Marvel’s She-Hulk debuts a brand-new costume in her 2026 crossover appearance. Unlike most heroes and villains who debut new costumes periodically, the most dramatic differences in Hulk designs stem entirely from the unique artistic style of the pencilers that draw him. The Green Goliath’s physical proportions, bone structure, and facial features alter drastically depending on the creative team’s vision. For example, legendary artist Jack Kirby originally rendered the Hulk with a heavy, thick-browed Frankenstein-esque build, and Sal Buscema redefined him with sleek muscles built for dynamic action.
She-Hulk reflects a mixed approach, as she also undergoes drastic physical redesigns, but also switches outfits and costumes like any other superhero. Jennifer Walters’ original 1980s debut introduced a statuesque powerhouse who balanced her emerald muscle tone with standard spandex glamour from John Buscema’s pen. Then, John Byrne embraced a sleeker, fashion-forward athletic build and highlighted She-Hulk’s iconic wild hair. The 2000s gave Jennifer Walters a remarkably thin, traditional model-like appearance before the 2010s took a 180° turn with She-Hulk’s “Savage” era following the Civil War II fallout. Most recently, the franchise completely reinvented the moniker with the brand-new character Lejori Joena Zakaria.
Parallel to Ultimate She-Hulk’s key role in Earth-6160’s collapse, Marvel’s main She-Hulk, Jennifer Walters, enjoys a break from traditional superhero antics to show off her fashion sense.
She-Hulk Wears Black Widow’s Forgotten First Costume
Infernal Hulk #9 Hellfire Costume Swap Variant Cover By Simone Di Meo
Jennifer Walters attends this year’s Hellfire Gala wearing an obscure part of Black Widow’s Marvel Comics history. Inspired by the Hellfire Gala’s costume swap theme, She-Hulk borrows Natasha Romanoff’s first-ever superhero costume, the black-and-blue fishnet dress and domino mask Natasha dropped early in her career. Although Black Widow’s first costume was highly impractical from the start, it now suits high-fashion events like the Hellfire Gala, especially considering how well it highlights She-Hulk’s bodybuilder physique.
She-Hulk isn’t the only hero wearing a colleague’s outdated costume. While Moon Knight looks even cooler than usual wearing Black Knight’s armor, Laura Kinney’s Patch outfit looks even better on her than it does on Logan, and Spider-Gwen steals the show wearing a Silk-inspired dress, Tony Stark shows how absurd Hawkeye’s classic costume has always been. And like She-Hulk’s classic Black Widow dress, Scarlet Witch dusts off Polaris’ ridiculous Malice costume for the 2026 Hellfire Gala.
Black Widow’s First Costume Proves How Perfect Natasha Romanoff’s Redesign Really Is
Natasha Romanoff’s Debut Look Is Virtually Nonexistent Now
Black Widow’s legendary 1970 black bodysuit redesign virtually erased her original look from the collective memory. When Natasha Romanoff made her comic book debut in 1964’s Tales of Suspense #52, she wore an already dated fishnet dress, a purple cape, and an oversized masquerade-style domino mask. This retro look was completely discarded when artist John Romita Sr. introduced Black Widow’s iconic, form-fitting black catsuit equipped with golden wrist stingers and a matching utility belt. Black Widow’s sleek transformation was so well aligned with her espionage archetype and her spider-themed moniker that it banished her original outfit to oblivion.
Hulk Lore’s 7 Greatest Superhero Designs Of All Time, Ranked
The Hulk is one of Marvel’s most unique heroes of all time, with an instantly recognizable design. But many of his allies have awesome designs too.
Something similar has happened to other famous Marvel heroes. For example, Carol Danvers spent years wearing her ultra-tight Ms. Marvel leotard. While this look enjoyed a long run, Jamie McKelvie’s brilliant 2012 redesign completely reinvented Carol’s identity with a full-body military flight suit featuring a navy, red, and gold color scheme. Similarly, Rogue debuted in 1981’s Avengers Annual #10 wearing a bright green tracksuit and a short hairstyle before she overhauled her whole style with a yellow-and-green X-Men costume, a brown leather jacket, and voluminous curly hair.
Male heroes have also gone through similar changes. Wonder Man originally entered the Marvel Universe wearing a remarkably garish, mismatched green-and-red tunic topped off with a high collar and a giant, clunky “W” belt buckle. This awkward outfit was permanently laid to rest during the late 1970s when Simon Williams adopted a more contemporary aesthetic consisting of a simple black turtleneck safari jacket, dark sunglasses, and a red emblem across his chest. Meanwhile, Beast started out as a slightly muscular human-looking hero before he developed his full feline features, and Daredevil’s red redesign completely buried his original yellow palette.
Which Black Widow costume is your favorite?
Infernal Hulk #9 is available from Marvel Comics July 15, 2026.
- Alias
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Natasha Romanoff
- Comic Books
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Black Widow #1
- Race
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Human mutant