I assume the design was an attempt at synergy with the Fox cartoon.

That was his default look until right after the Clone Saga where he ran into a guy named DK who caused things to, um, decay...which in this case just meant going back to his classic look.

But no more cancer. That's neat. Maybe that would have been the time to retire and stop using the flight harness that gives you cancer.

For such a genius inventor, the Vulture is pretty stupid.