The Iconic Symbolism of Superman’s Black Suit

 

Ah, the black suit. It’s been a staple of Superman’s wardrobe for years, and for good reason. There’s something about that sleek all-black design that just screams, “I’m the Man of Steel!” It’s  recently become a very popular and  iconic symbol of one of the most beloved superheroes of all time, and it has a rich history behind it. So, let’s take a look at the origin of Superman’s black suit, its purpose, and its most recent appearance in comics and film. While the majority of fans know it simply as his 'black suit' it's also known as the 'recovery suit'. 

The black suit first appeared in the comics in 1984, in the limited series The Death of Superman. In this series, Superman died fighting Doomsday, and the black suit was used to represent his death and resurrection, which ultimately led to the rebirth of the Man of Steel when he emerged from the Kryptonian birthing matrix in Action Comics issue #689. Since then, the black suit has become synonymous with Superman’s death and resurrection, a kind of reborn again interpretation.

When it comes to comic books, few characters are as iconic and beloved as Superman. After all, he's getting on a bit and he's been around for the best part of 80 years. His classic blue and red suit is one of the most recognizable costumes in the world and just as iconic in the same way everyday brands use colour to identify and represent themselves such as Coca Cola red, Kodak yellow and so on. But, while most of us are familiar with Superman's classic red and blue look, there's no doubt that the iconic black suit quickly became a fan favourite when Zack Snyder brought it into cinematic glory. (We'll set aside the fact that WB refused to allow a black costume to be made for the cinematic cut of Justice League)

If like me you were born in the early part of the 70's, nothing quite dropped your lower jaw than believing a man could fly with Christopher Reeve's immaculate version of Superman. The red, blue and yellow which made Reeve such a vibrant hero would emerge as a more 'grubby' looking burgundy tone with the reboot of Superman Returns in 2006, and while Brandon Routh did more than a decent job of playing the son of Krypton, Bryan Singers design decision on the shade of red for Brandon's cape has never really struck a chord with me every time I see it.

The black suit on the other hand has become a beloved part of Superman's look, and is often seen as a symbol of both strength and power but with a heavy dose of mystery. It's also a great way to show off Superman's unique sense of style since there are many who never envisaged Superman in an all black suit, especially those who had never read the comics or the various arch's within his life story. The black suit is an important part of Superman's look and his journey as a character who sacrificed himself for the greater good, it holds an importance in the overall narrative of the character probably more than it ever has before.

The black suit has become a classic part of Superman's more modern look and god bless Henry Cavill for representing the character with the sincerity and respect it so richly deserved. It's not known if the black suit will appear in the James Gunn reboot shenanigans, (I'm guessing not though) and while I won't lose any sleep over that we can all still agree that the black suit really emphasized what a powerful character Superman represents and what he's endured all these years.