Superman Tattoos Meaning, Design & Ideas

Of the superheroes that have ever existed, I don’t think there is one more famous than the one we know as Superman. Of all the DC characters in existence, Superman is probably the most famous in front of some of the better-known superheroes like Batman, Flash and Wonder Woman.

These superheroes inspired us as children and gave the ideas that anything was possible. Fighting crime, flying, kicking some bad guy butts and doing all of this under the disguise of a character with traits connected to superpowers.

The fandom of these characters doesn’t stop at buying comic books. People go much further to honor their favorite superheroes and by getting a tattoo, you’re telling the world that you are all in for your guy or girl. In this specific case we are talking about Superman. The tattoo for superman is not a hard one to notice as many of the symbols and colors have long been associated with him.

In this post we are going to talk about the history of Superman and talk about the Superman tattoo meaning. To the people that have this tattoo, the meaning could vary depending on how they feel they are connected to the character. However, there are some common themes in terms of symbolism. We are also going to talk about some of the different variations of the Superman tattoo as there are a lot. Something that has been around this long is bound to have some variations. By the end of this post we hope that you have a better understanding of the Superman tattoo and what it means to those that rock it.

Superman Tattoo Meaning

Created in the 1930s by two high school students, Superman has become one of the most influential and recognizable comic book heroes in the world. With his vivid blue suit and red cape adorned with the yellow and angular “S”, Superman is a hero favorited among many. He is a symbol of strength, protection, and hope for preservation against villainy. As a representation of heroism above all else, Superman is a striking image.

Superman differs from other superheroes as he is not human but rather an alien from the planet Krypton. He is originally named Kal-El but becomes Clark Kent once he is ejected from his home planet just before its destruction and adopted by a farm couple on Earth. It is the Earth’s sun that fuels his incredible powers, limited only by Kryptonite, an element from his home planet. He faces many adversaries and trials while protecting the Earth’s population. His is most popularly imaged in larger tattoos as using his super powers to emphasize his incredible abilities such as flight or superhuman strength, with his cape flowing in the background.

Superman Tattoo Variations

Superman is already one of the most popular superhero in the history of these heroes. This being the case, people tend to get creative when coming up with new Superman tattoo ideas. They have to because of so many fans of Superman having a tattoo to represent him. Below are some of the more notable and creative ways to get the Superman tattoo.

Superman Logo Tattoo

The Superman logo that is seen on the chest of his suit as well as his cape represents his strength and heroism. The design is often tattooed onto the chest to further mimic the image of Superman who often unbuttoned his shirt to reveal the logo underneath his street clothes before performing heroic acts.

The icon is instantly recognizable and can be rendered in several ways. In order to feminize the symbol, the logo can be imaged as a pendant on a delicate chain, in softer colors, or with the addition of flowers. Greyscale is another often seen rendition, removing the vintage pop of bright red, blue, and yellow that fills the original design.

Clark Kent Tattoo

Clark Kent tattoos, conveying Superman in his human persona, are another, rarer seen design. The inclusion of his black-framed glasses and street clothes showcases the human aspects of the alien hero. The image of Clark Kent is that of a man who is much more timid and shy. Many people feel that capture some of these attributes in addition to what Superman represents. We have often seen the tattoo of Clark Kent with his uniform showing a little, or him in the phone booth getting ready to change into his superhero attire. This is a symbol of the hero in all of us and what we are capable of.

Torn Skin Superman Tattoo

This is a common theme in terms of Superman tattoos. It is a really fun tattoo and looks great when done by the right artist. The idea is to depict and image that shows the person with the tattoo having their skin tear away to reveal the superman logo and colors under their skin. The symbolizes the powers within and that underneath what you see is something more powerful. In a sense, it is similar to a Clark Kent tattoo because who he truly represents is hiding under his everyday human clothes.

Lego Superman Tattoo

For fans of the Lego toys or the movies series, the Lego Superman tattoo is a fun one that we have seen. Lego Superman is part of the DC Universe Superheroes movie that was released in December of 2012. In 2013, they followed that movie up with another DC Lego movie with Superman in it that was based off the movie Man of Steel.

If you have a nostalgia for the Lego toys or these movies, this tattoo might be the one for you. It might be the image that takes you back to a better time when things were a little less heavy and life was easier. We could all use this sort of ‘pick-me-up’ once in a while.

Evil Superman Tattoo

There are many versions of a Superman that was evil and didn’t stand of for good or protect Earth. Out of all the versions of this tattoo to get, we tend to see more of the Injustice Superman. This version all started in a video game from 2013 called Injustice: Gods Among Us. In this story, the Joker destroyed Metropolis and fooled Superman into killing the love of his life, Lois Lane.

These actions drove Superman mad. He then killed the Joker and set up a new world order that involved him being the leader of all while the rest of the Justice League followed suit. However, when this story crossed over the DC universe that mainstream, they all banded together to overthrow Superman. This story led to a new comic book series that acted as a prequel to the story. Evil Superman shows us all what can happen when evil wins. Evil can corrupt even those most honorable of men and the evil Superman tattoo is a representation of that idea.

Superman Portrait Tattoo

While many people choose to go with the logo of Superman for a tattoo or even cartoon version of him, others choose to take a more realistic angle of the Superman tattoo and have a portrait done. You must find an artist who specializes in this style of tattooing but when done in the right way, your portrait tattoo of Superman will turn heads like you wouldn’t believe.

Between these variations of the Superman tattoo and looking at the pictures below, you should have some really good ideas to get you started on determining what Superman tattoo you want to get. The most important thing is figuring out the style of tattoo you want to get and then looking for an artist that make this vision come to life. Have a sit down consultation with your potential artist and make sure you feel comfortable with them.

This tattoo will be on you for years to come so you want to make sure it is a memorable process.

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