Origin Of The \S/ symbol

[Superfreak]

Well it could be unimportant if you dont bother do to anything with it. With the right writers they could come up with a good and logical reason behind the whole look of it.

but it's still irrelevant. Better to use the time devoted to a live action film for the story, instead of explaining symbols from the past.

 

[El Payaso]

but it's still irrelevant. Better to use the time devoted to a live action film for the story, instead of explaining symbols from the past.

You can make the symbol a relevant part of the story.

 

[MikeE]

but it's still irrelevant. Better to use the time devoted to a live action film for the story, instead of explaining symbols from the past.

The Donner movie proved that you don't have to spend any screen time explaining the symbol; the meaning was completely relayed visually. Unless the new film picks up with an established Superman, then it has to be explained. Otherwise, why is this guy flying around with the letter S on his chest? For him to wear the symbol because he is named 'Superman' by the public seems awfully conceited. I think it needs to have some meaning.

 

[luca_frontino]

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?

 

[smooth3006]

didn't ma kent make the suit for him out of fabric that arrived with him in his craft?

 

[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?

I'm with you.


I really am not with the idea that it's the El family crest that JUST HAPPENS to look like an S.

And, in Bryne's MOS, Jonathan and Clark arrive at the design OFF-SCREEN. We don't know WHAT they based it on. It could very easily have been something etched into the birthing matrix or the star drive.

My preference is actually that there might have been a symbol SIMILAR but not an S that Jonathan and Clark adapted to the familiar Superman emblem. And this emblem as well as the costume was concieved AFTER Lois had created the name for him.

 

[MikeE]

I'm with you.

I really am not with the idea that it's the El family crest that JUST HAPPENS to look like an S.

My preference is actually that there might have been a symbol SIMILAR but not an S that Jonathan and Clark adapted to the familiar Superman emblem. And this emblem as well as the costume was concieved AFTER Lois had created the name for him.

I came up with an idea to explain why he wears an S on his chest. The \S/ is a combination of a Kryptonian symbol (a diamond shape) and a symbol from his upbringing ('S' for Smallville, similar to the Smallville high patch on his letterman jacket). The symbol merges his Kryptonian and earthly origins.

 

[SiMo Sol]

Well... I like the idea of a kyptonian Symbol. It seems more epic than a custom made one by Ma Kent. But honestly I don't really mind.

I just disliked the little S's on the SR suit symbol. It desn't match to any of these origins. Or did you ever imagine Ma Kent stamping all the little S's into the Chest shield before casting it in two-colored rubber? t:

 

[El Payaso]

Well... I like the idea of a kyptonian Symbol. It seems more epic than a custom made one by Ma Kent. But honestly I don't really mind.

I just disliked the little S's on the SR suit symbol. It desn't match to any of these origins. Or did you ever imagine Ma Kent stamping all the little S's into the Chest shield before casting it in two-colored rubber? t:

Hehe, well I can't imagine Peter Parker stamping all those little bricks that Spiderman suit had all over.

In any case the farbric was supposed to be Kryptonian. They already had the S's.

 

[The Guard]

I always had this concept of the "shield" being Kryptonian, something that was discovered with Clark in the ship and added to the uniform, or that added itself to the uniform in a sense. And the shield itself was sort of psychoreactive, initially appearing Kryptonian, with a Kryptonian symbol (probably similar to the "8", and could "change", merging Kryptonian letters into English and mimicing designs. So basically he's looking for a symbol, and this happens:

Clark looks at the shield. He reaches down, and picks it up.

He looks at the design Lana has created for him. We still cannot see it (basically it would be the original, initial "S").

The golden and red shield SHIMMERS and begins to FLOW like liquid, translucent metal, subtle contours rearranging into a familiar symbol to mirror Lana's design, but with an alien flair. Something at once alien and human. The standard of SUPERMAN.

Weird, I know, and kind of techy, but I always thought it was a cool idea in terms of exploring how Kryptonian tech works.

 

[Webhead2006]

interesting, idea though. Though i do think their should be some meaning the the S so its just not a regular old S and that is why he is called superman. That is just a bit lazy writing their in my mind.

 

[CLARKY]

The family crest is very fine for me, but it just imply to much "weight" from Jor El on the destiny of the son.
I prefer Byrne's way anyway. For me the symbol was not a given, Clark thought about this, like in J.Byrne's origins, but Clark being Kal AND Clark, I think he would mix both culture and integrate something kryptonian with the "S".
\8/ + "S" -> \S/.
In the end, something along your idea The Guard.

 

[Webhead2006]

Well i still would like at least some reason behind the S being an S and all that and why of all symbols he could use he decides on that. If its just S for superman i still think that is cheesy, and lazy as i said before.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

I'd like the diamond shape to be the crest of the House of El. Clark - wanting to create a symbol that depicts both his Kryptonian heritage and earthly upbringing - selects the letter S as he wore that symbol on his letterman jacket all throughout high school. Maybe the Smallville patch looks like the Action Comics #1 logo.

I...love that idea a whole very lot, actually. It really does combine both his Kryptonian heritage and his human upbringing very well.

 

[McLovin']

Anyone who has read the first draft of JJ Abrams' Superman script knows that they had a much different explanation of the crest... it was one of many things in the script I actually thought was really original, creative, and worked. Aside from the whole premise that Krypton never blew up, of course.

 

[Webhead2006]

what was that take on the S in that early draft?

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Yes, tell us about it, good sir.

 

[afan]

If it's just an \S/ for Superman, he must adopt the name before the shield is designed, and that seems a bit presumptuous to me.
I suppose his first super-feat could be as an un-costumed "normal" man, and the media could call him the mystery super-man. The shield and costume then created to fit that name.
I prefer the Kryptonian symbol on the suit, that resembles an S..........that iteration was best treated in STAS.....when Lois remarks....."Nice Esss(ass)."

 

[Jochimus]

If it's just an \S/ for Superman, he must adopt the name before the shield is designed, and that seems a bit presumptuous to me.
I suppose his first super-feat could be as an un-costumed "normal" man, and the media could call him the mystery super-man. The shield and costume then created to fit that name.

Actually, I'm kinda fond of the idea of him first appearing in costume (since IMO having him perform his first big rescue in plainclothes seems kinda unspectacular) but having only the pentagon as a holdover of his Kryptonian heritage, similar to this:

Then, after the public takes to calling him "Superman" after that first appearance, and later Lois comments how blank the symbol looks, he decides to add the S to reflect the influence and importance of his adoptive homeworld.

 

[Webhead2006]

would be an interesting way to go man. Though i dont mind its a kryptonian logo for what ever(family crest/special meaning like hope, etc....) or even if he is dubed superman before he has costume and its a mix of kryptonian thing/and his earth hero name that makes him decide on the S on chest.

 

[The Guard]

Anyone who has read the first draft of JJ Abrams' Superman script knows that they had a much different explanation of the crest... it was one of many things in the script I actually thought was really original, creative, and worked. Aside from the whole premise that Krypton never blew up, of course.

It was a neat idea, but even that doesn't explain why it looks like an S.

 

[Webhead2006]

what was the story in JJ's early script on the Shield, i remember reading it years ago when it first was leaked out but i dont remember all the details.

 

[MikeE]

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.

 

[Webhead2006]

oh ok, yea as i said above its been a long while since i saw that first draft so i dont remember all the finer details of it. Besides all the crazy stuff which fans didnt like kryptonian lex, super suit in a can, krypton didnt blow up, etc......

 

[Nightwing1977]

What he said.

Ditto. I always find it a the Jor-El family crest that resemble an "S". I guess Lois didn't know well what it was at first, so she assume it an "S" & call him Superman.