What variations in Superman's look is acceptable?

[Aldous]

I could give or take the shield on the back of the cape (it would tend to wrinkle anyway).

I think the shield on the back of the cape is essential, and it must be entirely yellow.

Why mess with it?

What brought this to mind is: I read Superman For All Seasons today for the first time, and there is a scene which shows Superman from the back, taking up most of the panel, and there is just this overpowering block of red (cape), and it's this picture that helps show why the cape emblem is necessary. It is very conspicuous by its absence.

So I ask: why mess with it?

[ShinDangaioh]

The costume has been tweaked a bit from its first appearance.  The boots for example.  The original ones looked like Roman sandles with the leather cords wrapped around the legs(It must have been a real pain to draw that) and gave Superman a Roman gladiator feel and then he had blue boots(it made him look like he was running around in pajamas)

At any rate, the costume changing should be kept with Supergirl.  That S belt buckle was hers originally 

[Aldous]

The costume has been tweaked a bit from its first appearance.  The boots for example.  The original ones looked like Roman sandles with the leather cords wrapped around the legs(It must have been a real pain to draw that) and gave Superman a Roman gladiator feel and then he had blue boots(it made him look like he was running around in pajamas)

At any rate, the costume changing should be kept with Supergirl.  That S belt buckle was hers originally 

You're probably going back a bit too far. See my other post about the more modern version I'm talking about. I am talking about the super-suit made from Kryptonian material. The "Roman gladiator" theme came way before the concept of a super-suit.

And maybe Jerry & Joe shouldn't have (unconsciously?) pointed to how much they'd swiped directly  from "Gladiator" to make Superman.

Supergirl is actually a good example of what happens to a character when you get lesser talents messing with a costume. In Supergirl's case it doesn't matter so much I suppose, but Superman is different.

[Permanus]

The costume has been tweaked a bit from its first appearance.  The boots for example.  The original ones looked like Roman sandles with the leather cords wrapped around the legs(It must have been a real pain to draw that) and gave Superman a Roman gladiator feel and then he had blue boots(it made him look like he was running around in pajamas)

At any rate, the costume changing should be kept with Supergirl.  That S belt buckle was hers originally 

You're probably going back a bit too far. See my other post about the more modern version I'm talking about. I am talking about the super-suit made from Kryptonian material. The "Roman gladiator" theme came way before the concept of a super-suit.

And maybe Jerry & Joe shouldn't have (unconsciously?) pointed to how much they'd swiped directly  from "Gladiator" to make Superman.

Supergirl is actually a good example of what happens to a character when you get lesser talents messing with a costume. In Supergirl's case it doesn't matter so much I suppose, but Superman is different.

Quite right, Aldous! People are always pointing out how Superman's costume has changed over the years, but they forget how much it has remained the same: it's the same premise even if the emblem has changed and the boots this and that. Basically, it's always been the same costume, and with very few changes it has remained the same since the forties. I'm put in mind of Barry Allen's grumble in DKR2 when he is presented with a new, black, Flash costume: "Kids nowadays can't tell the difference between old and plain classic." (Or words to that effect; I haven't got it to hand.)

[Super Monkey]

Everyone, take a look at this again, or for the 1st time: https://www.supermanthroughtheages.com/Costumes/S.php

[King Krypton]

No variation in Superman's look is acceptable. He should look as he does in the Silver and Bronze ages. Examples would be Wayne Boring's and Curt Swan's.

My favorite Superman look is Max Fleischer's design from 1941. Who are you to say that's not acceptable?


And Boring and Swan are only two artists who've drawn the character. Two. I don't see how or why they should be the end-all be-all for how he looks when there's almost 70 years of visual history to the character.

[alschroeder]

I once wondered how Superman's costume has changed since its inception---and if those same trends continued, what they would look like now.

Originally, Superman's s-symbol was relatively small on his chest, almost like a crest.

Also, originally, the boots were nonexistent or sandals with straps crisscrossed around him (sort of like Thor's boots, only without the essential boot at the higher part---they were crisscrossed around his lower leg.

So, let's imagine it going in the OTHER direction...

Supeman's s-symbol would expand to fill his entire chest, down to his belt, with the corner of each at the top where the cape comes up, and the lowest angle just touching the belt. His triangular symbol would fit well in an overall chest symbol...think the triangular chest costume of the original Ultraman of the Crime Syndicate as shown at http://www.supermanartists.comics.org/silverage/CrimeSyndicate-JLA29.JPG only with a huge S-symbol filling the triangle.

And the boots would become even more pronounced, coming up to mid-thigh or higher, like Colossus' boots.

I dunno if it would be a change I'd approve of...I tend to like the original, especially with the smaller s-symbol---but it WOULD be an interesting variation of the costume, and might be an interesting costume for, say, a far-future descendent of Superman's to wear.---Al

[Permanus]

Supeman's s-symbol would expand to fill his entire chest, down to his belt, with the corner of each at the top where the cape comes up, and the lowest angle just touching the belt. His triangular symbol would fit well in an overall chest symbol...think the triangular chest costume of the original Ultraman of the Crime Syndicate as shown at http://www.supermanartists.comics.org/silverage/CrimeSyndicate-JLA29.JPG only with a huge S-symbol filling the triangle.

And the boots would become even more pronounced, coming up to mid-thigh or higher, like Colossus' boots.

I likes me a big "S"! The pentagon it's in fits a broad chest quite well; the bigger it is, the more it accentuates Superman's physique. I always like to think that it should look a bit like it was bursting, or at least stretching.

As for the boots, I'd rather not make them too long; I always associate knee-length boots with prostitutes, never mind what En Vogue say. I always like to think of them as cowboy boots. Except without the spurs, obviously.