The main objective of any superhero is to overcome the difficulties that seem insurmountable for ordinary people and, of course, save the world. Although each superhero does it in one’s own style using unique super powers, they attract millions of viewers from all over the world.
1. Superman
One of the most striking images of the twentieth century is Superman. Its logo is concise enough to be easily remembered and reproduced and - at the same time – it has a bright individuality. Using only three colors – red, blue and yellow – it acquired the shape of a diamond to emphasize the exceptional value of this superhero for the entire humanity. In addition, the combination of red and blue in the cultural codes of Western Europe and America reflects an internal conflict and a combination of elements – water (air), earth and fire.
2. Batman
The Batman logo is formally more than concise – it uses only two colors and only two formal images (a stylized bat and an oval around it). But this logo demonstrates an internal conflict which can be seen in a combination of soft oval shape and sharp corners. In addition, contrasting colors (black and yellow) appeal to contrast darkness and light.
3. The Spider-Man
The SpiderMan logo is a stylized image of a black spider on red background. Unlike many other superhero logos, there are no contradictions in this image. Due to the elongated shape of the spider itself, as well as its pointed legs, the logo looks sharp, dynamic, aggressive, and spectacular.
4. Captain America
The basis of Captain America’s logo is patriotism. The colors of the American flag and the star in the center are taken from the same source. This is the real logo of this American superhero. The shape of the logo (circle) and its almost absolute symmetry let us speak of the harmony of the very idea embedded in the logo.
5. Flash
The logo of Flash is a kind of embodiment of the image of speed, potential, and breakthrough. The image (stylized lightning) is put on a harmonious circle which makes it obvious – it is not a symbol of aggression as it is, but aggression aimed to protect. The energy of protection – this is what you can easily “read” in a combination of sharp “lightning” and harmonious circle beneath it. The logo shows that graphic design software was used, otherwise this quality cannot be achieved.
6. Greatest American Hero
At first glance, the logo of the Greatest American Hero resembles an oriental hieroglyph, but if you look at it more closely, the similarity is lost. Contrast colors – red, black and white – simultaneously emphasize each other and the internal dynamics of the image itself. Deliberately “wrong” forms add more movement. Pay attention: no line is strictly vertical or horizontal, the internal image is not a small copy of the outer one, and even the circle in which the logo is inscribed is in fact not quite a circle.
7. X-men
X-men logo is an optimally “disturbing” combination of colors – red and black. At the same time, there is an alphabetic element – letter “X” in the form of crossed lines put on a round base. Symbolically, this logo is very rich – the black color of the base emphasizes not always supportive nature of the unknown, the red reminds of the danger and protects from the unknown.
8. Deadpool
The Deadpool logo uses a combination of three colors. The main one is black, the second most important color is red, reminiscent of traffic signs, restricting traffic. And the color of white – contrary to its original value – is aggravated by anxiety and tension – it is the color of the eyes, intently watching after you from the darkness and gazing unfriendlyly.
9. Spawn
The Spawn logo was created in the 1990s. Its geometric base is a circle, the main colors are black, white and green. At the end of the last century, the fans of superheroes long tried to understand the symbolic meaning of this image, calling it “the clocks” (indeed, the image resembles a round dial without numbers and arrows showing 6 o’clock), and then calling it “a tie”. However, in reality, there is no objective symbolism here – it is an abstract logo, its dynamics is created by combinations of curved lines and sharp corners.
10. Fantastic Four
The symbolism of the image is obvious: it is a figure “4” enclosed in a circle. The color combination – white, blue and black – emphasizes the contrast of light and shadow (white and black) and hints at the victory of the forces of light that are able to fight “on the enemy’s territory.”
11. Ninja Turtles
These heroes came from the East, and won the sympathy of people of all ages. The logo consists of green letters, as if they have built up muscles for future battles with enemies. The color of the characters and their logo is green with a black border. The duality of color symbolism (it is quite “peaceful”) emphasizes the conflict between the image of the tortoise and the image of the warrior.
12. Green Lantern
The logo of Green Lantern already acquired its own history. As usual, there are many interpretations of it. In particular, the circle is the basis and two horizontal parallel lines are used to add this circle some stability. However, in reality, everything is simpler – the symbolism of this logo is obvious to anyone who have seen a portable gas flashlight at least once. And the white circle in which the green logo is located represents the halo of light coming from the lantern.
13. Punisher
This logo is extremely aggressive. The image of the skull with hypertrophied teeth in the upper jaw and special shape of the eye sockets is complemented by a contrasting combination of black and white colors. Even the circle, in which the logo is enclosed, does not reduce the degree of tension. Actually, this is exactly what is required.
14. Kanthaswamy
Frankly speaking, like most superheroes of Indian cinema, Kantaswamy does well without a full-fledged logo. However, the image of the man in a red mask is well known to everyone who watched at least one movie with this character. Especially since Kanthaswamy – the defender of the poor, confronting local mafia – has one memorable detail – a chicken crest.
15. Zokkomon
In fact, it is quite strange that Zokkomon appeared only in Indian cinema. This is an orphan boy, who found the ability to fight evil because of the constant aggression of the world around him. He uses this ability to increase the amount of good in the world due to the destruction caused by evil. His boyish figure is a favorite decoration of school appliances for students of Indian schools.
16. Zebraman
Another superhero from the Indian school. An ordinary person gains supernormal powers to resist enemies –foreign and domestic. But even considering the fact that the main enemies of the Zebraman are the aliens, there is no mercy for the “bad guys” in the domestic affairs either. The logo represents a stylized red letter Z, dissected in the middle and enclosed in a black oval.
17. Silver Hawk
The logo of Silver Hawk (eastern superhero named Lulu) is a hieroglyphic spelling of her name with a small explanation for Western viewers in Latin letters. The absence of a special symbol underlines the lack of super abilities of this character. The tool which Silver Hawk uses to achieve her goals is the mastery of kung fu plus modern technological devices.
18. Devilman
Devilman logo is a Latin spelling of his name. The Gothic font has some added elements that resemble the dragon’s claws. For the eastern audience, this logo is filled with a multitude of cultural references to mythological dragons and demons. For the Western viewers, the meaning somewhat shifts and the main thing is the element of turning a person into a dragon to defeat other dragons or demons – in this case these concepts are interchangeable.
19. Red Eagle
From the perspective of the Western viewer, the Red Eagle is not a superhero but an addicted psychopath. However, for its creators and for the majority of Eastern audiences, its bad character intensified by narcotic addiction, is only an insignificant detail in the general image of a superhero destroying criminal authorities. Red Eagle has traumas and experiences that turn this superhero into a man who needs compassion.
Its corporate color – is, of course, red which creates necessary contrast on a black background.
20. Mercury Man
Another superhero from the number of everyday heroes (the profession of the main character is a firefighter) called Mercury. On posters, they depict him in color combination of red-black, or silver-black. In both cases, the symbolism of such a combination is obvious – the fight between light and shadow.
