We Ranked Superman’s Costumes (& Number 1 Is Perfect)

DC is celebrating Superman Day in grand fashion this year, and we thought it was a perfect time to look back on the Man of Steel’s legacy over the years in a more visual way. Superman has undergone many transformations and evolutions along his 60-year journey, and more often than not, those transformations come with a new costume and look to really shake things up. We’re taking a look at Superman’s many costumes and ranking them, letting you know which ones are our favorites from the realms of comics, movies, and TV. Let’s get started though with some comics, shall we?

18) Warworld Superman

One of Superman’s biggest departures in terms of looks is his Warworld gladiator suit from the Warworld Saga in Action Comics. While there’s actually not much of a costume here, the pieces of the suit that are here are striking, especially the chained Superman symbol. The broken-down look is perfectly suited for the storyline of incredible odds and survival, though I’d be lying if I called it one of my favorites compared to others on this list.

17) World of New Krypton

During the 2009 World of New Krypton series, Superman attempts to get back in touch with Kryptonian culture. He ultimately decides to join the military guild, mostly to keep an eye on Zod, who the people of New Krypton adore, and when he joins, he takes on the more militaristic black and grey uniform. The Superman symbol is much smaller and near his shoulder, and he has silver bracers around his wrists and a silver belt buckle to break up the rest of the suit. It’s an interesting look just because it’s so different from anything else, but compared to his other, more iconic designs, it just lacks that same magic.

16) Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey

A year after Superman returned to the world of the living, he set out to find Doomsday and remove the threat once and for all, but he didn’t leave anything to chance. In this story, he has a mother box, and it senses the danger of Doomsday and generates a suit for him alongside an assortment of weapons and tools to use in the battle, and even that is barely enough. This was a fun one-off look, but it’s not something you can see Superman going back to on a regular basis.

15) Action Comics (New 52)

The New 52 is going to come up again on this list, but first, let’s talk about the New 52 Action Comics costume, which is essentially Clark in a shirt and jeans, along with a red cape. This was earlier in his career as Superman, so he wasn’t even as powerful as he would later become. It definitely evokes a more classic Superman vibe, and this style of costume is actually one of my favorites for Superbly ironically enough, but compared to other Superman suits, it still falls a bit later in the list.

14) Injustice: Gods Among Us

DC and NetherRealm introduced fans to the Injustice universe and, in the process, created a beloved franchise, both in the realms of video games and comics. At the center of that universe was Superman, who had become a dictator after losing his wife and unborn child to the Joker. With that new status came a new interpretation of the costume, which ditched the red trunks and brought in a bigger S symbol along with longer red boots and red accents through the torso. It gives Superman a certain gravitas that is fitting with the edgier nature of his character in Injustice, and it looks good in both the video games and the comics.

13) Godfall

One of the more drastic changes to Superman’s look came in 2004’s Godfall, which featured a stunning costume and redesign by Michael Turner, Talent Caldwell, and Jason Gorder. The story takes place on Kandor after Superman wakes up without his memories and is living a very different life in a highly stylized setting, and the futuristic nature of it helps it stand out. The red and black just works, and while the story won’t be for everyone, the costume deserves some shine.

12) Action Comics #1

Superman made his grand debut in Action Comics #1, and while the suit looks a bit different in terms of certain aesthetics, many of the hallmarks of the modern classic Superman suit are accounted for even back then. The blue suit, red trunks, red boots, and red cape are all present, with the style of the S symbol being the biggest departure from what most people recognize today. It still holds up when looking through the prism of that era, and while the suit has been improved upon in later revisions, there’s still a lot to appreciate from Big Blue’s introduction.

11) David Corenswet’s Superman

Moving outside of comics, the newest addition to the Superman mythology will hit theaters later this year, and it brings with it a costume that mixes in silver age and modern sensibilities. That film is James Gunn’s Superman starring David Corenswet, and the biggest issue with the suit is that we haven’t seen it in all its grandeur because the film isn’t out yet. We’ve had plenty of photos and footage, but the final judgment will be applied when we see the movie in its entirety and get a true sense of how the suit looks in action. Just from a design standpoint, it’s not my favorite, but I like what I’ve seen so far.

10) Red Son

Shifting back to comics, it’s time for a story that many consider one of the best Elseworlds stories of all time in Superman: Red Son. Red Son shakes up the mythology by having Superman be a weapon of Russia, and in keeping with the theme, he receives a rather stunning red, black, and grey costume, complete with a hammer and sickle where the S used to be. It’s a bold look and fitting for the story, and deserves the shine it so often receives.

9) Absolute Superman

DC’s Absolute Universe has redesigned DC’s heroes from the ground up, and Superman has been one of the most impactful transformations yet. There’s a sleekness to the new suit that balances well with the louder orange gauntlets and boots, and the modern cape and S symbol complete the puzzle brilliantly. The cape’s ability to transform creates a sense of motion that most other suits simply can’t duplicate, and the meaning behind every facet of the suit is absurdly impressive. This suit could continue to move up the list as time goes on, but for now, there are still a few costumes ahead of it.

8) Electric Blue Superman

Another bold reinvention of Superman came after The Final Night event, which led to Superman losing and then gaining back his powers with the return of the sun, but he gained them back in a completely different way. Now Superman was a being of pure energy, appearing as blue and getting an on-theme blue and white costume. He also ended up splitting into a red version, but the Blue Superman look is more memorable, and the suit looks pretty slick with its blue suit and white accents, complete with a stylized white S. You may not love the story, but the look has surprisingly actually held up over time.

7) New 52 Superman

The New 52 sought to change up the DC Universe in a major way, and while it can be divisive, it did ultimately make a huge impact. That was in terms of costumes as well, and there were a lot of things to love about some of those designs. Case in point, Superman’s New 52 costume, which got rid of the red trunks, added a red belt, and added a red-lined collar among other tweaks. The suit actually looks great overall, but in an effort to make it appear armored, there were a lot of design lines that just cluttered it up and made it look a bit clunky in execution. That said, it would be improved upon with other costumes on this list.

6) Justice Lords

One of my absolute favorite suits is actually from DC’s animated universe, and that’s Justice Lord Superman. This Superman is from an alternate universe, which saw Superman execute President Lex Luthor and impose the League’s version of peace on their world in the void. This suit is just gorgeous, with a white cape flowing into the S symbol that is accented in red, and that contrasts so well with the rest of the black suit. It just pops, especially with Superman’s edgier attitude, and it’s been one of my favorite looks ever since its debut in 2003.

5) Kingdom Come

Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ classic Kingdom Come introduced fans to an older Superman who had partially given up on the world around him, retiring from hero life and just living on his farm. When he does return to action, he is wearing a relatively classic Superman suit, but the biggest key difference is the S symbol, which has changed from red on a yellow background to red on a black background. It’s amazing the impact a small change like that can have, but it’s apparent here, and it has gone on to be utilized in a variety of other suits over the years. Still, this is the original, and it’s still an all-time look.

4) Snyderverse Superman

Switching back to movies, 2013 introduced the world to Zack Snyder’s Superman in Man of Steel, which featured Henry Cavill stepping into the role. Cavill’s Superman suit is a deeper and more muted blue, and the red and yellow in the S symbol is also muted, with the brighter red in the cape being the biggest pop of color. The texture on the suit itself looks amazing onscreen, and while there is a lack of color throughout the suit, the formation of the belt is sleek. There’s an elegance to this suit that stands out, and it will likely continue to be a favorite for years to come.

3) Superman & Lois

You know all of the things I said about the Cavill suit and the New 52 suit? Well, you can apply those to the 2.0 suit from Superman & Lois as well. Tyler Hoechlin’s suit takes a similar approach to both of those previous costumes, going for a sleeker look overall and a textured suit that gives it a hint of an armored feel without sacrificing the overall aesthetic. That said, this suit also boosts the color substantially, giving us vibrant blues and reds that really make it pop. If it featured a bigger S symbol it would be even better, but even as it stands, it’s a killer costume and one of my favorites.

2) Black Suit

This one might be divisive, but that’s okay, because I’m used to it. The Death of Superman had a profound effect on many of us, and so did the Return. That ushered in a host of other Superman characters, but when the real Superman returned, he came back in a black and silver suit that has become iconic, and it’s still my second favorite Superman suit of all time. Seriously, this suit just works, and it’s in part due to its simplicity. The all black body suit only features a silver S symbol and silver gauntlets, and while the symbol has been drawn differently over the years, the bigger S symbol just makes it pop off the page. I do prefer the shorter hair version to the mullet, but even with the mullet, it still rules, and you can’t say that about many superhero costumes.

1) Modern Classic

Over the years, the quintessential Superman costume has actually stayed mostly the same, and while DC may deviate at times from that classic look, it always comes back. What’s different about now is that not only did it come back after Rebirth, but it’s transcended that classic label and just become the de facto standard in what I’m calling the Modern Classic look. The current Superman suit features the bright red and blue hues with the red trunks in tow, a sleeker yellow belt, and a large S symbol on the chest.

This same style has been the basis for comics, TV, and film, being utilized in Adventures of Superman (George Reeves), Superman (Christopher Reeve), and Lois & Clark (Dean Cain). Those suits are all pretty similar, and all three were successfully translated to the screen. What the last few years of Superman have managed to do is honor Superman’s classic costume while simultaneously making it feel modern and fresh, in part thanks to brilliant artists and colorists like Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain, Alejandro Sanchez, Jamal Campbell, and more. While DC successfully brought Superman’s iconic look to life on the screen, it has truly entered a new era of relevance and icon status in the comics.

Alright, that’s my list, but let us know what you think and what your top 3 Superman costumes are in the comments! You can also talk all things DC and comics with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!