Superman & Lois: Every Suit Clark Kent Has Had In The Arrowverse

Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman is back in action on Superman & Lois and his Arrowverse wardrobe has extended quite a lot. For several years, Hoechlin’s Man of Steel has been a recurring player in The CW’s DC TV universe through Supergirl. But the last two crossovers began setting him up for something bigger via Elseworlds and Crisis on Infinite Earths. Following the introduction of Elizabeth Tulloch’s Lois Lane, it didn’t take long before The CW made it clear that she and her hero in blue and red would soon become bigger players on the network. Ahead of the iconic 5-part 2019 Arrowverse crossover, the network announced that Superman & Lois was the next spinoff that was joining the slate.

While Superman was mainly seen through Supergirl episodes and the crossovers, it’s key to remember that Clark has been operating as the iconic hero for years in the universe. Before Kara Danvers became the Girl of Steel, Clark had already been Superman for quite a while, meaning his mythology has been fleshed out offscreen. Through various references, Arrowverse viewers know some of the enemies he has faced as well as events he has gone through. Through Superman & Lois, fans will get to see that more in-depth, especially in this post-Crisis on Infinite Earths era of the Arrowverse. The 5-part crossover has already changed various aspects of Superman’s history in the Arrowverse, meaning new changes are still expected.

But one of the aspects that got highlighted in the series premiere of Superman & Lois was that Clark’s super-suits have gone through changes over the years. In the comics, Superman’s suit has evolved over his long-time existence. It only makes sense then for any media adaptation of Kal-El to change his look from time to time. Sometimes it’s to have a modern feel to it while other scenarios are to better protect him from threats like Kryptonite. Through his Arrowverse presence, Hoechlin’s Superman has had a good slew of costumes that bring iconic comic looks to life. They will likely be more, but for now, this is every Superman costume that Clark Kent has had in the Arrowverse, including Superman & Lois.

Clark’s First Arrowverse Costume

Hoechlin first debuted in The CW’s DC TV franchise in Supergirl season 2 right after the Kara Zor-El-centered series had moved from CBS. The basis for his initial suit was very similar, in design, to Kara’s Supergirl costume with the texture/fabric almost being the same. However, something that other Superman costumes had never done before was the execution of the red cape. This time, the cape was attached to straps rather than put under his shoulders inside the suit. While it was certainly great to see Superman finally in the main Arrowverse, Hoechlin’s later costumes are the ones that are far more interesting and popping.

Black Elseworlds Suit

While it wasn’t exactly Clark of Earth-38, Hoechlin did get to play a different type of Superman in 2018. During the Elseworlds crossover, the main villain John Deegan used the Book of Destiny to rewrite Earth-1 and make himself its world’s Man of Steel. But rather than going with the classic red and blue, the Arrowverse used this opportunity to introduce another iconic super-suit that Superman has worn in the comics. Deegan’s Superman was a fully black suit while sporting a silver House of El symbol on his chest. This is obviously a nod to Clark’s regeneration suit from the Reign of the Supermen arc after he came back from the dead. For newer readers, it can also be seen as highlighting the black look he had in the Superman: Lois & Clark comic series from Dan Jurgens.

The Max Fleischer Suit

The Superman & Lois pilot came with a very big surprise for longtime fans of the Man of Tomorrow, doing something other live-action versions have never done. As Clark is telling his story to the viewers of becoming Metropolis’s guardian angel, Hoechlin is seen wearing a costume that is meant to be interpreted as his first Superman costume in this universe. However, it’s not just any Superman costume as it’s actually based on the Max Fleischer Superman cartoon that draws upon the design from Action Comics. Not only does Hoechlin have the red trunks, but the S-shield pays homage to the first design. The suit is seen as part of another big homage moment when Hoechlin pays tribute to the Action Comics #1 comic cover. While Clark will unlikely wear it again in the present time, fans will definitely see it again in flashbacks.

The Superman & Lois Suit

For his own show, Superman & Lois showrunner Todd Helbing promised early on that Clark would be getting a new upgraded look following his appearance in Crisis on Infinite Earths. The latest suit, as seen in Superman & Lois, seems very inspired by the looks from the Superman Rebirth comics. Even though Kal-El is now back in his traditional look with the red trunks and all, Superman & Lois is leaning more towards the Rebirth look. The suit, which was designed by Laura Jean Shannon (Titans, Stargirl), brings back the strap-lass (and more improved) cape while also getting a much slimmer belt. It’s currently the best one out of all the Superman costumes that Hoechlin has worn.

Depending on how long Superman & Lois goes, fans should definitely expect to see other versions of the Superman uniform come to life. The Arrowverse has always been clever with paying tribute to the comics and bring in various aspects of the DC Universe. It wouldn’t be entirely shocking if this show somehow manages to bring in something like the Superman Red and Superman Blue costumes. Given that a black Superman suit was produced for Elseworlds, perhaps the real Clark will one day wear it, even if it means adapting the Death of Superman storyline.

Although it’s curious who fixes Clark’s suit whenever it’s needed. Since Superman doesn’t have a team as the other Arrowverse shows do, it’s always a mystery how he fixes the suit, or who gives him upgrades. But since the latest Superman suits in the Arrowverse have only gotten better and better one after another, it’ll be exciting to see the next suit that Superman & Lois introduces, whenever that might be.

About The Author

Andy Behbakht
(1033 Articles Published)

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Andy is a senior writer at Screen Rant as he has covered the world of entertainment journalism since 2010, including superhero/comic book media. In addition to his work as a reporter, Andy co-hosts The Flash Podcast while running and producing the entire DC TV Podcasts network. He is also the founder/editor-in-chief of The Marvel Report since Fall 2015. Andy has previously written for sites such as FanSided, KSiteTV, TV Fanatic, It’s Just Movies, Heroic Hollywood, TV Overmind, and more.

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