Not to tug on Superman’s cape but—

[Riv86672]

—how do you prefer it?

Yellow S shield or no yellow S shield? Or does it depend on the medium?



Also, when did the yellow S shield debut? He didn’t have it in Action Comics #1.

[superduperman]

With the S. The thing I like about the "classic" costume is that there's enough elements to break it up so that it's not just one color. I don't know the exact issue he got it on the back of the cape but it was pretty early on.

[K7P5V]

Still love when the Super Powers version of Superman had the yellow S-shield

[Lairston]

With the yellow S.

THat pic is the first time I ever noticed that Cavil's doesn't have it.

[Jim Kelly]

I believe the first time the "S" shield appears on the cape is in ACTION COMICS 14 (July 1939). It looks just like the shield on his chest with the same colouring. After that it sometimes appears on the cape and sometimes doesn't. The colouring always changing.

THE GREAT SUPERMAN BOOK by Michael L. Fleisher (1978):

Inconsistencies persist for nearly twenty years, however, regarding the coloring of the insignia on Superman's cape . . . it is sometimes portrayed as a blue "S" on a yellow shield (S No. 11/2, Jul/Aug '41; and others), sometimes as a yellow "S" on a blue shield (Act No. 74, July '44: "Courtship of Adelbert Dribble!": and others), sometimes as a red "S" on a yellow shield (S No. 12/3, Sep/Oct '41; and others), sometimes as a yellow "S" on a red shield (S No. 52/3, May/Jun '48: "Superman in Valhalla!"; and others) , and sometimes as a yellow "S" on a yellow shield (S No. 22/2, May/Jun '43: "The Luck of O'Grady"; and others).

Often, the cape insignia is portrayed inconsistently within the confines of a single story (S No. 20/4, Jan/Feb '43: "Not in the Cards"; and others). Not until the late 1950s does a yellow letter "S" inscribed within a yellow shield become the standardized form of the insignia emblazoned on the back of Superman's cape (Act No. 233, Oct '57: "The Land of a Million Supermen"; and others).

I think the simple reason they settled on yellow on yellow was because that was the easiest. If it's red then the red border and the red cape are the same colour and it doesn't really stand out as a five sided shield. They could reverse the colours, but that would be pretty fussy--especially with what was involved with colour separations and printings at the time. It's just a lot simpler to make the whole shield yellow.

As to why he should have a shield on the back--well, Supes often turns his back on us. Covers would sometimes show him from the back. It makes it easy for the young reader to know it's the Man of Steel in Action, even when we can't see him from the front.

And Siegel and Shuster were already thinking about merchandising (even before Superman was first published), so they may have realized that putting the shield on the cape was a way to establish branding. Afterall, a red cape can't be trademark; but a red cape with a Superman shield can be.

It's pretty stupid of the movie people not to realize this. Just adding a shield to the movie cape would make them a lot of extra cash from merchandising to pay for all those computer generated images. In fact, didn't they use computer effects to attach the cape in post? Would be a doddle to just add on the shield, you'd think.

[Kuwagaton]

Actually, like these:



Bonus

[magha_regulus]

Yellow S on the back and the cape goes down to the top of his boots

[magha_regulus]

Still love when the Super Powers version of Superman had the yellow S-shield

Absolute best action figure of all time

[Riv86672]

Yellow S on the back and the cape goes down to the top of his boots

^^^Its funny you say that.
I was going to make that a question in the OP then changed my mind.

While I know cape length is a mostly a matter of artist discretion, I always felt Supes cape should be on the short side. Somewhere between Shazam’s to the waist matador style and Batman’s longer (and more voluminous) style.



It looks great pretty much however it’s drawn though, so that’s just me saying!

[Kuwagaton]

I think the long cape is a great visual and goes with the idea that he protects people or things with it, but it might be a bit awkward in live action

It's pretty stupid of the movie people not to realize this. Just adding a shield to the movie cape would make them a lot of extra cash from merchandising to pay for all those computer generated images. In fact, didn't they use computer effects to attach the cape in post? Would be a doddle to just add on the shield, you'd think.

There are a few reasons that could've turned out to not be true once they did the work on figuring out the merchandise. I mean at this point in human history, there's no way you'd see a red cape and think of something aside from Superman anyway.

[Riv86672]

I think the long cape is a great visual and goes with the idea that he protects people or things with it, but it might be a bit awkward in live action

^^^True that.
I watched a documentary on the making of 1978’s Superman that mentioned Christopher Reeve had several capes; flying shots, sitting and walking all required different materials and stiffness etc.

I mean at this point in human history, there's no way you'd see a red cape and think of something aside from Superman anyway.

^^^I remember reading, and this was way before the Internet, that Superman Tarzan and Sherlock Holmes were the three most famous ppl who never lived.

[DochaDocha]

I like having a shield there, but Reeve's design was probably a little flat for me. Probably better with a little negative space.

[marhawkman]

^^^Its funny you say that.
I was going to make that a question in the OP then changed my mind.

While I know cape length is a mostly a matter of artist discretion, I always felt Supes cape should be on the short side. Somewhere between Shazam’s to the waist matador style and Batman’s longer (and more voluminous) style.



It looks great pretty much however it’s drawn though, so that’s just me saying!

this is a basic character design aspect TBH. how far do the boots go up, how wide is the belt...etc....

[Riv86672]

this is a basic character design aspect TBH. how far do the boots go up, how wide is the belt...etc....

^^^Totally agree which is why I said it’s a matter of artist discretion. The lengths I cited are just my personal preferences.

Oh, and about those boots!

As far as I know Ted Knight Starman is the only other hero to ever use that same design…:

[Jim Kelly]

There are a few reasons that could've turned out to not be true once they did the work on figuring out the merchandise. I mean at this point in human history, there's no way you'd see a red cape and think of something aside from Superman anyway.

Thor? They make money off of selling Superman costumes--especially at Hallowe'en. But you can buy any old red cape and say it's Superman's. Having it branded with the "S" makes it authentic. And I remember seeing ads in old comics for Superman costumes for girls and boys. You need Superman's cape to make you fly--or no, kids, don't try this at home!