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12th May 2017

The ‘S’ on Superman’s chest is NOT what you think it is

That would be far too obvious

Katie Mythen-Lynch

The logo is one of the most recognisable in the world, but Clark Kent’s ‘S’ symbol does not in fact stand for ‘Superman’.

Oh no. That would be far too obvious.

As proper comic book fans know all too well, amazingly, the huge red letter, known as the Superman Shield, on Superman’s chest isn’t even a letter.

It’s actually a Kryptonite symbol meaning “hope” as well as Superman’s family Crest from his home planet Krypton.

Comic book nerds know it as the insignia of the House of El, with its resemblance to a letter S being merely a coincidence.

The Sun reports that in 2003, DC Comics writer Mark Waid wrote a story entitled Superman: Birthright.

In it, he explains that Superman adopts the logo when he learns it is a symbol for a better tomorrow.

Now all you have to do is sit on that information and hope it comes up in a table quiz at some stage in the future.

 

Topics:

Superman