Since 2021, Marvel Comics has presented a special one-shot issue each year featuring the Hellfire Gala - a formal event organized by Emma Frost on behalf of the mutants of Krakoa and the X-Men. The Hellfire Gala attendees watch as readers vote for the official members of the next X-Men team for the coming year.
In Marvel's own words, this year's Hellfire Gala, coming in July, will include "shocking revelations, stunning betrayals, horrifying tragedy…and of course, the most glamourous looks of the year!" Marvel has already released some of these looks through a series of variant cover previews depicting characters in their finest evening wear. As always, the Hellfire Gala is the pinnacle of fashion in Marvel Comics, and some of the 2023 looks are truly spectacular.
10 Emma Frost
Kris Anka - Invincible Iron Man #8
Emma Frost is one of Marvel's best dressed heroes. After joining the Quiet Council, she ordered the resurrection of Jumbo Carnation, a mutant fashion designer who designed many of her and her lieutenants' clothes. Always dressed in white to reflect her status as White Queen of the Hellfire Club, every outfit Emma wears is a showstopper.
As host of the Hellfire Gala, obviously Emma Frost wants to be the best dressed person there. This year’s outfit is her best yet. A series of leather straps and “X” charms form the base of the look, covered by a white tuxedo, then a dramatic voluminous coat, with embellishing chunky diamonds referencing her powers.
9 Black Panther
Mateus Manhanini - Black Panther #2
As king of Wakanda, Black Panther T’Challa has probably always had professional stylists dressing him, and he typically looks impeccable as a result. This year’s Hellfire Gala look is no exception. T’Challa has drawn on his African culture to create a look that is both personal and elegant.
Shown next to a spectral panther on his variant cover, T’Challa is wearing a black double-breasted suit with a long shirt and cape. Brightly patterned gold fabric is slung over one shoulder, while his shirt and cape lining sport another vivid purple African print. His look is vibrant, yet refined.
8 Firestar
Stephanie Hans - Spider-Man #10
Firestar is one of the newest members of the always-stylish X-Men team, and she has spent the past year trying to prove herself and increase her confidence as a hero. That increased confidence is on full display in her Hellfire Gala ensemble, which is dramatic, revealing, and shows off her powers.
A sparkling leotard forms the base of Firestar’s Hellfire Gala look, with her hero logo front and center. Thigh-high boots cover her legs, but the show-stopping element of her look is the voluminous-sleeved cloak she wears over the rest, trimmed and glowing from within with flames from her fire-generating abilities.
7 Venom
Joshua Cassara - Venom #22
Few people would have guessed that one of the best dressed attendees of the Hellfire Gala would be Venom. The alien symbiote has elevated its game for the event though, transforming into a version of formal wear that is fashionable and refined, while still very obviously being a symbiote.
Eddie Brock’s son, Dylan, is wearing Venom to the Gala, and he cuts a commanding figure despite his youth. Venom has taken the form of a single-breasted suit, with a black and white pattern reminiscent of the symbiote’s traditional form. Instead of a shirt, Dylan’s neck is surrounded by red flesh and vicious fangs, revealing a glimpse of Venom’s more savage side.
6 Hellcat
Betsy Cola - Amzaing Spider-Man #30
Patsy Walker, otherwise known as Hellcat, may be a street-level hero, but she is also a wealthy socialite, and therefore no stranger to elaborate galas and formal wear. Despite her upper-class pedigree, however, Patsy prefers to stay a bit more rough around the edges, and this is reflected in her toned-down but elegant look for the Hellfire Gala.
Hellcat has used her hero costume as the inspiration for her Gala look’s color palette. Flowing blue fabric drapes from her cat-ear-shaped headdress to a heavy gold belt, then splits into loose layers around her gold tights. Her minimal accessories include a sheer gold cape and blue gloves tipped with sharp gold claws. Patsy looks elegant but ready for a fight.
5 Moon Knight
W. Scott Forbes - Moon Knight #25
Moon Knight was a surprise addition to the roster for the Hellfire Gala, but he has certainly risen to the occasion, fashion-wise. Moon Knight is known for his all-white ensembles, and often sports sophisticated suits in his everyday life. His Gala look takes elements from his normal style, but kicks things up a notch.
For his Hellfire Gala look, Moon Knight wears a one-piece bodysuit with sparkly cut-out panels in the front and on the sides. A silver crescent moon belt gives a nod to his hero persona, while the cape and head covering reference his hero costumes. His chunky white boots are less refined, but look ready for action, should the need arise.
4 Miles Morales
Bernard Chang - Miles Morales: Spider-Man #8
Miles Morales has one of the best Spider-Man costumes, so it’s no surprise that he’s also one of the best dressed people at the Hellfire Gala. In costume, Miles is completely covered in fabric. For his Gala look, Miles has left the top of his head uncovered, perhaps as a nod to the prejudice many people of color experience due to culture-specific hairstyles.
The suit Miles Morales is sporting combines traditional elements like the stripes on his tuxedo pants, with modern references to his costume in the cut and pattern of his jacket. Miles has chosen a more athletic shoe to pair with his look, with lace-up red and purple boots that leave him ready for anything.
3 Professor X
Lucas Werneck - Ultimate Invasion #2
In his regular life, the secretive Professor X sports an incredibly minimalist costume: a simple black bodysuit and his omnipresent Cerebro helmet. Charles Xavier’s Hellfire Gala look builds on his typical costume by adding simple but refined formal elements: a shining silver breastplate, and a split cloak that forms an X with its silver trim.
The focal point of Xavier’s Gala look is his embellished Cerebro helmet. Most noticeable is the large silver halo that surrounds his head. Given recent events, it seems likely this is an attempt to make himself look more virtuous in the wake of his role in world domination during Sins of Sinister.
2 Jean Grey
Russell Dauterman - Storm #3
Jean Grey and Cyclops have one of the longest-running Marvel relationships. However, the pair have recently been fighting more often. Perhaps it is this strife that motivated her to don one of the most spectacular and eye-catching ensembles at the Hellfire Gala, in stark contrast to her normal muted costume.
Jean’s Hellfire Gala look is absolutely glowing with sparkles. Her flowing dark green skirt features brilliant emerald greens, referencing her usual costume color. Her thigh-high boots blend from green to fiery orange, in a nod to her time spent as the godlike Phoenix. Jean Grey is one of the most powerful beings alive, and her outfit amplifies her already impressive presence.
1 Talon and Synch
Mahmud Asrar - Wolverine #35/X-Men #24
Synch and Talon have one of the most epic love stories in Marvel comics. The pair spent centuries trapped in The Vault together, fighting for their lives. They separated when Synch managed to escape and Talon was thought dead, but a subsequent mission found Talon and brought her back.
Since Talon’s return, she and Synch have understandably been inseparable, and this is reflected in their matching Hellfire Gala outfits. Talon’s outfit features tight shiny fabric, spiky shoulders, a lace cut-out, and a gold belt and sandals, reminiscent of Krakoan architecture. Synch’s shirtless suit mimics the spiky shoulders and includes similar gold accents, making it clear that the two are intimately connected.