When Jim Lee removed Superman’s red trunks from his costume with the launch of the “New 52” initiative in 2011, many fans were happy, while other fans were disappointed that the traditional look had been abandoned.
With the release of “Action Comics #1000” on April 18, the red trunks are returning, and permanently… well, for now. Nothing is every permanent in comic books.
“I knew when I took them off in the New 52 that they were going to come back,” Lee said at WonderCon in Anaheim, as reported by CBR. “It was just a matter of time. We figured the 1000th issue was as good a time as any. The danger with creating new costumes is that someone always loves it, so I’m sure the trunks will leave again at some point. At the end of the day, I have no horse in the race. I have fun drawing both.”
Fans have debated the look for years, and will continue to do so long into the future.
We will see, I didn’t mind them being gone, the new 52 collar bothered me more than the trucks missing.
Now will they come back in any of the live versions, that is what I’m curious to know.
As long as it’s not a big change like the new 52 then I’ll be fine with it. I’m happy with the current Reborn suit but I love the classic more
Same here. Superman will always be Superman in terms of morals, heroism and ideals for humanity’s best…with and/or without the trunks.
Tell that to the insane people who swear Superman is nothing without the trunks, and swear up and down that their fight isn’t about underwear, lol…ha.
Yeeeaaahhhh there are a couple…ahem…Fans Here who definitely think so hehehehe
Good. I’ve argued against the classic costume and I think people may believe I hate it or something, but I don’t. That’s the Superman I fell in love with when I was young, I’m indoctrinated in loving the classic suit. My problem has always been with the allergy to change that Superman has had over the decades. I don’t mind the trunks returning now, but I do hope we can have some variations and keep things interesting in the future. Arguably, the New52 suit just wasn’t very good, but it had little to do with the trunks. Both the Rebirth… Read more »
Not a bad idea. Multiple choice, I like it.
Uh, no. Makes him look like he’s having an identity crisiss.
No he wouldn’t. Calm down.
Superman’s outfits have been consistent in design, with minor surface changes. That does not an identity crisis make. I’m not suggesting giving him a Zebra Superman outfit.
The Superman suit — the TRUE one anyway — doesn’t get dirty, so no need to have it “washed” so he can wear a crappy Jim Lee suit that vandalizes the true costume to appease hipsters who think everything must be criticized to oblivion.
I could have handled it, but what did they do? They put Superman in FREAKIN’ ARMOUR, and made his outfit almost uniformly blue!
Aside of making those who dislike the trunks design (or those who just don’t care) happy, what was the point of this?
Making something interesting and flexing those creative muscles?
Would not “flexing those creative muscles” be better served in creating more interesting stories and better character development?
Rather than make all superhero’s conform to someone’s fleeting, frivolous and subjective idea(s) of what constitutes modern attire.
Indeed, a good question.
To come out with a statement, stating that the trunks which, just recently- retuned from the void- and the given the polarization of the item gives the appearance that one is trying to server “TWO” Masters.
Generally, not a good idea.
Sorry but I have to ask why the onus is always on defenders of the trunks to let it go and not on the naysayers when the trunks are present? As I have often said yes there can be good trunkless designs that I could enjoy (not Jims) but its stupid to treat them like this horrible thing holding the character back from some greater level of success. Those trunks don’t hold the character back. Bad creative and editorial decisions do. ..and I’m not entirely confident DC has truly learned anything from the fall of the New 52 or the… Read more »
DC/WB don’t seem to be learning the proper lessons from anything these days imo. (And, yes, I am fully aware of the subjective use of the word “proper” here ;))
Ever since DC has moved to California, it all went downhill. To a certain extent what other members have stated, I have to agree with them regarding editorial and creative misfires. Instead of remaining with their cult status, DC went the mainstream way. Mattcomics mentioned trunkless designs that can also be used, and I am on this side of view. We have all grown up reading Superman with the trunks. And I don’t care whether they stay or go. I care about the character that is an alien by birth but a human by choice and doing feats beyond those… Read more »
Because the “defenders” of the trunks threw a fit when they were removed in New 52 (and the DCEU). Seriously, how many people have you seen running a crusade, in here at least, when they announced the classic costume would be returning in #1000?
To be honest, about as many as I have seen take a “These ain’t ya daddy’s Superman comics no more. Suck it!” type of attitude when they were removed.
Seems like if you’re cool with the trunks you’re not supposed to make it a big deal when they are removed. But if he has them, then it’s apparently supposed to be ok to hammer the old gospel about them being silly, dated, nostalgia, yadda yadda.
If the trunks can be gone one day…Just wait until they remove the Cape, one day?
People’s own negative and, or regressive ideas holds them back if anything.
This, along with their backward thinking view points and various misconceptions that they disguise, in this case, as clothing being ridiculously out dated but, the only thing ridiculous are attitudes that fosters this line of thinking.
I don’t think the Cape will be gone. Ok besides the electric Superman fiasco which did not last long at all. It represents the regalia of Superman’s charachter and gives a powerful presence. Much like Batman’s. But it did work in the Batman Beyond universe. All in all..
The Cape will definitely stay.
That maybe so, but you never know.
However, it is a total this is a “construct” as the people determined, in their own mind set, that capes represent good aesthetics, while the trunks represent bad aesthetics.
These people “make up”and establish subjective narritve example to support their claim.
Other than that, there is nothing concrete to support “what they claim” it is all here-say
,conejecture opinion and total hypocrisy!
And you are right. It is a double edged sword when it comes to the most iconic costume of all time. On one side it represents science fiction and fantasy of superheroics. On the other side however, it is a question of decent fashion sense. Does a grown man in his 30s or 40s would like to run around like that or in that case he does and it translates really well on paper of a comic book. Granted. Kirk Alan. George Reeves. Chris Reeve. Dean Cain. Brandon Routh. They all looked great in the trunks late 20th century and… Read more »
Just leave ’em.
Exactly, Jer. Something that lasts for over 70 years — through constant societal fashion changes and trends — has transcended any claims of “dated” and has proven itself timeless and iconic. Such is the state of Superman’s costume with the red trunks and yellow belt. Besides, the whole “dated” claim goes out the window when you realize that: – the “victorian era (1837-1901)” strongman was already a thing of the past at the time of Superman’s debut in the 1930s – While not many people wore trunks over pants in the 1930s, many athletic professions from circus performers to wrestlers… Read more »
Outstanding!!
I hope DC takes this to heart, to preserve “what is and should be” for future generations because, somethings do transcend time and Superman assuredly, beyond any shadow of doubt, is one!
Look at all those who started a crusade requesting or demanding the return of the trunks. I call them ‘The Crusaders Of The Trunks!’
Waging a never-ending battle for them to return and writing essays on other comic book websites and starting hateful and racist-based opinions that rival those of an epic production of a Merchant-Ivory drama.
I’ve said this before, but I LOVED the new 52 suit; I was so glad when the red trunks went. I’ve never been a fan of the ‘classic’ look because I always thought it looked dated &, well, ridiculous. I applauded DC’s conviction in going with so bold a change because it was sorely overdue.
Going back to the trunks is a step backwards, IMHO.
I really like the Man of Steel, Rebirth, and Smallville Season 11 costumes, so something like that wouldn’t be so bad, but honestly I’m super happy to see the classic costume (more-or-less) back! Superman’s look is classic, even with the cuffs.
I agree with some of the other opinions on here about the New 52 suit, the collar is the weird part about it… Well, that and the fact that it’s armor, which is also really strange.
“I knew when I took them off in the New 52 that they were going to come back” hahah my foot you did. Outside a personal suspicion or a gut feeling, there was absolutely no indication they were coming back from the business standpoint. And every one of his designs was pushing for a lack of trunks. EVERY iteration of Superman, in every medium, was losing the red trunks. You don’t do that when there’s an intention to revert to how it was in the near future (we got…what, just 7 years of trunkless Superman? That is nothing.). The trunks… Read more »
I think it’s because DC/WB with the exception of Batman doesn’t really believe in its characters.
That and they believe pandering to edge-lords is always easy money in the short term.
Secretly, I think DC is keeping track of all these responses as they throw “chum” out into the water in form of articles like the “Red Trunks” one we have here, which gets more of the “BUZZ” talk going to promote product and sales.
Classic Marketing Move – as they say in the business of advertising be it – Negative or, Positive just don’t be Ignored!
Well put, sir.
You’re missing the whole point in the Death of Superman story. The original idea was go have Clark & Lois married. But Warner launched the Lois&Clark series focusing in their romance and WB forced DC to delay that story. At that time Jerry Ordway was at the creative team and every time they were in a creative “blackout” Jerry said “let’s kill him”. Their problem this time was that the marriage story was completely done and they had no time for new ideas. This triggered Jerry’s “let’s kill him= again and this time the whole team thought it would be… Read more »
You’re wrong. Your dates are completely off, and I’m not missing the point of anything. They were looking to end the Superman books at the time, culiminating in 1992, because sales were absolutely abysmal for the comic industry and this was a final send off as DC was looking to offload a book that wasn’t generating nearly as much sales as, say, Batman. This was also only considered because of the history that was Superman, had this been another comic, the book would likely have just ended like so many others. Why else do you think they spent absolutely zero… Read more »
No, I’m not. There is a video in a post here in Superman Homepage (last year) where the creative team of that time, specially with Dan Jurgens explains everything. That same video is combined with original footage from the creative process of the story.
Something that lasts for over 70 years — through constant societal fashion changes and trends — has transcended any claims of “dated” and has proven itself timeless and iconic. Such is the state of Superman’s costume with the red trunks and yellow belt. Besides, the whole “dated” claim goes out the window when you realize that: – the “victorian era (1837-1901)” strongman was already a thing of the past at the time of Superman’s debut in the 1930s – While not many people wore trunks over pants in the 1930s, many athletic professions from circus performers to wrestlers to olympic… Read more »
Nicely done.
I’m pro trunk. Hated the new 52.
I’m pro trunk too, but I didn’t hate the Reborn (not Rebirth) suit. What I hate is the idea of a krytonian-armored Superman that makes us forget the idea that he is a man. Super, but always a man.