Origin Of The \S/ symbol

[The Guard]

I believe that the Kryptonian symbol wasn't the 'S' itself - it consisted of the negative spaces around the 'S'. Don't recall if they had any meaning.

There were pieces, talismans, that made up the negative space of the "S". They should for things like Truth, Justice, Hope, Faith, Peace, Love, etc. Jor-El had visited the Kents years before Clark was sent to Earth, and left these talismans behind.

 

[DavidTyler]

There were pieces, talismans, that made up the negative space of the "S". They should for things like Truth, Justice, Hope, Faith, Peace, Love, etc. Jor-El had visited the Kents years before Clark was sent to Earth, and left these talismans behind.

Yeah... not really a fan of that idea.

I want Superman's emblem to .... well, be Superman's emblem. It may have been inspired by something similar of Kryptonian origin but, in the end, it's a design that Clark and the Kent's created. I also am not a fan of the suit being of Kryptonian origin. Sorry, G.. but that just begs the question: 'Did Jor-El somehow know his kid was going to be a superhero on another planet?'

In Elliot Maggin's book, 'Last Son Of Krypton', Jor-el didn't really know where his son was going to land. He programmed the ship to look for intelligent life. Kal-el could have ended up anywhere and grew up to be anything.


While I think your idea about a morphing emblem would look cool on screen, I don't believe it helps the character.

 

[The Guard]

It's more that Jor-El knew what he stood for, and he found people who stood for the same things in case he had to send his son away. Now, I much prefer the whole "I don't know where my son is going to end up" angle, but in Abrams script, it made sense from a logical standpoint, and there's a certain poetry to it.

My idea is not just a morphing emblem. It's a way to celebrate his Kryptonian heritage and his human construction of "Superman" in one fell swoop, without delineating them. The Kryptonian emblem can exist, as could the Earth one.

It just strikes me as more interesting than sewing an "S" onto the costume.

 

[Webhead2006]

I wonder how they will take the S in future films.

 

[Daybreak_st]

I like the idea of a kryptonian influence, similar to the early seasons of smallville:

Also their was an episode where lex points out the chest plate of alexander the great:

he mentions that his enemies thought it made him invincible, clark makes some comment about how he can't imagine riding into battle with that on his chest.

I think it would be interesting if clark takes the symbol and turns it into the s symbol we're all familiar with. He makes it his own. It'd be interesting if at first he's wearing the actual kryptonian symbol above then some says it looked like an S and they dub him superman. He then refines the costume with the modified S.

 

[Daybreak_st]

I found this online:

maybe jorel wore something like in the scenes from krypton.

 

[Webhead2006]

well day the whole 8 thing with smallville between seasons 1-5 they were not allowed to use the S symbol. So they created the 8 thing. But the whole S thing would be interesting if they do have a good reason for the symbol and all that.

 

[Daybreak_st]

wow, i never knew that, thanks Webhead. I thought maybe it was in the comics or something. I really liked the notion though, and wish they'd followed up on it. It's not a big deal if the iconic symbol is kryptonian or not, but i think it would interesting if clark takes something an makes it his own as i posted above.

 

[Kurosawa]

Yeah... not really a fan of that idea.

I want Superman's emblem to .... well, be Superman's emblem. It may have been inspired by something similar of Kryptonian origin but, in the end, it's a design that Clark and the Kent's created. I also am not a fan of the suit being of Kryptonian origin. Sorry, G.. but that just begs the question: 'Did Jor-El somehow know his kid was going to be a superhero on another planet?'

In Elliot Maggin's book, 'Last Son Of Krypton', Jor-el didn't really know where his son was going to land. He programmed the ship to look for intelligent life. Kal-el could have ended up anywhere and grew up to be anything.


While I think your idea about a morphing emblem would look cool on screen, I don't believe it helps the character.

In Maggin's book he sent a drone ahead to Einstein, who calculated where the ship would land and went there to find fitting parents, choosing Ma and Pa Kent of course. (He arranged for them to go where the rocket would land without them knowing, supposedly going there to buy a tractor.) Jor-El wanted for Einstein to raise Kal, but Einstein decided that Earth was a world ruled by ethics, not science, which led him to choose the Kents.

It's a very interesting take and I can see the point that Jor-El wouldn't be so irresponsible to just send Kal-El to Earth and let the chips fall, but I like the random miracle of him being found by just the right people too.

I'm also split on El Family crest or Kent family design, which was both pre and post-Crisis actually. In both versions Jonathan Kent designed the symbol.

 

[Webhead2006]

yea in the early yrs of the show they were blocked from using/doing alot of things and it wasnt really to around season 6 or so alot more of the restrictions were lifted on the show. But like i said if this new film wants to come up with a cool reason for the S shield that would be cool. OR if they want to use the whole family crest deal from donner. That is one of the few elements from donner film i wouldnt mind to be around still. But heck in the comics its been a few different meanings i believe for the S.

 

[jak123]

I liked the Birthright explanation, where it was a universal symbol on Krypton, rather than being exclusive to the house of El. I like the idea that it represents the concepts of Truth and Justice, especially.

Like this idea. I think it also might have been in Mario Puzo's original script for STM.

 

[Scarlet Spider]

well day the whole 8 thing with smallville between seasons 1-5 they were not allowed to use the S symbol. So they created the 8 thing. But the whole S thing would be interesting if they do have a good reason for the symbol and all that.

Smallville didn't create the \8/ emblem. I'm pretty sure the \8/ was already part of DC's official Kryptonian alphabet, before Smallville was even conceived. \8/ is the Kryptonian letter for S.

 

[Polux]

Some years ago, some friends and I were talking about the supersuit, and we all "remebered" it being Jor-El's "ceremony" suit, so to speak, like one of those fancy suits royal families wear on special ocassions....

Now, how or where did me and my friends got that idea from (and that was the first time we talked about that, but we all were pretty sure about reading or hearing that befores) is a mistery to me; but I happen to really like that idea...

Also, you can slightly modify the "S" (the did a little bit in Returns, but they could do a bit more) so it kinda looks like the trapped snake symbol and also the letter "S", you only need a good artist.

Polux

 

[Webhead2006]

Smallville didn't create the \8/ emblem. I'm pretty sure the \8/ was already part of DC's official Kryptonian alphabet, before Smallville was even conceived. \8/ is the Kryptonian letter for S.

Ah ok i seen some of the kryptonian text before but didnt noticed that before, but i was just pointing out from what i remember hearing through the yrs on SV is prior to season 6 they were not allowed to use THE S so it was the whole 8 thing.

 

[SuperDaniel]

Completely hate the idea of being a family crest that just happens to resemble like an S. I`d like to see maybe the Kingdom Come symbol being used as a family crest or the Krypton space program as some other poster said, just as a nod to the comics. Then Clark would modify it to look like an S after his first public appearance when Lois start calling Superman.

 

[Webhead2006]

what if they mix some of the stuff with the S shield, part crest, part human made idea, etc....?

 

[SuperDaniel]

Yeah. I`d like that.

 

[Webhead2006]

Yea it wouldnt be a bad move there have some sort of kryptonian logo/ Shield be family crest and the S/ colors be some human traits he adapts into his look or what not. The best of both worlds there.

 

[Mindreaper21]

I want something like the Kingdom Come symbol.

 

[DavidTyler]

Again, I'm in the minority.
To me the S stands for Superman. Period.
Because it's an S, not some strange alien symbol for real.
When you consider it a kryptonian symbol and you compare it to the others, it comes off and says "You idiot, don't you see I'm just an S?

My first and highest ranked choice.

In Maggin's book he sent a drone ahead to Einstein, who calculated where the ship would land and went there to find fitting parents, choosing Ma and Pa Kent of course. (He arranged for them to go where the rocket would land without them knowing, supposedly going there to buy a tractor.) Jor-El wanted for Einstein to raise Kal, but Einstein decided that Earth was a world ruled by ethics, not science, which led him to choose the Kents.

It's a very interesting take and I can see the point that Jor-El wouldn't be so irresponsible to just send Kal-El to Earth and let the chips fall, but I like the random miracle of him being found by just the right people too.

I'm also split on El Family crest or Kent family design, which was both pre and post-Crisis actually. In both versions Jonathan Kent designed the symbol.

I love that book and do remember the Einstien connection. I thought that was a great concept. How would you update that? Some nameless genious? Keeping it Einstien would make Clark much older.

Some years ago, some friends and I were talking about the supersuit, and we all "remebered" it being Jor-El's "ceremony" suit, so to speak, like one of those fancy suits royal families wear on special ocassions....

Now, how or where did me and my friends got that idea from (and that was the first time we talked about that, but we all were pretty sure about reading or hearing that befores) is a mistery to me; but I happen to really like that idea...

Also, you can slightly modify the "S" (the did a little bit in Returns, but they could do a bit more) so it kinda looks like the trapped snake symbol and also the letter "S", you only need a good artist.

Polux

I'm sorry but I really don't like the idea that the suit is Kryptonian. Just to go beyond that and even going beyond the 'how did Jor-el know his son was going to grow up a superhero' argument... Why would Jor-el send his infant son a suit that would only fit him once he was an adult? Wouldn't he want the baby to have clothing he could wear until then?

Completely hate the idea of being a family crest that just happens to resemble like an S. I`d like to see maybe the Kingdom Come symbol being used as a family crest or the Krypton space program as some other poster said, just as a nod to the comics. Then Clark would modify it to look like an S after his first public appearance when Lois start calling Superman.

I really like that idea. Visualize Byrne's Kryponian costume with that crest over the gold brocade which trims the side of the 'robe'.

 

[Bad Superman]

I like the idea of it being the shield of the House of El.

 

[SuperMike335!!]

Yeah... not really a fan of that idea.

I want Superman's emblem to .... well, be Superman's emblem. It may have been inspired by something similar of Kryptonian origin but, in the end, it's a design that Clark and the Kent's created. I also am not a fan of the suit being of Kryptonian origin. Sorry, G.. but that just begs the question: 'Did Jor-El somehow know his kid was going to be a superhero on another planet?'

In Elliot Maggin's book, 'Last Son Of Krypton', Jor-el didn't really know where his son was going to land. He programmed the ship to look for intelligent life. Kal-el could have ended up anywhere and grew up to be anything.


While I think your idea about a morphing emblem would look cool on screen, I don't believe it helps the character.

I'd like it if they did not try to look into things too deep with it at all.

Instead of a suit that will be hard to replace, why not just have it made of decent earth materials, which he can re-make if one is ruined? I mean he could sew 1,000,000 x faster than any sewing machine and more precise too.

Ma Kent could show him how to make the suit at first and its not like he could not learn to re-make it himself or even improve on it, make it look as good as the top Professionals on earth could.

Just have his mom say "well you do have superpowers, maybe we should put an \S/ on the outfit, so people know you have superpowers".

They can have Lois come up with the name superman after seeing him fly around wearing the \S/ then.

Is that too Occam's Razor?

For those Seigel and Shuster Purists out there; Do we think they ever intended their circus strongman hero to be wearing an alien looking space suit?

 

[Mr. Earle]

Superman's suit should be a combination of his kryptonian and earthly cultures and families.
I'd like the symbol to be the crest of the House of El. I'd like kryptonians to dress like in All-Star Superman or Birthright and thus the suit having little to do with kryptonian clothing.

That leaves the rest of the suit to have a connection to earth and his family there. I would do it the way Lois and Clark did it. Clark tries different suits his mother makes him and settles for this one because it "feels right", and because its flashy and that would make him visible, iconic, a symbol.

 

[ChickenScratch]

I like the idea of it being the shield of the House of El.

Yeah, I'm with you man. I read years ago in some issue where they said the \S/ stood for (and and I'm paraphrasing) "The serpent of deception trapped in the prism of something something." Either way, it was a Coat Of Arms for the house that developed the Phantom Zone projector.

There was also the Suberboy: Tales Of The Dead Earth annual in the mid 90's where humans colonized some desert planet and they were ruled by a monarchy from the El line and their symbol was literally a serpent upon a gold shield. The monarch (Superman) had it tattooed on his chest and Superboy wore it on his clothes. Good issue by the way.

 

[Daybreak_st]

Yeah, I'm with you man. I read years ago in some issue where they said the \S/ stood for (and and I'm paraphrasing) "The serpent of deception trapped in the prism of something something." Either way, it was a Coat Of Arms for the house that developed the Phantom Zone projector.

That is really cool, never really heard that explanation before.