Superman's Best Suits - 2019 Version

[HeroVladimir93]

Superman has worn multiple suits over the course of his career and since some of those suits are more accepted and fondly remembered than others, I thought it would be a good idea for us to talk about our favorite suits worn by the Man of Steel. The suits can be from the comics, the movies, TV shows, or any other media, as long as it is a suit worn by Superman. Obviously, this an entirely subjective thread and we are bound to disagree in some areas but what matters is that we respect each other's opinion and try to have fun. This is my list...

5. DC Extended Universe: Back when Warner Bros. officially unveiled Superman's suit for Man of Steel, I was ready to hate it because of the departures it took from the classic design. In theory, I hated this suit on but on practice, I ended up loving it. Henry Cavill looked majestic in that suit and the cape flowed amazingly on-screen. While I think it makes Superman look a bit too much like a Kryptonian patriot, it does convey the image of a rookie Superman trying to find his way in the world. That said, I wouldn't mind if future installments featured something closer to the classic design, in order to convey Superman's acceptance of his place as protector of humanity.

4. Injustice: Gods Among Us: Don't worry, I'm not talking about the evil Superman from the Regime. This is the noble and heroic Superman that becomes playable in the final chapter of the story mode. This design is an improvement over the controversial New 52 design, featuring a more classic S symbol and a yellow belt. While I give credit to the designers for give Superman a practical armor for a fighting game, I admit the suit makes Superman look like a menacing warrior instead of the friendly and approachable protector of the innocent the story portrays him as.

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3. Rebirth suit: At this point, anything that moves away from the New 52 is basically an improvement. This suit incorporates the best things from the classic and DCEU suit. It is almost entirely blue and has no excessive seamlines, armored look or high collar. It also adds the cufflinks from the DCEU, one of my favorite aspects from that suit. Overall, it looks easier to pull off on a consistent monthly basis.

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2. Superman Reborn suit: This suit was introduced in the finale of Superman Reborn, one of the best Superman story arcs I've read in a while. It is everything the New 52 should have been and improves on the already excellent Rebirth design, by adding more red and making the belt section more visible. If DC Comics wasn't going to bring back the red trunks, this was the second best thing they could have done.

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1. Classic suit: Superman's most recognizable uniform and the one DC Comics and popular culture always go back. This suit made its grand return to mainsteam media in Action Comics #1000, symbolizing a great triumph for nostalgia and a celebration for all things Superman. Despite the fact that some people enjoy making fun of the red trunks, it cannot be denied that they provide an excellent color balance, separating all the blue. The classic suit also does a great job at conveying Superman's presentation as a friendly and approachble champion of truth and justice.

Well, that was my list. Let me know in the comments below about your favorite Superman uniforms.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

Not counting pointedly temporary off-model designs like Electric Blue: ‘Classic’/Real > T-shirt & jeans > Reborn, 1938, and Fleischer > the 1940s proto-designs in general >>>>> assorted flavors of crap.

[manofsteel1979]

I gotta say , as much as I am glad the classic suit returned, I find myself missing the REBORN suit.

Otherwise, the Morrison T-shirt and Jeans is still the best alternate from the classic based Superman, and the MOS DCEU suit is probably my favorite live action illeration of the costume.

[Robanker]

The Reborn suit was the first time I was okay leaving the trunks in the history books. While I'm glad they're back, damn that was a great look.

While not beating the classic look, I've always been partial to adding a more golden-age sensibility to his chest's S shield at times. The black background really makes it pop with respect to the rest of the suit!

[superduperman]

I love these threads! (no pun intended)

1) Kingdom Come. The "S" shape is probably my favorite. And it works great with the black belt. I just love the darker colors in general.

2) Earth 2 Superman. This isn't that much different than the mainstream suit but I like the "S" design better.

3) Earth One. I like the two tone color scheme. And the yellow band around the "S" works great.

4) The Eradicator costume from Return of Superman. The blue on black works well and I like how the cape is merged with the "S".

5) The Fleischer Superman cartoons. The "S" just looks cool with the yellow on black scheme.

6) Smallville season 11 comic: This is the only trunkless costume that I like. I think the two shades of blue contrast well with each other.

[Sacred Knight]

Reborn is definitely the best modernization of the costume that has actually seen the printed page, and the one I feel should have been allowed to permanently replace the trunks. And I don't mind the classic costume at all, never have. I have a great appreciation for it. At the same time though, despite my personal unobjectionable nature toward it, I do buy in to the notion that trunks are an outdated look and that there's no shame nor disrespect nor harm in modernizing a classic suit in a respectable and recognizable manner.

In terms of suits though that aren't in existence, my ideal would still be the basic concept of the New 52 suit with Rocafort's sheen, Fabok's seam sensibilities that completely removes the collar, and the belt JRJR used in his New 52 update (the one with the yellow oval, not the red one).

[Soubhagya]

My favorite is the classic one. But some tweaks and touches make it more attractive. For example, the one being done under Bendis.



There's a kind of glow to the suit. The 'S' is like the Superman Returns one. But bigger. I prefer the 'S' to be bigger. Recently, Clay Mann is drawing Heroes in Crisis. And honestly Superman looks exceptional there. Of course, the whole book's artwork is marvellous but i just love watching Superman there.



My favorite alternate costume is the T-shirt look from New 52.

[DragonPiece]

Reborn, it's not even a argument for me, and seeing the outfit in young justice s3 just made it all the more sadder for me that the costume is gonna in the costume because of people obsessed with nostalgia.

[Kuwagaton]

I'll forever love the Rebirth costume. For one thing because I think a redesign should call back without sacrificing the ability to stand out. Which to me was why the t shirt idea was also simple genius.



I like that right away it evokes the cuff design and boot pattern of Shuster's colored interiors. It's streamlined a bit, but still looks very new. The belt with the shield buckle is very cool and sleek, the diamond also looks neat. These days he's not depicted so much as a strongman but as a spaceman, so it fits.

I think Gleason was the best at it because he understood its playful details. While his colorist would sometimes miss the point and do red cuffs, that detail could regularly be seen between a hard light blue material or just lines worked into the regular blue, and both would blend well. The trunks could be implied or obscured at will. The boots didn't break up his image, like the trunk section, so overall you have a costume that's very easy to process but not so straightforward in giving you the impression that he puts it on piece by piece. It's easier to see that as being hidden under his clothes.

The Reborn suit is a very simple and effective update. It was really nice once they figured out his belt, but that was close enough to classic that having what we have now makes it feel like a placeholder.

[Soubhagya]

I'll forever love the Rebirth costume. For one thing because I think a redesign should call back without sacrificing the ability to stand out. Which to me was why the t shirt idea was also simple genius.



I like that right away it evokes the cuff design and boot pattern of Shuster's colored interiors. It's streamlined a bit, but still looks very new. The belt with the shield buckle is very cool and sleek, the diamond also looks neat. These days he's not depicted so much as a strongman but as a spaceman, so it fits.

I think Gleason was the best at it because he understood its playful details. While his colorist would sometimes miss the point and do red cuffs, that detail could regularly be seen between a hard light blue material or just lines worked into the regular blue, and both would blend well. The trunks could be implied or obscured at will. The boots didn't break up his image, like the trunk section, so overall you have a costume that's very easy to process but not so straightforward in giving you the impression that he puts it on piece by piece. It's easier to see that as being hidden under his clothes.

The Reborn suit is a very simple and effective update. It was really nice once they figured out his belt, but that was close enough to classic that having what we have now makes it feel like a placeholder.

Yeah. I love the Rebirth suit. When trunks appeared to have gone forever, i always used to complain about that. But still i really liked the Rebirth suit. More then even Rebirth.

When done nicely even New 52 costume looked neat. I remember there was an image where Superman when he was a baby, a boy, a young man(T-shirt and jeans) and his New 52 suit. I can't find the image which i think was a cover from Pak Kuder run. I found this one though.



When the lines were less emphasized i think it worked.

[Jokerz79]

Classic Suit will always be number 1 for me all others feel like else world's than in order from like to dislike and only ones wore by Kal.

1: Bronze & Post Crisis/Current Version of the Classic Suit (I know the S is larger on the Post/Current Crisis suit and other cosmetic changes but the small changes aren't enough for me to make them different verisons).
2: Reborn Suit.
3: Justice Lords Suit.
4: DCEU Suit.
5: DCAU Future Black Suit.
6: Kingdom Come Suit.
7: Smallville Season 11 Suit.
8: New 52 Earth-2 Suit.
9: New 52 Kryptonian Armor Suit.
10: Golden Age Suit.
11: Silver Age/All-Star version of Classic Suit with shorter cape.
12: Rebirth Suit.
13: Electric Suit.
14: Classic Earth-2 Suit (As much as I loved Kal-L the Weird S always threw me off.).
15: Morrison's T-Shirt Suit/Justice (I really disliked this thing).

[Darkcrusade25]

the New 52 suit when done without the needless lines made it a great suit. The Rebirth blue boots suit will be my favorite.

[Sacred Knight]

The blue boots weren't so bad once I saw them in action. They just will always remind me of the time when I was most against everything the books were doing, though, which rather taints them. Without that I could have gotten used to them though.

[Yoda]

New 52 with less emphasis on the lines ala Kuder and no collar would have been so much better. Only Archer can pull off a tactical-neck.

I didn't like the Reborn belt, if they had kept the Rebirth suit's belt, basically the costume Lois will be rocking in Superman 7, I think that would have been excellent.

[Ascended]

T-Shirt & Jeans. Probably the best costume not based on the classic to ever see print. I've never seen a costume that so perfectly captured the essence of Clark's early days and the core of his character. I think it represents him better than even the classic suit in some ways. If DC had decided to keep him in this forever I wouldn't have complained at all.

Kingdom Come. The older face and gray-streaked hair, the elegant and simple shield with it's striking red-on-black color scheme......it didnt try to re-invent the wheel and it fit the tone and style of the narrative.

Reborn Suit. Perhaps the best update the classic suit has ever seen. If Clark's costume had been allowed to update and change over the years like everyone else's was, this is what he would have ended up wearing. In fact, if I had my way he'd still be in it and the trunks would be hanging in a display at the Fortress along with all the other old costumes he doesn't wear anymore, or only needs for specific purposes. I'm still a little mad that DC gave up on so quickly on such a viable replacement for the classic suit after spending years stumbling over lesser designs.

Fleischer. For a Superman who can't fly I enjoy a shorter cape and I have always adored the color choice here. But honestly, the "S" shield would make this rank high on my list all by itself.

The 1938 Action Original. How can you not love the police badge style shield or those roman soldier style boots?