Evolution of Character Design

In the mix of random thoughts that pass through my head throughout the day, I thought I'd use the following one as a discussion point for the blog and get some of your opinions on this.

Being an avid comic book collector since before I knew how to actually read, I find the characters I know and love going through various developments and identity changes. This isn't completely foreign, as the world of comic books has a constantly revolving number of writers and artists that all want to have their own take and vision for the characters. What I want to elaborate on and see how you guys feel about is: Are so many character changes detrimental to a character? Should they stay true to their original look? or Should they evolve more with the times?

One characther I thought would be interesting to use as a personal jumping point was Ororo 'Storm' Munroe from the many books of X-Men. This character has been around since the late 70's and is still alive and kicking (as well as changing outfits and hairstyles). I used to adore this character in the comic books when I was growing up, always equating her with female empowerment and strength, but as time progressed and I got older, I no longer found her to be as interesting. I felt that the character had lost some of her flare and a series of character misfires and a horrible take from the films (I resent Ms. Halle Berry for this one for sure), that there was nothing left. I then moves on to bigger and better characters that I find to be consistently well written and powerful.

So tell me, after seeing the evolution of this character since her creation, can you see where they went wrong in her visual representations. If you know the comics, chime in on a more character writing edge. Also, please feel free to post evolutions of characters you feel were either super butchered through time or improved on.