Earlier this morning, ComicBook.com learned that Superman will debut a new costume in the pages of April’s Superman #20, following the events of the “Superman Reborn” event in March.
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The costume is materially the same one he’s been wearing since the start of Rebirth, although with some elements from the past reinstituted or tweaked slightly. Here’s our quick-hit rundown of what’s on display in the new costume.
You can check that out over the next few pages.
You can see the official solicitation text for the issues below:
SUPERMAN #20
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON • Art by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY • Cover by PATRICK GLEASON • Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
“Superman Black” part one! A “Superman Reborn Aftermath” tie-in! As the smoke clears the Kents are faced with leaving Hamilton to go back to Metropolis, but someone or something doesn’t want them to leave! Batman and Robin discover something is mysteriously wrong with the son of Superman—he’s losing his powers!
On sale APRIL 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
ACTION COMICS #977
Written by DAN JURGENS • Art by IAN CHURCHILL • Cover by ANDY KUBERT • Variant cover by GARY FRANK
“Superman Reborn Aftermath” part one! Following the epic struggle against [REDACTED], Superman examines his entire history—the birth of Jon, the marriage of Lois and Clark, their lives at the Daily Planet—to discover who tried to destroy his life. Who is waiting in the shadows? Who is Mr. Oz? All questions the Man of Steel cannot answer alone. It is time for him to unite the entire Superman-Family!
On sale APRIL 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
“Superman Reborn Aftermath” will run through the Superman family of titles in April. The full DC solicitations will be released on Tuesday.
THE BELT
The belt on the Rebirth Superman was…odd. It wasn’t actually a belt in the traditional sense, in that it didn’t connect in the middle. It looked a bit like the thing they gave him in the Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movies, but it was a bit understated in the films and just gave the costume some texture.
Because it was red in the comics, that made it stick out. It certainly helped to breakup the blue bodysuit in the absence of red boots or trunks (still no trunks, guys, sorry!), but it always struck us as a little odd. Especially because the big diamond-shaped “belt buckle” looked like it would be uncomfortable when Superman bent over.
Here, we have a belt that’s metallic — like the New 52 Superman’s belt and boots were — but with signficantly fewer fussy details than the New 52 belt. The overall shape of it looks like it echoes the tops of his belts, which are in turn a riff on a pre-Flashpoint design.
The yellow pentagonal belt buckle echoes the crest of the House of El without duplicating it (something they’ve done in a few redesigns, and seen in live action in Superman Returns)…and the flat top of the pentagon means it doesn’t look like it would be constantly poking Superman if he bent at the waist.
THE CUFFS
A return to a Superman classic: his top looks like tights again. None of the lines of the New 52 Superman, and not even the movie-inspired, metallic “cuffs” that the Rebirth Superman brought to the table in his redesigned costume. Just…a sleeve.
THE BOOTS
Superman’s red boots with the peaked, jagged tops are back!
They’re metallic, not unlike his belt, but they’re back.
This will come as a welcome development to some fans, who expressed frustration about the blue boots making his whole costume look darker and more monochromatic. it’s hard to tell from the covers (which are colored slightly differently and drawn in different styles) whether Superman’s new look is slightly brighter/a lighter blue or if that’s just a trick of the eye, but in any case, the costume ends with red boots, rather than blue boots with red piping as he’d had the last 8 months or so.
THE “S”
We know, we know, “it’s not an ‘S.’”
Superman’s “S” shield is the same here as it has been throughout the Rebirth era.
That’s actually kind of important since the re-emergence of the New 52 Superman during the “Superman Reborn” storyline presented the very real possibility that the post-Flashpoint insignia could end up becoming the dominant one again.
THE SMILE
It’s hard to miss the fact that Superman is smiling on both the Action Comics and Superman covers.
Given the resurgence of optimism, the hopelessness often faced by the New 52 Superman, and critiques of how Marvel and DC are handling their heroes in comics (and DC in the movies), it seemed worth noting.
