Cosplay has undergone something of reformation over the past several years. What used to be something that geeky anime lovers at OtakuCons did on a lark has now become high art in many circles. And with the rise of reality shows like Syfy's "Heroes of Cosplay" the urge to dress up as your favorite comic book character for the weekend isn't frowned upon...it's almost universally accepted.

Then there are artists like Sasha Goldberger who are just taking the whole cosplay thing to the next level.  He recently held an exhibition at the School Gallery Paris for his latest work: "Transforming Pop Culture Icons into 16th Century Flemish Aristocrats." It's akin to the looks and styles that were used in Marvel's "1602" maxi-series that was written by Neil Gaiman, but I have to say that these are much better realized.

Goldberger, and the huge team he credits behind the costuming and makeup, has produced some incredible images, and the level of detail is extraordinary. The whole series features the likes of Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, and other Marvel and DC heroes, as well as several Star Wars characters. Thanks to io9 for the tip.

Check out Goldberger's Facebook page for more of his work, and some of his coolest, old-school super hero are creations below: