The Season 11Smallvillecomics gave audiences the one thing that the show could not offer: a full head-to-toe look at Tom Welling in hisSupermancostume. The series finale delivered a brief glimpse of Clark Kent finally achieving his decade-long destiny, but the show ended before viewers could see anything beyond the chest emblem. The comics deliver moments that TVSmallvilleviewers missed, like Clark’s full suit.
Alex Jaffe’s January 8th, 2025 edition of theDC.com"Ask… The Question" blog offers someinsight into what went into the design of Clark Kent’s Superman suit in theSmallvillecomic book expansion,Smallville Season 11. After all, the television series doesn’t reveal much from the neck below, and so the comic series creators took some artistic liberties. Jaffe’s blog post reveals:
mhy1 asks:
I have a question about the design of the Superman suit in theSmallville Season 11comic. Anyone know who did that design?
These sorts of details are rarely a matter of public record. So, to answer this one, I went to the source by tracking down writer Bryan Q. Miller for his recollection. Miller told me that, as DC directed him that theSmallvilleSuperman suit should be visibly distinct from any previous Superman suit featured elsewhere, he got to work brainstorming a brand-new look with his art team at the time. Cover artist Cat Staggs took the lead on the design, with additional input from Pere Pérez and Miller himself.
It’s worth taking a moment to analyze what makes theSmallvilleversion of Superman’s suit so “visibly distinct” to understand the importance of giving every Superman such a distinct look to begin with.
What Makes the Smallville Superman Suit “Visibly Distinct”?
Subtle - But Different - Alterations
The alterations to Superman’s costume in theSmallvillecomics are subtle, yet noticeably different from the character’s standard fare. At first glance, there is not much to the suit that’s different from the usual Superman attire, but again,the subtleties are in the details. Outwardly, this version of Superman still has the classic red cape adorned over a mostly blue suit with matching red boots. Meanwhile, the insignia on Superman’s chest is the same as it’s ever been, still sporting red and yellow colors across the hopeful symbol.
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One of the more subtle differences comes in the outlining etched across the sides of Superman’s body. Two parallel lines separate a slightly lighter shade of blue along the side of Superman’s torso. That detail stretches down to his rib cage, down to his thigh, calf, and ankle areas before stopping at the boots. Meanwhile,Superman’s lower bodyis separated from the top with a red and yellow belt that includes a yellow buckle. Most notably, Superman’s signature outer underwear is gone, which has always been a controversial feature of his costume.
Why Does a Superman Suit Need to Be Visibly Distinct?
To Reflect a Characteristically-Distinct Superman
These changes may cause some readers to wonder why a Superman costume needs to be visibly distinct in the first place. The Superman costume ranks among the most instantly recognizable outfits in superhero history. Theoretically, if the original design remains such an identifiable staple in pop culture, then it shouldn’t need to be altered. While that thinking is understandable, it overlooks the fact thatthe Superman character’s personality continues to be altered throughout the years.
There have always been subtle-but-different versions of Superman’s personality in different iterations, largely because each iteration has a different writer and overall creative team.
Much like with theSmallvillesuit, there have always been subtle-but-different versions of Superman’s personality in different iterations, largely because each iteration has a different writer and overall creative team. Superman as written by John Byrne is going to feel different from that written by Joshua Williamson, just as Superman played byTom Welling inSmallville’salternate universeis going to feel different from Christopher Reeve’s take on the character. Every creator brings their own, subtle contributions toSuperman, and like withSmallville, a new suit should naturally reflect the internal change on a visual level.
Smallville
Cast
Smallville chronicles the journey of Clark Kent, portraying his origins from Krypton to his teenage years on Earth. The series explores his challenges and development leading towards his destiny as the iconic hero, Superman, set against the backdrop of Smallville, Kansas.
