Originally Posted by
Robanker
A lot of people still wear their family coat of arms as a mark of pride. It's not just valor, it's their culture. Their heritage. It's no different than a lot of people hanging up multiple flags outside their home to denote where their family comes from.
And yes, for someone like Clark, being a vigilante is something to be proud of. He's objectively helping the downtrodden and disenfranchised and he was built on the belief that if something is wrong, good people must step up even if others tell them not to. That goes back to Action Comics #1. He was a bully, but he was on your side, so he was on the up 'n' up as far as the public are concerned. To be honest, the DCU is predicated on the actual need and deputizing of vigilantes. Nevertheless, I think we're getting away from the topic at hand.
He's not linking the two. It's just that when he's Superman, Kal can be open about being an alien as opposed to Clark, so when he doesn't have to hide he's absolutely going to fly both flags, so to speak. He's a Kryptonian American. He's proud of it. More than the classic shield (which itself looked like a police badge to some effect, which actually clashes with his status as a vigilante), I think something a bit more original that harkins to his alien nature (which in recent years does get dialed back so Clark Kent can be seen as the dominant persona) is important to emphasize. Superman isn't just Kal or Clark, he's both, and I prefer the current shield for that reason; it's Kryptonian. Be it a coat of arms, a family crest, a monogram, Hope or a cool party favor Lara liked, it's a piece of his home planet he can wear on his chest with pride. It's an icon, much like a flag, religious accessory or cultural item one can adorn to denote something they find important about themselves. That speaks a lot more to his duality than the classic shield. That's why I prefer it. Don't read any more into what the S shield actually is. I actually am a bit done with it meaning "hope" because it's just so on the nose and I'd prefer that if the DCU saw it as meaning that, perhaps it's because Clark gave it that meaning as opposed to inheriting that as some birthright. I'm with you there.
If you disagree, I respect your opinion, but I think that Fleischer's Superman is the retro model to follow. The original look should mostly be a fun throwback at most. That said, I don't think the original look is bad by any stretch. I just prefer the classic, Fleischer or Reborn looks much more and for reasons I feel I've adequately highlighted.