Should the "S" be a Kryptonian symbol?

[Flash Gordon]

I dig it as a Kryptonian symbol.

[Adekis]

And DC can show Superman at different points in his career wearing the different S designs that have actually existed in comics history. If it's a family crest, then it presumably has to look the same on Krypton and all through Superman's career on Earth.

I think this is a pretty sensible argument, but the thought came to me- why can't there be multiple permutations of the symbol on Krypton? It's got a history of thousands of years if it's Kryptonian, it might be spread out over dozens of different families of descendants of its original users. Different color schemes, different designs, all of them looking vaguely like an "S", some less so, some more so-- I don't see the problem.

[Soubhagya]

I think this is a pretty sensible argument, but the thought came to me- why can't there be multiple permutations of the symbol on Krypton? It's got a history of thousands of years if it's Kryptonian, it might be spread out over dozens of different families of descendants of its original users. Different color schemes, different designs, all of them looking vaguely like an "S", some less so, some more so-- I don't see the problem.

Its good. But it works over generations or branches of families. In religion when symbols change they indicate a deviation, a branching from the previous way. Symbols are very dear to people. If i had a symbol for my family i would not tolerate any changes to it. It can be an insult. Changes within one generation is difficult because of sentiment and love for a symbol. But it can happen over generations if it happens. An opinion.

[Powerboy]

What do you think? Should it be a Kryptonian symbol or homemade?

I don't mind that it is a Kryptonian symbol but I prefer it be S for Superman because he and the Kents constructed the whole costume and name to be a symbol.

It's fine that they thought of it as a Kryptonian symbol for Superman the Movie and thought of AI Jor-El as well. But everybody has been copying it since the same way the Frank Miller Batman was copied by everybody.

[Jim Kelly]

I could buy it if the actual Kryptonese symbol was something like this:



And Superman's S symbol design is partly influenced by that.

Although, that's just a compromise, for the sake of keeping some fans happy. For myself I much prefer the House of El symbol to be this:

[victorsage]

All this nonsense because Marlon Brando wouldn't play Jor-El unless he got to wear the S on his chest.

He wears an S because his name is Superman. That's always been the story until Mr. Brando placed out his demands during negotiations of the Superman movie.

[ironman2978]

Honestly yes, I think that the Superman symbol should remain a Kryptonian symbol. It was an idea that sticks and works as an whole. (No different from Alfred being turned skinny, the creation of Kryptonite, the introduction of characters like Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Rene Montoya, Harley Quinn). While it did start off from the head of Marlon Brando, it add's a good element to Superman backstory as well as the story of Krypton that I think works as a whole, and various writers found a way to mine and utilize beautifully to be honest.

[dancj]

100% Kryptonian symbol.

Don't particularly care if it means "Hope" (MAN OF STEEL), "Stronger Together" (SUPERGIRL) or "House of El" (SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE), or some combination of the three.

I can't stand the notion that Clark hears the people calling him "Superman" and him thinking "Yeah, I AM Super to man. I should come up with something to actively encourage people to keep calling me that."

Yeah, That's not arrogant AF at all /sarcasm

The S comes first as part of his heritage, the name comes later as an unintended consequence.

I voted "Don't Care", but you make a good point. I never liked the thought of Superman naming himself, so if it doesn't come from Krypton they really need a better reason for the symbol.

[Carabas]

Kryptonian symbol.

If not, then make it look more like a regular S. It wasn't until I saw the golden age version that I realised it was supposed to be an S.

[superduperman]

I agree with you. With time i have come to accept the symbol to be from Krypton but honestly speaking it still feels odd. I don't know why but S which stands for simply Superman feels more natural and more simple. 'S' stands for Superman. How difficult is that?

Peter Parker a teenager names himself Spider-man. Not Spiderling. Not Spider-boy. But Spider-man. No one bats an eyelid. And Superman with his parents make an S and people loose their minds. I think making an 'S' indicates ingenuity and ambition. Ingenuity as being artistic, as well as knowledge about the importance of symbols. Ambition which is not personal ambition with selfish ends. But to make the world a better place. Something a Superman would do. Honestly speaking as a kid i never asked why he wears an 'S'. That's an S which means Superman. Nothing more is necessary.

I have to agree about stagnation. That's just a fixed symbol. Here's a question. How do they explain the 'S' on Supergirl? Its a different design. I am curious. Kara Jor-El who arrives many years later and becomes inspired by Superman takes up the 'S' symbol. Superman becomes a beginning. The start of something bigger then himself. Superman begins the thing called superheroes in worlds both fictional and real.

I chalked that up, personally, to the difference in genders. Males use the circle serif, females use the square serif. Unless there's an image of her father somewhere wearing the same symbol in which case I chalk it up to Clark just misinterpreting the symbols on his own ship when designing a costume and got stuck that way. I know in the first season he made her a key to the fortress with the square serif so maybe we were just never meant to ever see him and things went off the rails. Mostly I'm in favor of it being a Kryptonian symbol simply because it does seem arrogant that he would call himself Superman. But I also like the idea of him being able to change it as time goes on over the years if he wants to like with KC or the Batman Beyond universe. If it's solely his symbol, he can do whatever he wants with it. I guess it depends on what kind of a mood I'm in.

[superduperman]

I could buy it if the actual Kryptonese symbol was something like this:



And Superman's S symbol design is partly influenced by that.

Although, that's just a compromise, for the sake of keeping some fans happy. For myself I much prefer the House of El symbol to be this:

Can I just say, I'm digging that cape attachment thing! Very seventies! Looks like it should be on an avocado green refrigerator or something!

[Agniwolf]

Its good. But it works over generations or branches of families. In religion when symbols change they indicate a deviation, a branching from the previous way. Symbols are very dear to people. If i had a symbol for my family i would not tolerate any changes to it. It can be an insult. Changes within one generation is difficult because of sentiment and love for a symbol. But it can happen over generations if it happens. An opinion.

then i think you would be a terrible head of family

changes also happens in ocasions were a family needs a foothold in other places, which makes them create branch families who need a revamp of the crest, there is also the ocasion of marriage wereas two families merge, instad of on member going into the other, which again needs its own crest and the list goes on

[Kuwagaton]

I can't stand the notion that Clark hears the people calling him "Superman" and him thinking "Yeah, I AM Super to man. I should come up with something to actively encourage people to keep calling me that."

Yeah, That's not arrogant AF at all /sarcasm

The S comes first as part of his heritage, the name comes later as an unintended consequence.

I don't often defer to the original creators even if I give them respect, but here I do. The problems with not liking the name Superman is 1)it's been 80 years already. There's nothing else to call him, especially since he doesn't have a calling card gimmick like bats or spiders or a poorly fitting military rank. Maybe you can go with something like Vigorous Citizen, but why? Which is 2) he's always had at least a crumb of self esteem. I don't think Action Comics featuring "No, please, call me Kent " would have made a good splash.

But it also sounds like you're describing the word "superior." Super is a pretty mild adjective. Super is what people say when they smell fresh laundry or find a dollar in the couch. When you can fly back to the stone age or tow the whole planet, it IS actually a bit modest.

[Powerboy]

I don't often defer to the original creators even if I give them respect, but here I do. The problems with not liking the name Superman is 1)it's been 80 years already. There's nothing else to call him, especially since he doesn't have a calling card gimmick like bats or spiders or a poorly fitting military rank. Maybe you can go with something like Vigorous Citizen, but why? Which is 2) he's always had at least a crumb of self esteem. I don't think Action Comics featuring "No, please, call me Kent " would have made a good splash.

But it also sounds like you're describing the word "superior." Super is a pretty mild adjective. Super is what people say when they smell fresh laundry or find a dollar in the couch.

When people say it would be arrogant for him to name himself Superman, I think part of the problem is retroactive continuity. In a world where "super heroes" have been around for decades and the term "super heroes" has been around for decades before he even shows up, it seems arrogant. "But the term has been around for decades. Are you saying you're so much more super than all the other super heroes that you alone usurp the very term as your name?"
To which the only appropriate response is, "Scrooge your retroactive continuity. When I started, I called myself Superman because I had strength, speed and so on far beyond normal human beings, because there were no other people with superhuman abilities and never had been that I or the populace knew about. It didn't seem arrogant at the time. It was just a description of what I could do. Because I called myself Superman, the terms "superhuman abilities" and "super powers" came into existence. And yes, I thought of the idea and the chest symbol myself."

Again, I don't have a major issue with it's being a Kryptonian symbol other than that it's endlessly copycatting the Reeve movie. The innovative version today would be to have it NOT be a Kryptonian symbol or NOT have an AI Jor-El show up.

I realize changing it back now would cause a lot of flack because there are people who think it's being a Kryptonian symbol, Jor-El showing up as an AI, Clark being who Superman really is and Clark being a high school Football star is the original version.

[superduperman]

If the symbol is going to be homemade I think the best way to go about it would probably be the post-Crisis method. He uses his powers openly in plain clothes and people start calling him that so he decides to just run with it.