Superman: Man of Style Finalists!
Friday July 04th 2008, 4:48 am
Editors Note: The following 21 entries have been selected as finalists for the Superman: Man of Style contest. These entries were rated and reviewed by the P:R Staff as well as by our guest judge, super-scribe Mark Waid! The winners (the entries with the highest composite scores) will be announced on Monday over at Pulp Secret in a special video announcement! Check back here on P:R later in the week for the Honorable Mentions. - Dean Trippe
Art Grafunkel
Dean: This is one of the more radical entries we got! I’m surprised by how much this feels guy feels like he belongs in the Superman mythology. Maybe not Supes himself, but I dig the Kryptonian cleric-plus-techno vibe. Could easily work as a Zod, Eradicator, or possibly a new villian created by Brainiac? Any way you slice it, this is a cool look, but unless the Superman titles take a hard turn, it’s just not Superman. Totally wicked, though.
Jess: I’m with Dean: this isn’t Superman himself, but it’s definitely someone in his world. I’m actually getting a Vandal Savage vibe from him, myself.
Rachel: I was thinking Mr. Sinister, but that might just be the hair and cape. Incidentally, this is one of a number of designs we got in which Superman is barefoot, something we haven’t seen with any other character.
Chris: Art is showing a metric ton of creativity here, but it’s taken him on a journey outside of who Superman is. But man, I’d love to see this guy face-off with Superman.
Joel: If Superman had been created in the Seventies for Warrior Magazine, this is exactly what he would have looked like. Grafunkel goes very the bold, creating a new image for Supesf rom the ground-up, but I think he misses the boat when it comes to the gadgets, specifically. At risk of stating the obvious, the essential, timeless appeal of Superman is that he is a Man who is Super. That is, he is the basic human experience raised to the level of hyperbole. Gadgets get in the way of this by making the character a specific sci-fi conceit, rather than an enduring metaphor-mask.
Vito: It’s definitely “out of this world” which is not only the norm with Art, but also the whole kit and kaboodle with Superman. He kind of looks like one of the Obsidian Age characters from the Joe Kelly JLA run, though. I like it, but I think we all agree that this isn’t exactly Kal. And is he packing Kryptonite on his belt?
Waid: Blurgh. Really creative, but zero to do with Superman.
Avi Bastermagian
Dean: I think if Superman were created within the last ten years, this is about what he’d look like. It’s a little on the generic side, but it definitely feels like a Superman to me. I like the wide red bands on the gauntlets, pants, and boots, but the cape-over-the-neck-guard look is a bit cumbersome. I’m also missing the yellow in this normally primary-colored hero.
Jess: Oh, I like this. If Kon had grown up to be Superman, this is what he would have worn, no question.
Chris: WOW. Finally, no underwear on the outside but giving the man some pants. I like this so much that to find something wrong with it, I’d maybe say the chest symbol could be changed up to be less morose. But otherwise, way to go Avi!
Rachel: Avi’s design is really, really sharp, but I miss the bright colors–this strikes me as a darker Superman, both literally and metaphorically. Even though it’s even further from that costume than from the original, it immediately made me think of the Superman of the alternate-reality Justice Lords–enough that I actually went and checked to see how close it was to Justice Lord Superman’s actual costume (not remotely, by the way).
Joel: Jess hit it right on the nose with this one. This would be a great costume for an adult Kon-El. It’s well designed, with a balance of large color areas and linear elements, and the repitition of red throughout the black areas. I like that there are two black tones: those with gray-blue highlights, and those with red. The only area that bugs me is where the black turtleneck ends. It’s awkward that the cape almost, but doesn’t attach along that line, and then the top of the S-shield doesn’t quite relate to that curve, either.
Vito: I think you hit it on the head, Jess. This is Superb—er, Kon El, all grown up and taking the mantle. I really like it, and this could easily be a 10, but just like with Art, this doesn’t say Kal to me.
Waid: A really sleek take incorporating the classic elements. More yellow would have brought the score higher.
Charles R. Rouse-Rodriguez
Dean: Okay, aside from the rocket-pack, I think this is fun as all get out. I don’t see Supes needing the extra technology (this is a costume redesign contest, not a character redesign contest), but the scifi action uniform suit is very cool for an alien hero like our Kal.
Jess: This strikes me as what Clark would have worn if he’d landed on Rann instead of Earth. I like the sash and the piping (and I love dorky little Clark Kent off to the side there), but like Dean I don’t know why he needs all the bells and whistles.
Chris: Not a Superman to me, but this would rank high as the official space suit for Kryptonians.
Joel: As discussed with Grafunkel’s piece, I don’t think Superman needs all the doo-dads, and this costume is all doo-dad. This looks like a space-adventure suit worn by someone who doesn’t have innate powers.
Rachel: You know what it is? It’s an action figure costume–the kind with all sorts of little fiddly bits that your cat inevitably eats. That said, it’s a pretty damn cool design; I could see it as, for example, the government’s “official” look for a superhero from space. And I like the idea of Superman’s costume giving him a means to collect and store solar energy (I’m guessing that’s what the circle doohickeys on his chest and hands are).
Vito: I’m going to go a little higher as it’s really innovative and really true to the sci-fi/pulp origins of Superman. Dean’s right…the jetpack is a little too much to suspend disbelief on, but I dig it!
Waid: I like the drawing a lot more than the actual design–it’s just a little too gadgety for a guy who doesn’t need gizmos.
Fernando Lucas
Dean: Whoa that’s neat. The “S” symbol being a representation of Krypton exploding is way too tragic for Supes to actually wear it, but gosh it’s clever. Similarly, Supes losing sunstone crystals all the time in flight or battle just doesn’t seem smart (unless they’re inert, not being control crystals, I suppose). I think it needs a cape, but I totally love the concept.
Jess: The idea is really cool, but in execution it…well, it kind of looks like a chicken suit. Even if there were a way to make it look less feathery, I feel like a hero encased entirely in crystal is not the most approachable guy in the world, which doesn’t strike me as being particularly Superman-ish.
Rachel: I think Jess’s concerns are right on the money: this Superman is literally pretty prickly, and while a spiky power suit has its advantages, I just don’t think it fits the character. Superman is all about approachability–he’s a symbol as much as he’s a superhero–and this costume broadcasts the opposite. I do love the concept, though–it’s super cool and hella evocative. It could even make for a pretty rad Superman villain, if you just tinted those crystals green…
Chris: This is a very striking imagine, but my practicality-sense ™ is rinigng off. This could be a one-time power-up suit for Supes, butI don’t see him wearing this much bling — Lois would get jealous!
Joel: I love this design, and am kind of in awe of the creative reinvention on display, here. It’s a brilliant application of the Donner Kryptonian crystal technology, and that S-shield is simply an act of genius. I love that the crystals are constantly growing and breaking off into confetti, giving Supes a Miracleman-style Tinkerbell effect. What happens to those fragments? Do they dissolve? Are the gathered up by collectors and sold on eBay? Do they sink into the earth and quietly grow into… something? I agree that it doesn’t have the approachability that is key to Superman’s appeal, and the boots look a little unconsidered, but that all that’s keeping this from a perfect score.
Vito: I love the idea, but the execution is a little…I don’t want to say flawed, because it’s quite ingenious. It just reminds me too much of Doomsday in its concept. I like Joel’s Miracleman explantion, but I wish I could get behind this more.
Waid: Glurgh. No offense, ’cause it’s imaginative, but it’s just so cold–and, worst of all, I really think the one thing Superman doesn’t want to be reminded of every time he looks at his own insignia is that his planet exploded violently.
Jared Axelrod
Dean: Jared one-upped everyone else by actually constructing his steampunky Supes! I’ve seen a few similar designs of the character in my day, but this one sure is spiffy. I’m not sure I see it working for Supes in the comics, but it’s an interesting enough Elseworldsy take that I’ll cut it some slack. Very cool.
Jess: I have a total weakness for steampunk, and this is just fantastic. I love the goggles, the way the cape attaches, and the…boot covers? Spats? Whatever, they’re excellent. Dear DC: I now request several hundred Victorian Superman stories featuring this costume, Sherlock Holmes, and possibly bayonets. Love, Jess.
Rachel: It’s worth noting that Jared’s costume isn’t a stand-alone–it’s part of a marvelous steampunk redesign of the entire Justice League, The Guild of Justice-Minded Citizenry. Where were these guys during Fights, Flights, and Tights?
Chris: Reign of the Supermen. I’d love to see Clark institute a Superman program with Jr.s, and Jared would be an able-bodied pick.
Joel: Wow, well this gets points for realization of vision. I love the asymmetrical cape connection, but would like to see how the rest of the cape connects in the back. Action spats, epaulets, and filigree collars should, clearly, be a part of more superhero costumes. The belt needs a little more weight and interest, and I’m not sure about the relationship between the pentagonal buttoning and the little S-shield. The two shapes being so close to one another is awkward.
Vito: I think Jared really went the extra distance with the top…but the bottoms don’t look as inspired. Granted, all of the classic Superman elements are represented, but for something so steampunky, I would like to see something a little more ornate on the legs, perhaps s-shields going down the sides, and maybe a darker red.
Rachel: Yeah, I’m with Vito here. The spats are nice, but the plain red field of the pants sticks out against the ornamentation of the rest of the costume. Even continuing those brass buttons from the spats up the sides would help lend it a more unified look.
Waid: Indifferent. More appreciative of the craft and dedication than of the design. Don’t dig the huge not-S chest symbol.
Ming Doyle
Dean: This is the highest rating I’m giving out, and with good reason. Ming has taken a solid design route and imposed it over the Superman mythos, redesigning not just Supes, but Kara and Conner as well (good gosh, I’d love to see that kid back and sporting these wicked duds)! The new take on the S shield is magnificent, and the inclusion of multiple shades of blue into the uniforms is brilliant. I love how otherworldly these costumes look, but totally retaining the superheroic appearance and instant recognition for each character. Ming’s removal of the much maligned red undies is the best I’ve seen. And I just can’t get over how much story there is in this single piece. We’ve clearly got our SuperFamily back together, working more often from the same base of operations at the Fortress of Solitude, and even Superman updating his costume in the step towards greater unity with his namesakes. I love it to bits. To me this design walks a strange, perfect line between feeling like a Silver Age comic and and Ultimate-ized take on the characters. Good show all around, Ming. I think everyone else is just playing for second from here on out.
Jess: I am trying really, really hard not to give Ming full marks just for including Kara and Kon, because I tend to be extraordinarily partial to Superkids, but this is just fantastic all around. I love the piping and that Clark is the only one wearing a cape. I love that they seem to have incorporated elements of each other’s costumes - the fellas have Kara’s extra-long sleeves with the pointed elements, and much of Clark’s costume is reminiscent of Kon’s debut outfit, like the black elements and the narrow belt (thankfully minus some of the more dated aspects, like the fade). I love Kon’s boyish short sleeves and the fact that Kara looks strong and capable and, you know, fully clothed, but still very sassy and teenaged. I would absolutely buy a comic with this on the cover, in a heartbeat.
Rachel: Ming has consistently set the bar for costume redesigns, and she does it again here. This Superfamily is clearly alien–I love the way the logo has changed so that it’s no longer immediately legible as an “S”–and just as clearly superheroic. The subtle variations between the costumes–Clark’s cape, Kon’s sleeves, Kara’s skirt–and the extent to which the characters keep their individuality but still have such a cohesive look blow me away. Looking more closely, I’ve also noticed that those variations are reflected in *all* the costumes: Kara’s boatneck, for example, echoes the neckline of Clark’s cape and the dark section at the top of Kon’s shoulders, and the red sides are a common note for both Kara and Kon. My one complaint about these, and the one reason I knocked off a point, is that they’re awfully busy–I think they’d lose a lot in small panels, and I have trouble imagining them drawn by anyone but Ming.
Chris: The drastic simplification of the “S” logo into what it is sets the tone for my whole interview. This would be a Superman who’s finally at peace with his dual homes of earth and Krypton, and accepting both Lois and the Superkids as family. This is a really inspirational piece.
Joel: This is a great illustration, and there are a lot of wonderful elements to these costumes (the S-shield, the two blue-tones, the characterizations, etc.), but, to my eyes, these designs are just a little too busy. I think it’s the yellow piping, which breaks things up too much. And mid-shin is a very awkward place to end a boot. I’d suggest either moving the boot tops a few inches higher or lower, and switching the piping to the lighter blue.
Vito: Ming, if we could bottle up whatever otherworldly talent that you, Jemma, Daniel, Joel and Dean have for superhero design, we’d make a mint. Every child in America that has grown up at the feet of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko comics would drink that potion in a second. But I’m digressing from the actual design here. The idea of a uniform design among a “family” of characters isn’t new. I think the only family in comics that doesn’t adhere to that thinking, at least nowadays, is the Batman Family. So, it’s great that the thinking behind a family design went into this. But for the actual designs, she really found a way to update Superman himself without going to far from what we know, and that made for a killer design. And then she pushed it further by taking that design and switching it up for his supporting cast. The one that catches my eye the most is Kara. Remember the Supergirl contest? The one element that makes or breaks Supergirl is her skirt and I think that’s the one problem DC has with the character; how do you put a teenage girl in a mini skirt without making her too sexy for her age? Ming’s design totally shatters any artist’s or writer’s conception of what she (Supergirl) can be and what she can look like and that’s all based on the strength of that Superman design. I’d be interested to hear from Ming as to which character she visualized first. She’s an amazing artist, that Ming Doyle, and it’s hard not to give her a 10. My heart might belong to Kyle’s design, but my head is right here.
Waid: This is really great. Not too noodly, and extra points for designing something that adapts well to Supergirl, as well.
Jon Morris
Dean: Jon’s Sun God Supes is the following: Wicked. Fourth World. Shiny. Excellent. It’s so Herculean and happy, I can’t say anything against it.
Rachel: I’m giving Jon’s design a full extra point because of how thoroughly it breaks from the traditional representations of Superman. Most of these–even the best of them–lean very heavily on the “real” costume, and the ability to make such a dramatic departure from such an iconic look deserves notice. Maybe this is what Superman would’ve ended up if he had crash-landed on Themyscria. Also, while it doesn’t have anything to do with the costume, the pose and facial expression on this are awesome. They totally crack me up: I bet this Superman always says everything in a loud, declarative voice and is super enthusiastic.
Chris: What if Superman crash landed in ancient Rome? That’s what this hits me over the head with. I don’t think he could pull this off in 2008. But maybe I’d like to see him try.
Joel: Argosy Action Superman! Beyond the obvious virtues of this fun drawing, what I really like about this design is that it really could have been what Superman looked like, if Joe and Jerry had been paying less attention to circus performers and more to Supes’ pulp magazine predecessors (”Clark Kent! Golden Warrior from Another World!”). And then, all superheroes costumes would be derivations of this! The gold armor looks futuristic enough to balance the Classical inspirations. The solar eclipse buckle adds some nice mythic undertones. I’m a little worried about whether or not that cape is a tripping hazard, and the feet are a little footie-pajamas for my taste.
Jess: It seems like it might be a little awkward to go around in - the leather truss would poke him in the ribs every time he bent over, and if that S-shield is raised it would be poking his armpit rather uncomfortably when he put his arm down. I’m also not sure why he needs gauntlets if he’s super strong and invulnerable. I definitely give it major props for creativity, though.
Vito: Sun God, huh? I can see it. In fact, this is very New Gods meets Greek Gods. Not too far off the original intention of…well, any comics, really! The one thing that throws me off is the cape. It looks uncomfortable to me.
Waid: Very creative, but not very Superman-ish.
More finalists and the P:R Staff entries after the jump! - D.T.
(more…)
time saved
time saved
