The Comics That Influenced David Corenswet’s Superman

Summary

• The new Superman movie draws inspiration from various comic book eras, combining elements from different timelines.
• David Corenswet’s Superman suit pays homage to classic designs, including curly hair and classic red boots.
• The first trailer suggests that Superman will explore the iconic hero’s connection to Earth and Krypton, possibly featuring Kelex as a significant character.

Fans finally got their first look at James Gunn’s Superman, starring David Corenswet as the titular DC superhero. With the first trailer, poster, and details given by the cast and crew, the new Superman seems to be borrowing from many incarnations of Superman from his more than 80 years of history, rather than from one specific version.

David Corenswet’s Superman has already sparked fans’ memories of the comics, whether it’s his suit, the way he acts, and a few story elements that can be picked up already. However, not everybody is versed in the massive realm of Superman comics, so some references in the trailer might be a surprise to those individuals.

7

The Man Of Steel

The Golden Standard That Is Still Relevant

• Comic: The Man Of Steel
• Creators: John Byrne, Dick Giordano

James Gunn has shared his affection for the classic Superman, which includes Christopher Reeve’s portrayal. The original Superman movies made a large impact on pop culture and the comics themselves during the Silver Age, so when Superman was rebooted after Crisis On Infinite Earths with The Man Of Steel by John Byrne, he was redesigned to look even closer to the actor, from whom every live-action casting since has been at least slightly inspired.

The new David Corenswet Superman suit features the curly hair that he often has in the comics, especially in the 80s when the character was rebooted for the better by John Byrne. He also has the most classic-looking red boots with a chevron design at the top. They almost look identical to what Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh wore with their suits.

6

All-Star Superman

David Corenswet Makes The Clark Kent Disguise Believable

• Comic: All-Star Superman
• Creators: Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely

Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman has become a beloved comic thanks to the writer’s love for Superman and what he represents. While the suit may not have any All-Star Superman inspiration, David Corenswet’s Clark Kent has multiple similarities, such as his stark differences from the Superman persona.

Even though David Corenswet’s Clark is shown to stand taller than most people in Metropolis, he already excels at performing as a clumsy but lovable man from Kansas. He’s shy, awkward, and a lumbering oaf, which helps him look and feel nothing like Superman, showing that his disguise is more than a pair of glasses.

5

Action Comics #1

The Original Still Influences All Superman Portrayals Today

• Comic: Action Comics #1
• Creators: Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster

The bright colors of David Corenswet’s suits are very noticeable, with the suit looking almost as blue as the skies he flies through, and the yellows are bright enough to make a Green Lantern flinch. This is not dissimilar to when Superman first debuted in Action Comics #1 back in 1938, and when Superman #1 debuted in 1939.

Rather than a red trim for the House of El crest, it is yellow, which hasn’t been a common design choice since the original symbols that he had in his early days over 80 years ago. It’s not only a welcome change from previous live-action Superman portrayals but shows James Gunn’s respect for the character’s history.

4

The New 52

The Armor Padding Comes From DC’s 2011 Reboot

• Comic: Justice League #1
• Creators: Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Scott Williams

When DC rebooted its universe in 2011 with The New 52 comics, Superman had one of his most drastic redesigns. Not only was his suit a darker sapphire blue, but it was made to look more like armor from Krypton, which includes a high collar and shoulder pads to look more like a regal warrior from a science fiction adventure.

There is no denying that David Corenswet’s suit features many of the same armored fabric-like qualities of the New 52 design, especially the collar. However, the blues are far brighter, and it maintains the red trunks with a yellow belt instead of a red belt, further showcasing how James Gunn took inspiration from many eras of the character.

3

Superman: The Man Of Steel #100

That Robot Might Be Clark’s Last Connection To His Homeworld

• Comic: Superman: The Man Of Steel #100
• Creators: Mark Schultz, Pablo Raimondi, José Marzan Jr.

Superman shares a deep bond with Earth, having been raised by the Kents, yet James Gunn has indicated that his upcoming Superman film will explore the character’s ties to both Earth and Krypton. One of the signs of this is the possible reveal of Kelex, a character developed by John Byrne in his run but has gone on to appear in other comics over the years, including Superman: The Man Of Steel.

Kelex is more or less Superman’s equivalent to Batman’s Alfred Pennyworth, a robotic companion who lives in, maintains, and defends the Fortress of Solitude. While he more resembles the Superbots that Superman has in the comics, Superman seems to be mourning the character in the new trailer, which could be a sign that it is Kelex, and might be Clark’s only semi-living connection to Krypton aside from the Fortress.

2

DC’s The New Frontier

The Loose Look Of The Suit Is Intentional

• Comic: DC’s The New Frontier
• Creator: Darwyn Cooke

The suit David Corenswet wears could have been even more like The New 52, but the actor wanted Superman to be an alien while also not wanting to frighten the people of Earth. As a result, it was David Corenswet’s idea to not wear fake muscle suits and include the red trunks inspired by circus wrestlers, which was also the original inspiration for the trunks back in 1938 and in DC’s The New Frontier, which James Gunn has stated was an inspiration for his new universe.

The New Frontier also has a major Silver Age and Golden Age influence on its world and storytelling. From what has been shown so far, Superman struggling to be a superhero in a cynical world is also reminiscent of The New Frontier, while also having fantastical elements like Superman fighting a giant monster and the presence of other superheroes in this world, such as Mr. Terrific, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl.

1

Kingdom Come

The Symbol Is Taken Straight Out Of Alex Ross’ Artwork

• Comic: Kingdom Come
• Creators: Mark Waid, Alex Ross

Similar to Batman, every film incarnation of Superman features a new take on the iconic chest emblem. David Corenswet’s Superman features a symbol taken directly from the famous Elseworld comic, Kingdom Come. This story sees an older Superman come out of retirement to a world of young arrogant heroes who have lost the true meaning of being a superhero.

The more angular design of the symbol presents an alien-like image while still looking like an S. The major difference is that the movie version swaps out the black accents for a vibrant yellow. This is fitting, since the new Superman seems to be a reverse Kingdom Come concept, with Superman being a young hero who brings hope to a world full of cynical older heroes.