There have been concerns about the weird designs of Green Lantern and Hawkgirl’s superhero costumes for DC Studios’ Superman reboot, but I’ve worked out why they look so strange, and it makes perfect sense. In recent weeks, a slew of set photos have been leaked from the production of James Gunn’s upcoming Superman, the first feature film of the rebooted DCU. These have provided better looks at David Corenswet’s Superman, Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, and several other exciting new characters, but I’ve been a bit confused about their superhero suit designs.

Superman’s brilliant cast will not only feature the titular Man of Steel, but also a number of other DCU heroes. These include Edi Gathegi’s Michael Holt, a.k.a. Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, a.k.a. Green Lantern, and Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl. These four heroes have been seen in Superman’s set photos, but seem to be sporting wildly different superhero suits to their DC Comics counterparts. These costumes have proved incredibly divisive, but don’t worry, I think I know why they’re so weird, and it could make Superman and the DCU even better.

Click here to check out Superman set photos featuring Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern, and David Corenswet’s Superman.

Click here to check out Superman set photos featuring Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl and Green Lantern.

Hawkgirl & Green Lantern’s New DCU Costumes Have Proved Divisive

While Edi Gathegi’s superhero costume as Michael Holt’s Mister Terrific is very comic-accurate, the others’ are far from it. Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern and Hawkgirl’s suits have been dulled-down significantly, which has caused a stir among fans of the iconic heroes in DC Comics. Usually, Guy Gardner has a vibrant costume as Green Lantern, comprising a black full-body suit with a bright green jacket displaying the Green Lantern logo. Similarly, Hawkgirl’s DC Comics costume is epic, metallic, and kitted out with huge wings.

Many, including myself, have expressed concerns about the cheap-looking designs of Guy Gardner and Hawkgirl’s costumes in Superman’s set photos. After his successful development of Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, as well as the DCEU’s The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, there are higher expectations for Superman writer and director and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, so some have voiced their disappointment. However, there is one clear reason why these superhero suits look so lackluster, and, if I’m right, this could actually be incredible.

1 Detail Suggests The Reason Behind Superman’s Weird Costumes

Some have noticed that Mister Terrific, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl’s costumes share one small detail in Superman’s set photos. That is the logo of Lord Technologies, which adorns each of their chests, suggesting that these costumes aren’t actually their original superhero suits, but are in fact part of a uniform, intended to make them all look like part of a team. If sponsored by Lord Technologies, it seems Maxwell Lord will play an important role for Superman‘s uniformed heroes, which makes me think one formidable DC Comics team will debut in the DCU’s first feature film.

Theory: Justice League International Is Set Up In Superman

Maxwell Lord is no stranger to the world of superheroes in DC Comics, most notably as he acts as the manager of the Justice League International. Before his history was rewritten, Maxwell Lord was influenced by the villainous intelligence Kilg%re to form the Justice League International as part of his nefarious plan for world domination. In his rewritten timeline, Lord brought together the Justice League International for his own evil purposes, hoping to render the team as ineffectual as possible, discrediting superheroes, while collecting information on the world’s superpowered beings.

Whichever backstory is adapted into the DCU’s Superman, Maxwell Lord will surely play a pivotal role in the movie. Introducing Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl as the Justice League International means that their disappointing costumes make sense, as Maxwell Lord would have designed uniforms to brand them better, make them more human so civilians adore them, and strip away their individuality to make them feel more like a team. This fills me with hope that Green Lantern and Hawkgirl will get comic-accurate costumes in Superman, but also makes me very excited about the Justice League International’s debut.