How Bloodsport From The Suicide Squad Should Really Look
"The Suicide Squad" introduces many great characters from the D-list of DC comics and turns them into well-rounded characters. Writer/director James Gunn literally Googled who was the dumbest DC character ever, and that's the reason Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian) ended up in the script. There are plenty of other supervillains who never really had a chance to shine, like Mongal (Mayling Ng), Weasel (Sean Gunn), and Savant (Michael Rooker), who finally get their time in the sun. The creative team behind the film could've changed a lot about these characters because no one really knows what they look like, but for the most part, they've all retained fairly comic-accurate costumes.
Interestingly enough, the character who has the most significant departure from their comic costume is one of the leads — Bloodsport (Idris Elba). He's a mercenary with access to a cavalcade of weapons and the ability to hit anything precisely on target. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) says in the film that he put Superman in the ICU with a Kryptonite bullet, and just from that, you know he's not to be trifled with. But if you needed more reasons to be scared of him, you just have to get a look at his armor, complete with a skull-inspired helmet.
His outfit may look like it came straight out of the pages of a comic book, but it's a vast departure from what he usually wears.
Bloodsport received some upgrades in The Suicide Squad
Bloodsport was first introduced in 1987's Superman #4, going on a rampage through Metropolis until he encounters the Man of Steel. They have a few skirmishes, one of which ends with Bloodsport shooting Superman with a Kryptonite bullet, where his backstory in "The Suicide Squad" comes from. He had access to a wide range of weaponry, much like his cinematic adaptation, but the primary difference between the two iterations of the character is in their wardrobe.
While Idris Elba gets some armor and a cool helmet, the original Bloodsport wears a tank top, camo pants, and an orange mask. He's pretty much just a guy with a bunch of guns. 1987 Bloodsport may not have had so many tech accessories, but his costume informs us of his backstory. Lex Luthor recruited him after a psych evaluation revealed he suffered from survivor's guilt after his brother died in the Vietnam War, who went off to fight under Bloodsport's name. His psyche broke, and he now believes he also served overseas. His costume is appropriate for a fighter trying to get revenge on those he deems fit as not deserving their freedoms.
Bloodsport kept his original outfit for a while. He even wears it briefly in the "Justice League Unlimited" episode "The Cat and the Canary." However, in recent comics, he's been seen sporting a look similar to what he has in "The Suicide Squad" (via Screen Rant). More than likely, this new attire is here to stay.