2. The Phantom - The Phantom (1996)
Admittedly, Billy Zane and co. had little to work with when devising a feasible costume for this 1996 adaptation of the Lee Falk comic strip of the same name. However, this does not exempt them from their inexcusable depiction of the ghostly-esque crime-fighter. More akin to a fully-grown teletubby than of an acclaimed super detective, Zane's character had all the physical authority of a small child. Though Zane did produce a fairly competent performance, he was consistently marred by an embarrassingly amateur costume. In truth,
The Phantom's costume designers were the embodiment of a fundamental issue with comic book films of the '90s. By realising the comic book appearance in a way which was far too literal, they produced something that felt immature and unheroic. If they had merely had the sense to allow themselves a little artistic licence, then there is every chance that this film could have fared better amongst the general public. Fortunately, this issue has been eradicated amongst the current crop of superhero productions, meaning mediocre attired superheroes are a problem of the past.