Superman's costume has been a source of consternation for years, even before all the controversy over his current armoured get up. In fact many readers have defended it because it's exactly the sort of thing they've been clamouring for years, which is to say something that doesn't involve him wearing his bright red underpants over a pair of blue tights. That depiction is the same across the board currently, with both eras in the comics (in the New 52 there is the "latter day" Superman, in the armour, and the early Supes, who wears jeans and a t-shirt with the "S" symbol and cape), videogames, and the Man of Steel film. There was a reason that the original costume was so goofy, at least to modern eyes. His initial outfit was inspired by the closest relatives the hero had in real life, circus strong men and wrestlers, who could easily be picked out if not for their manly physiques then for the fact that they wore big, nappy-like trunks and sometimes skin-tight leotards. Makes sense, but still seem a bit silly, looking back. For decades there has been an increasingly vocal group of fans who wanted the trunks to disappear from both Batman and Superman's costumes, and now they've gotten their wish. Having made such a step forward, and had it followed in all their adaptations, it seems unlikely DC are going to ever harken back to the old underwear pervert days.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
