Superman and gloves...

[Xon-Ur]

There was a bit of an outcry over the long cuffs from Superman-0's tweaked costume when they were believed to be fingerless gloves. I was never bothered by whether or not fingerless gloves are fashionable or not, just by the fact that Superman should probably wear gloves. Of some sort.

If your secret ID is something you cherish, it only makes sense you'd protect your prints. The post-Convergence Superman-0 seems to be headed towards no secret ID, but for Superman in general, I think it makes sense that he'd have gloves.

What are your thoughts? (By the way, Superman-0 is what I call the former New 52 Superman since the New 52 ain't so new or so 52 anymore)

[Xon-Ur]

Or should they be red?

[Jim Kelly]

Superman doesn't leave fingerprints. He doesn't produced the oils on his finger ridges that cause us to leave fingerprints.

[Ascended]

I think thematically, there's something about Superman not wearing gloves that invites a sense of trust and openness. Along with the lack of a mask, it makes you believe Superman's not hiding anything (which is a large part of what protects his identity; no one bothers to even look in the first place).

[XchaiX]

I think thematically, there's something about Superman not wearing gloves that invites a sense of trust and openness. Along with the lack of a mask, it makes you believe Superman's not hiding anything (which is a large part of what protects his identity; no one bothers to even look in the first place).

Agreed, basically it's the same reason why he doesn't wear a mask. It's all about trust and that's one of the biggest things with him.

[Xon-Ur]

I think thematically, there's something about Superman not wearing gloves that invites a sense of trust and openness. Along with the lack of a mask, it makes you believe Superman's not hiding anything (which is a large part of what protects his identity; no one bothers to even look in the first place).

I get that, sure. But if I'm a guy like Lex Luthor, who doesn't believe anyone could be inherently good, I'd be sweeping every known site of Superman's activities for any dirt on the guy. Byrne did this in Superman #2, right at the beginning of his run. Though that issue skipped right over finger prints, since that's something that would easily give Superman away and doesn't have an explanation...

Agreed, basically it's the same reason why he doesn't wear a mask. It's all about trust and that's one of the biggest things with him.

There's trust, and then there's not being careful. I get the lack of a mask and it's one of the best things about Superman, but gloves would be a way to further protect his secret ID and, by extension, his loved ones.

[Ascended]

I get that, sure. But if I'm a guy like Lex Luthor, who doesn't believe anyone could be inherently good, I'd be sweeping every known site of Superman's activities for any dirt on the guy. Byrne did this in Superman #2, right at the beginning of his run. Though that issue skipped right over finger prints, since that's something that would easily give Superman away and doesn't have an explanation...



There's trust, and then there's not being careful. I get the lack of a mask and it's one of the best things about Superman, but gloves would be a way to further protect his secret ID and, by extension, his loved ones.

You're assuming he has fingerprints. And that his prints are on file somewhere. Clark looks human, but we know that just under the surface he's very, very, very different. He might not have prints at all, or the oils that leave them, as someone said above.

If I were an alien with a supercomputer-like mind and I decided to fly around saving people in a very public manner, the first thing I'd do is hack into every relevant database and erase things like fingerprints and dental records. And given that Im a highly evolved alien with a supercomputer like mind, doing that shouldn't be too hard. Then I'd find the hard copies and burn them with my laser eyes.

[Jim Kelly]

I suppose that if Superman exerted enough pressure on a piece of metal, he would press his fingerprints into that metal. Or if he pushed his fingers into a clay-like substance. Otherwise, since Superman doesn't seem to sweat, there wouldn't be enough build up of oils in the ridges of his fingers from sweating for him to transfer those oils to another substance--which is how the rest of us leave our fingerprints on things.

Presumably Clark doesn't leave his fingerprints on anything either. So how would you get a set of fingerprints from each to compare them? I suppose in this day and age, when you have to go through so many security gates, Clark has had to give his fingerprints. But then he would know he's being fingerprinted and he could pull off some trick with his super-powers to disguise his fingerprints.

In any case, I think he gains more by not wearing gloves. It makes him look more open and honest and like he's not trying to hide anything. And his powers are probably more effective when his super-skin has direct contact with objects.

Frankly I don't know why he doesn't go naked--there are probably some powers he has that are restricted by clothing. Or well, I do know why he didn't in the past--because the Code wouldn't allow it. But now that there seem to be no limits on what you can do in a comic book, the full monty would sell a lot more printings.

[Ascended]

Well....that would certainly keep people from looking at his face too much.....

[Cypher]

Frankly I don't know why he doesn't go naked--there are probably some powers he has that are restricted by clothing..

WHAT

This is so absurd I fully support it. He's Super, he's naked. He's Super naked, and he's a man. He's Supernakedman.

[Slaughter]

I think Superman not using gloves is actually refreshing. How many heroes don't use gloves?
If he did, I think red ones would work better - there's already too much blue after they took out the underpants.

[Jim Kelly]

Wearing gloves and masks was optional in the early days of comic book heroes. I can think of several who didn't bother with either--Flash, Doll Man, Captain Marvel, Starman, Wonder Woman, Zatara, Ibis, Sargon, Phantom Lady, Black Condor, Uncle Sam, Sub-Mariner, Doc Strange, Steel Sterling, Stardust the Super-Wizard, Amazing Man, Major Victory, Bulletman, Bulletgirl, Minute Man, Wonder Man, Samson, Kid Eternity, Brok Windsor . . .

[Xon-Ur]

Well....that would certainly keep people from looking at his face too much.....

First episode of Lois and Clark? Love that show!

[Coal Tiger]

If Superman was all that concerned about villains figuring out his identity though all sorts of resourceful methods, shouldn't he be wearing a mask?

If you keep asking these questions and pulling on these threads, you're left with a character that isn't really Superman anymore.

[Cypher]

Saw this and it reminded me of this thread. This is princely why you dont give Superman gloves, or a high collar.