Avengers: Infinity War is quickly shaping up to be the biggest movie of 2018. The culmination of ten years of work across eighteen films, the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe represents a fantastic achievement. Thousands of movie theaters around The United States have reported selling out their theaters, even as they plan on presenting a wide variety of special opening-night events.
One thing that movie-goers can expect to see at some theaters on opening night are cosplayers dressed as their favorite Marvel Comics characters. These costumes can run the gamut from intensely researched recreations of costumes from the movies to intricate constructions based on the classic comics. Some cosplayers even show imagination that equals their skill in crafting a costume, basing cosplays around a mash-up of two characters or presenting alternate “What If?” takes on a classic concept.
With that in mind we (with the assistance of the photographers at Cosplay Illustrated and Kabooooom) present these pictures of a few of these talented craters of costumes, who have worked a special kind of magic in bringing our favorite comic book characters to life.
Here now, in no particular order, are 20 Incredible Avengers Cosplayers That Would Win The Infinity War.
Captain America/Thor Mash-Up
Sadly, the mystic Uru hammer Mjölnir was destroyed in Thor: Ragnarok before we had a chance to see if Captain America would prove worthy of wielding it in battle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans of the Captain America and Thor comics know well that Steve Rogers wielded The Odinson’s main weapon with honor. Indeed, Captain America was even offered a place in Valhalla after his passing!
This armored cosplay by Captain Ameridad presents one vision of how Captain America might appear were he to fully gain The Power of Thor. He wields Mjölnir in one hand and the Vibranium shield in the other, of course, but also bears a resplendent metal breastplate with the stars and stripes of the American flag. There is also a matching helmet, with an eagle’s wings on the side, in tribute to the classic Captain America mask.
Spider-Man (Original Costume from Homecoming)
The interesting paradox of cosplay is that it takes just as much effort to make a costume that appears to be of poor quality as it does to make a museum piece. In fact, some costumers have a harder time after years of experience making something functional that looks like it was made by an amateur than they do making something fantastic.
Such is the challenge of this costume, meant to replicate Peter Parker’s first attempt at making his own super-suit in Spider-Man: Homecoming. With erratic stitching, clunky web-shooters and a general piecemeal appearance, this is one of the rare times when saying that a costume looks like it might have been shoved in a backpack along with some dirty gym clothes is a compliment!
Gamora
Cosplay is not just about designing a costume and then sewing it together. Hair and make-up are also important considerations for most costumes. A poorly styled wig or the wrong color of foundation can sink a cosplay as surely as an improperly stitched seam.
This Gamora cosplay by Darian Armani is proof that sometimes a costume has less to do with the clothing a character wears and more to do with their hair and make-up.
She has chosen the right shade of green to match Gamora’s skin tone, contoured it and replicated the character’s distinctive forehead and facial scars. Her hair has perfectly captured the gradient effect from the film where Gamora’s hair transitioned from a natural dark shade to a brighter magenta at the tips.
Heimdall
Portrayed by Idris Elba in all three Thor movies and Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Norse god Heimdall cuts an imposing figure as easily as he cuts down enemies with his signature greatsword. He is more defender than warrior, however, despite his dour nature. Granted amazing powers of foresight by The Allfather Odin, there is little that occurs in The Nine Realms that Heimdall cannot hear or see. This makes him the perfect guardian for The Bifrost Bridge that leads in and out of Asgard.
Though this sentinel seemingly stands guard over a dimly-lit hotel hallway, this cosplayer has perfectly captured the essence of Heimdall from the films.
With a perfectly reconstructed set of armor and the helmet of his cinematic inspiration, the only foe this watchman cannot conquer is low doorways.
Black Widow
There are some who will say that British Pixie Cosplay looks far too cheerful in this picture to be a convincing Black Widow. Granted, SHIELD Agent Natasha Romanoff (or Natalia Romanov, depending on which backstory you go by) does tend to be dour and her smiles are as rare as a warm day in Russia. But who is to say she couldn’t have a good day once and a while and feel like smiling?
Expression aside, her costume proves a perfect replica of the classic Black Widow catsuit from the comics, with the addition of SHIELD logos on the shoulders and a belt with the infamous red widow-mark symbol like her costume in the movies. Another subtle accessory is the golden-bullet bracelets, which evoke Black Widow’s costume in the 1970s, when she frequently teamed up with Daredevil.
Doctor Strange
The level of detail on this Doctor Strange cosplay is truly magical. The boots appear to be the same style as the ones worn by Benedict Cumberbatch. The tunic has been dyed to be the precise shade of blue to match the costume from the movie.
The accessories all look perfect, with Stephen Strange possessing a set of Sling Rings and The Eye of Agamotto.
Even The Cloak of Levitation is on-point, despite a little droopiness on one side of the collar.
The only thing that might keep you from mistaking this cosplayer for the real thing is that the real Doctor Strange does not hang his keys on his belt. He deposits them in a convenient pocket dimension so that he doesn’t forget where he left them.
Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers)
There are rumors that Brie Larson might make an appearance in Avengers: Infinity War as Captain Marvel. While there’s no way of knowing the truth until the movie comes out, we know for a fact that if Carol Danvers does make an appearance that she will be appearing in her modern uniform as Captain Marvel and not one of her earlier outfits from when she used the codenames Ms. Marvel or Warbird.
Scarlett Wolf Cosplay captured the essence of Carol Danvers’ Warbird suit - a lightning-bolt embossed leotard with matching boots and opera gloves along with a domino mask and Ms. Marvel’s trademark sash. A fetching ensemble to be sure and one the nigh-invulnerable Carol Danvers could wear without complaint. However, this costume did nothing to capture the essence of Carol’s soldier status, which was why it was changed in the comics when she took the Captain Marvel name.
Winter Soldier
James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes was Steve Rogers’ best friend growing up. That friendship would survive even through the conditioning that saw Bucky transformed into the master-assassin known as The Winter Soldier. It would inspire Steve Rogers to abandon his position as Captain America, leading to a Civil War between The Avengers and Bucky taking up the title of The White Wolf in Avengers: Infinity War.
The key piece of this Winter Soldier cosplay by Secret Alias Man is the metal arm, which was built using a three-dimensional printer.
He than sanded, primed and painted the plastic arm sleeves to give it a proper metallic sheen that looks like real metal even up-close. The rest of the ensemble is equally true to detail, from the wig styled to match Bucky’s haircut to the boots on his feet.
Hela
This cosplay of Hela from Thor: Ragnarok by Isley Cosplay is an amazing piece of work any way you look at it. From the body suit which is embroidered with appropriate Kirbyesque designs to the billowing cape and smoky eye makeup, this is one costume that perfectly encapsulated the essence of the comic book character’s classic design.
For all the subtle details, the most impressive aspect of this costume may be its most obvious feature - the headdress.
In the movie, Hela’s headgear was rendered almost entirely through CGI. Here, however, the helmet is 100% real, 100% solid and a pain in the butt to work through narrow hotel halls. At least, it would be, if the sight of this Goddess wasn’t frightening enough to clear a path before her.
Medieval Black Panther Cosplay
What if T’Challa ruled Westeros instead of Wakanda? That question seems to have been answered by this cosplay by BRuthCosplay, which presents a medieval imagining of Marvel’s Black Panther that brings to mind the armor of The Night’s Watch from A Game Of Thrones.
Doubtlessly T’Challa would prove a more able ruler than most of those currently arguing over The Iron Throne, though we’re unlikely to see an official crossover anytime soon. It’s a shame for those who wish to see if Vibranium could match Valyrian Steel.
Either way, with an intricate amount of detail devoted to every aspect of the armor and weapons, and an imaginative central concept, this is an interesting costume by any measure. Even the Spider-Man in the background seems impressed!
Gamora
The level of detail that goes into some cosplay costumes is truly mind-boggling. Take, for instance, this cosplay of Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy.
Consider the effort that had to go into finding the right boots, the right pants and the right top. Think about the time spent on replicating Gamora’s scars and planning the make-up to duplicate that effect. Reflect upon the wig and how long it took to properly dye and style it to match Zoe Saldana’s hair in the movie. Then think about how many hours of work went into assembling all of this and how long was spent on painting and sealing her body to be the right shade of green without fear of rubbing off onto the leather of the shirt.
The recreation of Gamora’s signature sword Godslayer alone is an impressive piece of work!
Spider-Armor Spider-Man
Avengers: Infinity War will reportedly see Peter Parker taking up the “Iron Spider’ costume that Tony Stark built for him at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. While Tony Stark did build a similar suit for Peter in the comics, right before the beginning of the original Civil War event, it was not the first time that Spider-Man armored up.
That first “Iron Spider” costume is recreated here by a Spider-Fan who worked real metal plates over a standard black Spider-Man suit to tremendous effect.
Officially known as “The Spider Armor Suit”, this costume made its first and last appearance in Web of Spider-Man #100. The story saw Peter Parker develop a metallic version of his usual costume that reduced his mobility while making him bullet-proof. Peter would abandon the costume after one use, deciding he was better off trying to evade attacks than rolling with the punches.
Elsa/Thor Mash-Up
When Disney first bought Marvel Comics, many joked that Thor - whose power rested in the hands of an unknown woman at the time - was now a Disney Princess. That joke seems less funny in the face of this formidable figure, who combined the power of The Odinson with the ice magic of Elsa from Frozen to create her own character - The Mighty Elsa, Queen of Thunder and Ice!
This costume by Built By Brit is a worthy work as well-constructed as it is imaginative.
The designs of the dress and cape are fantastic but what truly sets this costume apart is her specially constructed Mjölnir.
The hammer glows with the same white-blue light as Elsa’s magic in the movie, highlighting the tiny icicles that hang from the sides and bottom of Thor’s signature weapon.
Tony Stark
Some people are turned away from cosplay as a hobby because of the apparent expense. Granted, it can be pricey given the cost of fabric, thread and a sewing machine. A costume made of high-end fabrics such as leather or constructed out of plastic can become even more expensive when the cost of specialty tools are factored in. In fact, the final price tag on some professional costumes can wind up costing thousands of dollars, even without accounting for the man-hours needed for assembly.
Thankfully, DTXStark proves that you don’t need to be a billionaire to play the part of one. Sometimes all you need to be a superhero is a suit, an appropriate color shirt with a matching tie, the right pair of sunglasses and an immaculately styled goatee. Of course, the light-up gauntlet helps.
Dora Milaje
When most people think of cosplay, they imagine hotels or convention centers. While this is the most likely place one may find cosplayers, it is not the only venue for cosplay events. Comic book shops and movie theaters frequently encourage cosplayers to attend certain special events in costume. Some comic shops even host regular gatherings and workshops for those who are interested in learning more about the hobby. Even some community centers, schools, universities and public libraries have begun to organize their own cosplay-themed events.
This is why one of the Dora Milaje - the amazonian legion who act as personal bodyguards to the King of Wakanda - is standing guard in the middle of a library. The above picture captures cosplayer Phyllis Sanders Gilchrist at attention, making sure that peace and quiet are kept by any means necessary.
Kid Guardians of the Galaxy
Most children love Halloween and the opportunity to become someone else (or something else) by donning a costume. For kids who cosplay, however, Halloween comes more than once a year and can bring about more substantial rewards than candy.
Many conventions hold special contests for young cosplayers. Even the ones that don’t usually have a “junior” category as part of a larger costume contest for costumers of all ages. What amazes some people is the detail that the kids put into their costumes often rivals that of their adult counterparts and that many of them learn how to sew or build as well as any adult.
We imagine this trio of award-winning Guardians cosplayers may have gotten a little help, but they look amazing either way.
Some cosplayers face certain expectations because of their body type or hair color. For instance, virtually every redhead female cosplayer has been told that they should dress up as Poison Ivy or Black Widow. The flip side of this expectation is that so many cosplayers who are just starting out will dress as Dr. Pamela Isley or Natasha Romanoff that it becomes difficult for one to differentiate one’s self among the pack of all the other ladies in leafy leotards or leather catsuits.
Despite this, Velvet Locks manages to stand apart, in a Black Widow costume that draws more inspiration from the comic books than from anything ever worn by Scarlett Johansson. With a golden belt and matching “Widow-Bite” bracelets off-setting her cat suit, she has established herself as a classy, classic Widow.
Falcon
Introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson is quite a different character in the movies compared to the comics.
In the movies, Sam is an ex-soldier - a USAF Pararescue Airman trained in the use of a special jet-pack that allows him true flight capability. In the comics, Sam was a reformed criminal brainwashed into playing the part of a superhero as part of a plot against Captain America, who would break his programming to become a true hero. Both versions of Sam Wilson went on to become steadfast allies of Steve Rogers, with the comic version taking up his identity as Captain America on more than one occasion.
While this winged jet-pack replica doesn’t allow The Legendary TT-P to fly, it’s still an impressive piece of work that makes him a dead ringer for the MCU version of Sam Wilson.
Loki and Thanos
Regardless of where one sits on the political fence, one can probably agree that the American people are fortunate that they did not have to choose between Loki, Prince of Asgard and Thanos, The Mad Titan, when it came time to cast their most recent ballots for President. Loki would probably troll the populace with his promises to Make Asgard Great Again, leaving people begging for the destruction that Thanos promised to deliver to half of the population if elected.
All political joking aside, it must be said that Ninth Realm Cosplay (Loki) and Mad Titan Cosplay (Thanos, naturally) did a fantastic job in bringing their respective characters to life, in a tribute to the 2016 comic book mini-series Vote Loki. Now, if only Howard The Duck were there as well…
Groot
A mere photograph does little to impart the true glory of this costume of Guardians of the Galaxy’s breakout character, Groot. The construction of the wooden surface of the body is impressive enough. The leafy bits of moss among the grooves of the “bark” are a nice touch.
What truly astounds the casual observer is the size of this costume!
The wearer walks on silts, which lends Groot an appropriate sense of height while also emulating his lumbering gait. (See what we did there?) The plush Rocket doll attached to the left leg is a fun little accessory but it also helps to offer a frame of reference for just how huge this costume is.
What else is there to say? He is Groot!
Have another amazing Avengers cosplayer who deserves a shout out? Let us know in the comments!
