Superheroes
Capes, emblems and secret identities — the characters that built the genre.
About superheroes shirts
The superhero shirt is the one category in this catalogue where the garment can imitate the costume. Superman's shield arrived in 1938 as part of the outfit, not as a logo added later, and nearly every hero since has been designed with a mark across the chest. A T-shirt carrying that emblem is less a picture of the character than a piece of the character's clothing, which is why emblem designs have outsold illustrated ones for decades.
The other half of the category is comic art — cover reproductions, panel layouts, halftone dots — and it appeals to a different buyer. Emblems suit anyone who likes the hero. Panel and cover prints suit people who read the comics, and they tend to look deliberately aged, because the source was printed on cheap newsprint to begin with.
What to look for
- An emblem centred on the chest reads as costume; the same emblem small on the left breast reads as a logo. Decide which you want before choosing a listing.
- Children's costume tees with attached capes are a separate product. Check whether the cape detaches, and never leave one on a sleeping child.
- Film-era designs and comic-era designs of the same hero often look very different. Check which version the wearer actually knows.
- Distressed comic-cover prints are made to look worn from new. That is the style, not a defect.