The S-Shield

[Jiggaman Tiga]

okay, so can anyone tell me where the "S" came from? Throughout the whole history of the House of El, i see no S or anything close to it. Or am I looking too hard at this and it is just a symbol of the family?

[Justin Byrd]

Where to begin?

Well, the first place that said the "S" came from Krypton was actually the Reeve movies. Other than that, Superman/Superboy came up with the "S" design to stand for Superman (yeah he named himself).

There's another story where it came from ancestors of the Kents.

But yeah, the first Reeve movie showed it as the emblem of the House of El.

In Byrne's reboot, Lois named Clark "Superman" after he saved a spaceplane (sans costume). Jonathon Kent later said that he should get a costume started, so Pa and Clark designed the "S" emblem to put on the suit that Martha made, since he was already named...why not keep the name Superman?

Birthright changed it to the way it was in the movie, with the S being an emblem of the House of El.

Personally, I like the Byrne idea...he didn't name himself but it makes more sense for the "S" to be made by Clark/Jon because why in Rao's name would "S" be a symbol for "El"? I guess you could argue it's Kryptonian, but meh...too much of a coincidence for me. :supermansymbol:

Enter Blake and Mark to expound on this to the point that makes me look like I'm an idiot :eek:

[thtadthtshldntb]

I personally prefer the Kryptonian symbol origin for it, plus the Martha Kent Origin for his costume. It keeps both sets of his parents more involved in the character.

Superman Homepage has a pretty detailed entry on it

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/comics.php?topic=articles/the-s-story

[Blake Petit]

Actually, Supes, you've pretty much hit upon the most important of the various incarnations.

I also like the one from The Kents, where it was an Iroquois symbol representing the five nations and a snake, the symbol of healing, that got passed into the Kent family when Nathaniel married the part-Iroquois Mary Glenowen.

[Jim Wright]

I loved the Kents and I wish they'd explore more in that vein. Plus it got my wife reading comics again because she's very much into the Little House time frame.

[Blake Petit]

I'd love to see more Kents stories too. Superman's Kryptonian heritage is examined all the time, but that's really just where he gets his power from. I'd like more stories showing the roots of Clark Kent, the human families that eventually made him the hero he is.

[Basit]

Doesn't the S stand for soltitude?

[Justin Byrd]

I'd love to see more Kents stories too. Superman's Kryptonian heritage is examined all the time, but that's really just where he gets his power from. I'd like more stories showing the roots of Clark Kent, the human families that eventually made him the hero he is.
Amen to that! I prefer the more human Superman to the Kryptonian one.

[Blake Petit]

Doesn't the S stand for soltitude?

Nope. It's either the Kryptonian symbol of the House of El or the symbol put together to stand for "Superman" by Clark and Jonathan. Depending on what version of the origin is canon at the time.

[Justin Byrd]

Actually, Supes, you've pretty much hit upon the most important of the various incarnations.
Thanks! I try :)