The Superman Syndrome: Iconic Design at Work

Artwork by Alex Ross.

Superman, the character, has grown far beyond anything his creators could have envisioned. Superman the design, however, is a self-perpetuating emblem rooted in ideas which few modern readers have ever been exposed to. What is it about that particular costume which has stood the test of time?

Scott McCloud talks a great deal about the iconic quality of the comic in his excellent book, Understanding Comics. What he doesn't talk about is where the costumes came from, or why they've changed so little since Action Comics #1. I submit that the modern superhero owes much to the humble roots of this enduring design.

Superman was originally far more down to earth than the bulletproof Kryptonian he eventually evolved into, but ignoring his character's narrative origins in Judeo-Christian history and myth for the moment and focusing on the history of the costume itself, we find that it was meant to evoke images of circus strongmen and pro wrestlers of the era. There would be a picture of one here, but they seem to be harder to find than the look they inspired.

But in the 1930s, strongmen wore colorful garb, including tights and a short cape. The circus was huge in those days, and almost everyone would be instantly familiar with the reference made by the original costume, pictured right - even if only subconsciously  - and associate it instantly with the idea of strength. The color scheme is eye-catching, with bright primary colors; red and blue, with yellow accents for the all important logo, the prototype for what would one day become the instantly recognizable "S-shield" (For more information on the history and evolution of the logo itself, click here.) The design and color work together to cement the bold, powerful nature of the character. It stands out. And more importantly, it's iconic.

The real question, though, is why the design of most modern superheroes, the Man of Steel included, has changed very little from that first pattern. After all, few yet living have seen a strongman at all, let alone one who dressed in a cape.

The reason is that Superman endured, and became the archetype. Over seventy years of publication, and he endured, the design almost unchanged. Even in the absence of firsthand experience with the old strongmen, Superman embodies the strength and goodness other superheroes are patterned after. Like it or not, every other superhero in comics walks in the shadow of Kal-El, in both story and design. The popularity of the character replaced the original in the minds of his public, and cemented that costume, that logo, that particular set of iconic imagery as touchstones for the genre.

Superman is what all good design aspires toward; instantly recognizable, bold, powerful, and enduring with relatively minor updates over time.