I was actually trying out for character designer on The Batman at the time I drew this so…I can see how Matsuda’s influence leaked out. I was really trying hard to draw like him for the job. I didnt get it by the way.

The Shi’ar orange and brown probably remains so popular because they more closely evoke the emotions we associate with Wolverine. With such a positive fan response (I used to have a friend in elementary school who SWORE the orange and brown was his “new” costume and it was coming out any day now) I’m starting to think the only reason the blues and yellows get a stay of execution is because of lingering fanboy nostalgia.

Bleh, I hate us sometimes.

Having said all that, I really like this design. It’s similar enough to his previous costumes that we can still recognize him, but different enough that it feels…how did Eric put it? Contemporary. So yeah, I agree with what he said. The only thing I’m not 100% crazy about is the collar area, but I’m sure I’d be able to get over it with time, if he were to wear this thing around. I like the X symbols on his shoulders in the sketch at the bottom, too. I think they could work out great if they were incorporated into the design. Thumbs up! Also, I’m digging the art style, too! So there you go. It’s cool!

As for seams, I too really like them when drawn well, I like the Milk ads for the Superman movie and you can see the seams on his arms and torso, highlighting physique and for Superman, and here on Wolvie, the streamlined nature of the costume. Doug Mahnke does some good work using seams on his recent Batman arc.

Overall I like this design both for the character and the style of the artist. I’m not sure how it would be rendered by another hand however.

But, for those in the yellow and blue camp, this is a pretty slick design. The changes are subtle, but we like subtle, don’t we? The proportions, such as belt-to-torso and “ears”-to-mask, and the emphasis of the seams go a long way to convey the sense of a dimunitive powerhouse that so many people are happy to see. The blue-on-blue stripes on the boots are a nice continuation of the suits general motif, and I like the softened intensity of the color scheme.

Generally, this looks like a design for animation, with it’s tendency towards simplified shapes (no hair on them arms!) and the exagerated expressiveness of the eyes. I wouldn’t mind a team of animated X-man built along these lines.

Tangent: Seams. When did comics finally discover seams? They’re everywhere, all of a sudden. When used well, as in the above design, they can add a subtle dynamism to a costume. When used badly, they get awfully distracting. Powergirl is the showcase for both very good (Amanda Conner) and very bad (Jim Lee, Phil Jimenez, Ian Churchill… and, well, really everybody but Amanda Conner) seams.

If I was doing Wolverine, which I’m not because I’m a whiney fanboy who can barely draw so instead just complains about other peoples drawings, I would put him in the tan and brown suit, except I’d make the tan / orange color more of a goldenrod color to bring the classic Wolverine yellow in. I still can’t decide whether I like the big pointy mask or the smaller more sleek mask. You’ve made the smaller fins look really good in this picture though, so at the moment you’ve got me leaning that way.

I do like: colors, gloves & boots
I don’t like: The unbelievable physique. Those arms are HUGE, and the ligs are scrawny. If the bones in the forarm and hands are covered in adimantium he would be the slowest fighter in the world.