Superman’s Coolest Redesigns Were Never Seen By Fans

The coolest Superman redesigns were never seen by fans, but were eventually used as inspiration for the New 52 costume. In recent years, the Man of Steel has received a few costume changes. In the process of modifying the suit for various movie iterations, concept artists have come up with hundreds of alternate looks.

 While Frank Quietly proved Superman’s timeless look doesn’t need to be changed to tell a great story in Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman, many artists have tried their hand at reinventing the iconic costume. The New 52 radically revived Superman to appear more modern, with Rebirth finding a balance between the old and the new. Now, Superman has returned to his traditional look in comics. However, some fans might prefer a bold new suit in contrast to his current attire.

When director McG was working on a Superman movie, artist David Williams illustrated potential costume designs for the Man of Steel. Since McG’s movie was never made, the redesigns have never been utilized, but were the source of inspiration for Jim Lee’s New 52 redesign of Superman. Known as BroHawk on DeviantArt, Williams shared his work for McG’s un-produced movie online, along with concept art for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. The exciting new direction predates many reimagined costumes, showcasing a more minimalistic and alien look, compared to the suit that has become the standard superhero uniform.

Including a darker shade of blue than what is typically used for Superman’s suit, the costume redesigns have a few subtle alterations. The yellow of the emblem appears more gold than yellow, with an orange tint. However, David Williams’ suits are still instantly recognizable as Superman. Based on the more angular “S” and its incorporation on the cape, the similarities to the New 52 design are very apparent. Also implementing the collar, Jim Lee’s redesign clearly has some of the unused concept art for McG’s film in the costume’s DNA.

Despite not being used in any particular Superman story, Williams’ design has impacted the character’s history by shaking up his traditional appearance. Proving that Superman doesn’t need the trunks, his concept art has pushed other creators to ask questions, rather than simply replicate the look he’s had since the Silver Age. The last son of Krypton’s suit should appear subversive from other heroes— especially when the costume originates from his Kryptonian background. By grounding Superman for modern audiences, his costume continues to appeal to young fans.

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