DC’s swimsuit special artists on making superheroes recognizable but sexy

The idea of a “superhero swimsuit” is admittedly redundant. A lot of them are practically wearing swimwear anyway! But that’s the scintillating irony at the heart of the superhero swimsuit special: Everybody knows this is kind of ridiculous from the get-go, so why not have fun?

It’s also demonstrably true that a good superhero redesign can be just as electrifying as a great superhero story, and just as challenging to pull off. DC Comics will be paying tribute to that challenge with — what else? — G’nort’s Swimsuit Edition.

The oversize issue will feature a reprinted story from the company’s 2020 summer special, as well as a new eight-page short featuring the Penguin in, quote, “the tightest bathing trunks you can imagine.” But most importantly, it’ll collect dozens of DC’s summer-themed variant covers — at least, the ones that feature swimsuits — drawn by dozens of the company’s top artistic talent.

And here at Polygon, we wanted to know: If so many superheroes are already in their unitards and trunks, what makes for a recognizable, stylish (and maybe even sexy?) superhero bathing suit?

So that’s exactly what we asked seven of the artists whose work will feature in this actually illustrated swimsuit special. Read on for their art, their answers, and an exclusive reveal of one of G’nort’s Swimsuit Special’s new additions: a fold-out pinup poster, just like that other special issue that rhymes with G’nort’s G’Illustrated.

Image: Nicola Scott/DC Comics

Image: Terry Dodson/DC Comics

Nicola Scott: I have two different answers, one cheeky, one not, both honest: It’s gotta fit in all the right places, and it really helps if the cut speaks to the character and their taste.

Terry Dodson: I try to make a swimsuit that echoes the character’s costume or namesake—so it isn’t hard for the reader to instantly recognize the character. For Catwoman, I kept the shapely costume plus the black fabric. And what I really pushed was adding a sash that mimics a cat tail as it runs behind Selina on the cover.

Image: Sweeney Boo/DC Comics

Image: W. Scott Forbes/DC Comics

Sweeney Boo: It’s all about shapes, what’s flattering but not boring, and sexy without being outrageous. For Poison Ivy, I wanted to do something flowy, with movement, just like a plant!

W. Scott Forbes: There shouldn’t be a need to overcomplicate a swimsuit — it still needs to serve a purpose. When I was designing Wonder Woman’s swimsuit, it was important to create something that accentuated her strength along with incorporating the visual elements that define her (red, blue, white stars and gold!). I particularly loved the idea of a two-piece bathing suit that, at first glance, appeared to be a one piece.

Image: Francis Manapul/DC Comics

Image: Babs Tarr/DC Comics

Francis Manapul: I’m not one to give fashion advice, so I’ll give super dad advice. I remember reading an article about color safety in the water; it’s all about visibility. Bright, vibrant colors are the way to go and steer clear of blue and earth tones! Beast Boy definitely got the message.

Babs Tarr: I was inspired to make my piece feel like a 1960s fashion illustration, from the fits all the way down to the textures in the piece. I was asked to do the cover of World’s Finest, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent, two mature men in their 30s. What would they wear to the beach…? I thought to myself.

I also had just watched a lot of White Lotus season 2, which made me think of Bruce because he feels like the type of guy to vacation in Italy (RICH). His fashion tastes would be dark, of course, and matching sets are very in right now. I didn’t want to put him in a mask because OH MY GOD ITS THE BEACH IT WOULD BE SO HOT, CAN YOU IMAGINE?! So to make these two men who are VERY similar in character design stand out, I gave Clark his classic hair curl and — for a little bit of the “lols” for myself — I gave Bruce a subtly sculpted bat symbol in his chest hair, just so they stood out from each other a little more. I also gave Bruce an expensive watch and put the Wayne logo on it, plus some very (let’s be real) expensive sunglasses b/c he probably has a stylist that puts him in very nice things.

The short short bathing suits on the boys was just for me 😉

Image: David Talaski/DC Comics

David Talaski: For Aquaman, no shirt, no shoes, no bathing suit needed! Everything’s swimwear when you’re always wet. His bathing suit (does he even wear one??) should show off his best assets, and by assets, I mean his superhero belt.

Image: Jen Bartel/DC Comics

Artist Jen Bartel crafted this centerfold poster of Poison Ivy, one of four randomly selected centerfolds that readers will find stapled into their copy of G’nort’s Swimsuit Edition. The book itself will hit shelves on Aug. 29.