within its Battle Pass. These include long-requested costumes, such as the Symbiote black suit for Spider-Man and a Venomized Jeff the Land Shark look.
When Venom first came in contact with the Symbiote Dragon Grendel, who had existed since the Viking era centuries prior, both it and Eddie Brock fell victim to the control of Knull. Remotely corrupting them from his prison on Klyntar,Knull’s influence can be seen through a red spiral on Venom’s head, which dissolved the character’s eyes completely. The red veins and black suit showcase a feral side to Venom that once only hinted at the King in Black.
6Black Panther ‘98
First Appearance:Black Panther #1(1998)
Black Panther ‘98marks the first solo run for the character, who originally appeared in The Fantastic Four. Although Black Panther has a few skins inMarvel Rivals, most are original to the game rather than the comics. As the king of the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda in the game’s story, Black Panther’s design is futuristic by default, so a classic uniform might be a great addition to the hero’s wardrobe.
None of Black Panther’s costumes have capes, except for the Galactic Claw costume that has a large collar of fur.Since Black Panther debuted with a cape, it would be excellent to have that representedin the game. While his first Fantastic Four appearance featured an all-black costume, the gold belt, gauntlets, and claws of the ‘98 Black Panther design are iconic enough for an easy alternate look.
5Ultimate Winter Soldier Wolverine
First Appearance:Ultimate Wolverine #1(2025)
Ultimate Wolverineis likely the most recent comic reference on this list, and one of my favorite releases of the medium this year. That is mainly due to how the new Ultimate universetransforms Logan into the Winter Soldier, combining looks from both the classic X-Men and the deadly super-soldier assassin. The mask and covered eyes on a red and black suit create an aura of silent malice seldom seen by the character.
Wolverine has many great comic looks that could be adapted into the game. While hisPatch costume inMarvel Rivalsmimics the character’s time in Madripoor, the black and silver X-Force costume or classic gold and brown X-Men suit are also easy picks to give the hero.
While Season 1 already gave Wolverine a red and black Van Helsing-inspired skin, I feel that Ultimate Wolverine would also be an excellent fit in the game.Adding a skin with a breath effect to mimic the cold exhales of Ultimate Wolverine would greatly add to its cool factor. That being said, unique animations aren’t necessary, as this costume is definitely one of the most distinctive the character has had in years.
4Annihilation Conquest Adam Warlock
First Appearance:Annihilation: Conquest #2(2007)
TheAnnihilation: Conquestcomic series has tons of great costumes for many different characters, including Star-Lord, Ultron, and Mantis. However,Adam Warlockuses a far simpler design than his past iterations, giving him a far clearer look throughout the run. While one could argue that his appearance in this series is similar to his evil alter-ego, Magus,the more grounded costume for the hero sets them apartfrom their usual"golden god"aesthetic.
The black and red costume features several crimson robes without any adornments, with Adam Warlock’s hair being far more disheveled too. This boots-on-the-ground design is highlighted by two red bolts stretching from Warlock’s collar, lighting up when he channels his cosmic powers.This whole costume reflects a more desperate look for the character, which would make it singular inMarvel Rivalsfrom the character’s other cosmetics.
3Maestro Hulk
First Appearance:The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1(1992)
There are many alternate personalities to the Hulk, but theMaestromight be one fans of the comics recognize the most.An evil, intelligent Hulk that rules a dystopian New York in the future, Maestro is the ultimate combination of brain and brawn. Without Bruce Banner’s morality, Maestro is a tyrant whose aged and cruel look is quite different from other Hulk designs you’ll find in the comics.
While fans of comic accuracy may worry that there is no Bruce Banner for a Maestro Hulk to transform into inMarvel Rivals, there are plenty of old Bruce designs that can prevent this from becoming a restriction for including this look as a skin.
Maestro could be excellent as a skin inMarvel Rivals, giving Hulk a costume that reflects a darker version of the character. Similar to The Maker skin for Mister Fantastic or Malice for The Invisible Woman,having Maestro would give players a sinister version of the green gamma hero. Having a comic-accurate design wouldn’t be hard either, unlike more complex Hulk forms like his Gladiator-inspired Green Clad costume or Joe Fixit from Season 2.
2White Queen Emma Frost
First Appearance:Uncanny X-Men #129(1980)
Season 2 introduced Emma Frost inMarvel Rivalsas the host of the Hellfire Gala, but with a new design for the game. In the past,Emma Frost wore a massive white gown, marking her as the White Queen of the Hellfire Club. This classic, comic-accurate look was stunning to say the least, but is still absent from the game in favor of other skins from the character’s history.
The fur coat/cape and the pure white appearance of the White Queen costume lend to Emma’s originas a more intimidating than noble character. While the first appearance of Emma Frost was incredibly revealing and suggestive,Marvel Rivalscould adopt the tamer look of themore recent 2025 version of the outfit. The more regal design of the White Queen costume would make Emma Frost look far more imposing as she marches with her team to battle.
1Trial Of Magneto (Krakoa) Black Suit
First Appearance:Trial Of Magneto #1(2021)
Tragedy can sometimes mark a fantastic fashion switch, such as theBlack Suit Magnetocostume seen in the secondTrials of Magnetocomic series. Unlike the first comic of the same name, which also featured Magneto in a new outfit, this modern run sees Magneto don a new look in grief. Blamed for the death of the Scarlet Witch,Magneto takes on an all-black look, with a trench coat and silver highlights.
Magneto has an existing outfit with similar colors to his comic black suit called Uncanny Blacksteel. This costume is just a recolor from his default outfit, which would allow both it and the black suit to still fit without too much conflict inMarvel Rivals.
This is one of my favorite looks for the master of magnetism, mainly for what it represents visually. IfMarvel Rivalswere to add this costume to the game,it would fit in its comic accuracy with how Magneto seems to mourn a Scarlet Witch from his timeline. The interactions between Scarlet Witch and Magneto within the game already suggest the older mutant’s fondness for the other, as she was his daughter.
The trench coat would also lend a more casual look to Magneto, whose existing skins all resemble battle armor or kingly attire. More casual, comic-accurate looks for many of the characters inMarvel Rivalscould be great choices for potential costumes, but the Black Suit for Magneto is one I would like to see represented the best.
