Not All Superman Suits Are Equal: Smallville Made Its Own "Visibly Distinct" For One Reason

The Season 11 Smallville comics gave audiences the one thing that the show could not offer: a full head-to-toe look at Tom Welling in his Superman costume. 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 TV Smallville viewers missed, like Clark's full suit.

Alex Jaffe's January 8th, 2025 edition of the DC.com "Ask... The Question" blog offers some insight into what went into the design of Clark Kent's Superman suit in the Smallville comic 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 the Smallville Season 11 comic. 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 the Smallville Superman 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 the Smallville version 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

Comic book panel: Tom Welling Clark Kent first panel as Superman in Smallville Season 11 #1 — Tom Welling Clark Kent first panel as Superman in Smallville Season 11 #1

The alterations to Superman's costume in the Smallville comics 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.

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 body is 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

Comic book art: Superman and Batman fighting in Smallville season 11 comic — Superman and Batman fighting in Smallville season 11 comic

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 that the 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 the Smallville suit, 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 by Tom Welling in Smallville's alternate universe is going to feel different from Christopher Reeve's take on the character. Every creator brings their own, subtle contributions to Superman, and like with Smallville, a new suit should naturally reflect the internal change on a visual level.

Smallville Season 11 is available now from DC Comics.

Source: DC.com