You’re scrolling Instagram, walking through the mall, or mid-set at the gym and you start seeing it everywhere. Batman logos on compression shirts. Superman hoodies. Spider-Man colorways splashed across training gear.
Fashion giants like YoungLA are collaborating with DC Comics. Darc Sport's dropping Wolverine and Street Fighter collections. Gymshark just launched a whole superhero colorway-inspired line with their ONYX collection. And they are selling out instantly.
The strange thign is, it’s not just “nerdy” guys wearing it. You’re seeing traditionally masculine, tough-guy figures like Ryan Garcia, Mike O’Hearn, Tyga, Ashton Hall, and Jay Cutler repping these pieces. When the hardest guys in the room are comfortable wearing comic-inspired gear, it’s no longer about fandom.
But why are all these brands suddenly buying up IP’s like candy?
Here's the thing: this isn't random. There's actually something way bigger happening here that's changing how men dress entirely.
Strict rules around subcultures are dead. And what's replacing them is way more interesting.
The Old Rules Don't Exist Anymore
Let's rewind for a second.
Twenty years ago, your clothes were basically a membership card. Skaters wore Vans and baggy pants. Punks had the leather jacket and spiked hair. Hipsters showed up with beards, thick-rimmed glasses, and vintage band tees. You dressed like your group, and that's how people knew where you belonged.
If you wore the uniform but didn't actually belong to the subculture? You were a poser. End of story.
But that whole system's completely collapsed now. Today, the same guy can own a Balenciaga tracksuit, some vintage Carhartts, and a cashmere sweater, and nobody thinks twice. He can rock a Batman compression shirt at the gym and then throw on a blazer for dinner. Zero judgment.
Why? Because the internet killed the gatekeeping.
Gen Z grew up scrolling through TikTok and Instagram seeing every style, every vibe, every aesthetic all at once. Locking into just one forever feels limiting when you're exposed to a thousand different looks every single day. '
Welcome to the New Age of "Aesthetics"
Comic books, anime, superheroes — these aren't "nerd stuff" anymore. They're mainstream culture. They're part of how guys define themselves now. So when YoungLA releases Batman gear or Darc Sport drops a Wolverine collab, they're not just selling workout clothes. They're selling an identity merge.
Instead of subcultures with strict rules, we've got what people are calling "aesthetics" now. Or "cores" if you're extremely online.
Normcore. Gorpcore. Cottagecore. Blokecore. There's literally an endless list.
But here's the key difference: aesthetics aren't communities you join for life. They're vibes you rotate through based on mood, situation, or just what sounds fun that day.
And clearly guys are loving it because this stuff sells out in minutes.
Why This Actually Matters (It's Not Just About T-Shirts)
On the surface, this looks like fashion just getting weirder. But there's something deeper going
The old subculture model was rigid. You picked a lane and stayed in it. What you wore was about fitting a uniform, not expressing personality. If your interests didn’t perfectly match the rules of that group, you either hid parts of yourself or felt out of place.
Now it’s the opposite. What you wear can reflect your interests, your taste, and your energy without locking you into a single identity. You can be a gym guy who loves Batman. A runner who’s into anime. A lifter who grew up on Spider-Man. None of that conflicts anymore. It actually adds character.
That flexibility is what personal style is supposed to be. Not copying a template, but letting your interests show up in small, intentional ways. A Batman compression shirt isn’t just “gym merch” anymore. It’s a signal. Same with anime collabs, comic references, or nostalgia pieces. They give people a read on you before you ever open your mouth.
Brands picked up on this fast. They’re not selling to “gym guys” or “comic fans” separately. They’re selling to guys who live at the intersection of both. That overlap is where modern style lives, and it’s why these collections move so fast.
Fitness brands finally realized something important: their customers aren’t one-dimensional. They train hard, but they also care about culture, nostalgia, and identity. Letting all of that show up in one outfit doesn’t dilute style. It gives it depth.
Subcultures Are Fluid Now
When subcultures had rules, they also had depth. Being punk wasn't just about the jacket — it was about the politics, the music, the whole anti-establishment thing. Skateboarding wasn't just Vans and a board — it was creativity, rebellion, community.
Now, with aesthetic fluidity, you can wear the look without any of the substance behind it. You can rep a Batman shirt because it looks cool without ever caring about the character. You can dress like a skater without touching a board.
That's not necessarily bad. But it does mean style has become more about appearance than actual identity. More about looking the part than being the part.
So What Does This Mean for You?
If subcultures are dead and aesthetics are in, what's the actual move here?
Simple: stop trying to fit into one box.
Lean into whatever you're actually into, even if it doesn't "match" according to old rules. If you lift and you're obsessed with Attack On Titan, wear the anime tee. If you're into streetwear but also love westerns, mix them. Nobody's keeping score anymore.
The goal isn't picking a lane and staying there forever. It's building a rotation of aesthetics that actually reflect who you are. Let your interests show up in what you wear. That's what makes personal style interesting now — the unexpected combinations, the crossover vibes, and the willingness to just have fun with it.
Fashion doesn't have rules anymore. Just options. And honestly? That's way better.
- Forte Team