Why does Superman need knee pads?
Imagine that you are a superpowered alien possessed of both invulnerable skin and an equally impervious, though somewhat garish, costume. Further, imagine that you are in the habit of spending a portion of your time gallivanting about in said costume, and that you spend the rest of your time hiding it under civilian clothes.
Why, pray tell, would you make your gallivanting costume bulky and armored, and why would you have knee pads?
I don’t usually give in to the dark impulses of nerd rage, but Superman’s always held a special place in my heart. Moreover, this costume redesign is straight-up aesthetically displeasing. I’m not going to argue that Superman’s original costume isn’t a bit silly—I mean, he does wear his underwear outside his pants—but its very iconic-ness and familiarity mitigates that silliness. Case in point:
Most people don’t look at that and see a burly individual in skin-tight blue spandex, red underwear, a yellow belt, and a red cape. The ideological payload is too strong. You just see Superman. These changes are just significant enough that they dilute the symbolic power and make you being to question the entire ridiculous premise. If you’re going to make changes, make ‘em big, and focus on the iconic aspects. Here’s just about my favorite take, by the incomparable Ming Doyle:
