I have a question regarding Superman and the red trunks...

[astro@work]

I feel like his Reborn suit was DC finally figuring out how to make a trunksless Superman suit work. That said, how do you guys feel about Henry Cavills suit?

I liked the Cavill suit because the pants were a slightly darker blue and the belt was big, which helped break up the look. Nu52 with one solid color blue felt too much like a great big blueberry man.

While the red trunks harken back to a 1930's wrestling look, the red breaks up the sameness. I felt like the trunkless Rebirth version was probably the most aesthetically pleasing and I had FINALLY gotten used to a no-trunks uniform. Kind of sorry they backtracked after 7 years.

I'm also hoping Batman doesn't go back to a bat-trunk look as rumored. The bat trunks look way too precocious for somebody trying to strike fear into the criminal underworld.

[Jadeb]

Clark's a farmboy from Kansas. He likes modesty.

Seriously, there's a reason most dudes wear shorts over running tights in real life. The idea of wearing a body stocking and nothing else is just as weird as wearing underwear on the outside.

[Joker Venom]

I feel like his Reborn suit was DC finally figuring out how to make a trunksless Superman suit work. That said, how do you guys feel about Henry Cavills suit?

They still haven't really sold me on Cavill's suit. So far, the only thing I like is that it's not as dark as the version from Man Of Steel. And I'm not a fan of cape designs that don't have the gold S-shield on the back. I think Cavill's suit needs an overhaul, but I don't trust them not to screw it up even more.

As for the comic book version, imo, the design of Superman's suit really just does not work without the trunks. The Rebirth costume was an improvement over the abomination that was the New 52 suit, but I think Action Comics #1000 gave the simplest, and best explanation. He just doesn't look like Superman without the trunks.

[Jim Kelly]

Clark was wearing red shorts before he was Superman.



And his costume was clearly inspired by the fashion of Krypton--he dressed like his biological father.



If anything, I'd say the Weisinger era Superman was more a product of Krypton culture than the Rebirth or New 52 Superman--given that 1) Kal-El left Krypton when he was a toddler (maybe 3 or 4 years old) and 2) he retained a much better memory of Krypton and its lore.

[DrNewGod]

Clark was wearing red shorts before he was Superman.



And his costume was clearly inspired by the fashion of Krypton--he dressed like his biological father.



If anything, I'd say the Weisinger era Superman was more a product of Krypton culture than the Rebirth or New 52 Superman--given that 1) Kal-El left Krypton when he was a toddler (maybe 3 or 4 years old) and 2) he retained a much better memory of Krypton and its lore.

In the in-universe history? Yes. In the history of the character's development? No.

[Jim Kelly]

In the in-universe history? Yes. In the history of the character's development? No.

Yeah, but the OP said

. . . I've been reading comic books since 2003 but I didn't really become a Superman fan until 2013. During that era there seemed to be a real emphasis on making his costume alien in origin and I really dug that. Nowadays it's shifted back to what I assume him wearing a suit from earthly materials which is fine, . . Discuss.

I was just showing that, during the Weisinger era, the costume was supposed to be alien in origin, too.

And I was trying to lighten the mood, by having some fun with pictures--given I've probably talked about Superman's trunks on these message boards more than any grown man should.

[ERON]

Because none of those things resemble wearing underwear outside your pants.

One could just as easily say the cape makes him look like a bullfighter and the shield looks like a target on his chest, but all are part of an iconic design. Had Superman not had the trunks in the beginning, and someone wanted to add them, you'd get the same negative reaction because you're messing with THE superhero costume.

[Jim Kelly]

Did any kids in the real world actually do this, wear their underpants over their pants to immitate Superman or any super-hero? I know I've seen it on TV sitcoms, but I wonder if any kids would have done it for real? It seems like a stretch--literally, as your tighty whities are tight and not meant to fit over a pair of pants. I could see it being done with pantyhose, but I don't know how many boys have pantyhose in their sock drawer. If you did manage to stretch your briefs over your jeans, they'd be so stretched out that they would be useless for anything else. I think it's much more likely that some kids wore their gym shorts over their pants--that's something I can imagine. I probably tried it once or twice when I was a kid (but I don't remember for certain).

[Mantis Dad]

I was a fan of Superman in my youth. He was the 2nd longest running hero I liked reading about; the longest running was Conan the Barbarian which predated him by six years.

I didn't mind that Conan some times wore panties only /aka a loin cloth/, but I was never a fan of Superman's panties even when I was a kid back in the 60's and 70's. I was very happy when they went to the solid blue for a while. I guess what I am trying to say is; I vote for no more panties.

[DrNewGod]

Did any kids in the real world actually do this, wear their underpants over their pants to immitate Superman or any super-hero? I know I've seen it on TV sitcoms, but I wonder if any kids would have done it for real? It seems like a stretch--literally, as your tighty whities are tight and not meant to fit over a pair of pants. I could see it being done with pantyhose, but I don't know how many boys have pantyhose in their sock drawer. If you did manage to stretch your briefs over your jeans, they'd be so stretched out that they would be useless for anything else. I think it's much more likely that some kids wore their gym shorts over their pants--that's something I can imagine. I probably tried it once or twice when I was a kid (but I don't remember for certain).

Tried it once. Mom clotheslined me before I got to the door.

[TheSupernaut]

Did any kids in the real world actually do this, wear their underpants over their pants to immitate Superman or any super-hero? I know I've seen it on TV sitcoms, but I wonder if any kids would have done it for real? It seems like a stretch--literally, as your tighty whities are tight and not meant to fit over a pair of pants. I could see it being done with pantyhose, but I don't know how many boys have pantyhose in their sock drawer. If you did manage to stretch your briefs over your jeans, they'd be so stretched out that they would be useless for anything else. I think it's much more likely that some kids wore their gym shorts over their pants--that's something I can imagine. I probably tried it once or twice when I was a kid (but I don't remember for certain).

I've mostly seen people mimic the cape. The most important part of his costume imo.

[superduperman]

The red breaks up all that blue. We've seen what he looks like without them and something needs to balance it out. Honestly, the only "good" version of him without the trunks was the Smallville comic. Even live action it looks kind of weird. Both MOS and Supergirl feature a Superman without trunks and it just seems off.

[Sacred Knight]

Oddly enough, the Smallville comic was actually the one version of the trunksless costume that I didn't like. Didn't have anything to do with the re-distribution of the red though, I just thought the two-tone blue look was goofy as hell.

[Vakanai]

Clark's a farmboy from Kansas. He likes modesty.

Seriously, there's a reason most dudes wear shorts over running tights in real life. The idea of wearing a body stocking and nothing else is just as weird as wearing underwear on the outside.

If the trunks were more like shorts than underwear things might be different. But they look like underwear.

[superduperman]

Oddly enough, the Smallville comic was actually the one version of the trunksless costume that I didn't like. Didn't have anything to do with the re-distribution of the red though, I just thought the two-tone blue look was goofy as hell.

I thought the two tone blue was a good offset making up for the lack of red. I'd love to see it again, even if it's on another hero. Supergirl Superman would actually look good with the two tone blue.