Why does Superman even need a cape for?

[Hector]

Yep. Gives the illusion of speed while flying. Batmans added to the "bat" image and looked cool in shadows.

Capes were popular in victorian times with the english, so that may have been in the artists minds as well. They are also associated with chilvary as knights often wore them.

Victorian heros/anti-heros often wore capes like The Phantom of the Opera.

Romans got the English beat on the cape thing by centuries, lol.

[Earth 2 Chris]

It was definitely added to convey movement, and it didn't hurt that Douglas Fairbanks wore a cape as Zorro. Zorro is often cited as an influence on Batman, but he also informed Superman somewhat, including the meek Kent identity, and perhaps, the cape.

Chris

[MegoSteve]

Why does a pimp have a feather in his cap? Style!

[Figuremod73]

Romans got the English beat on the cape thing by centuries, lol.

They used their capes as a blanket of sorts against the cold chill/rain.

It was definitely added to convey movement, and it didn't hurt that Douglas Fairbanks wore a cape as Zorro. Zorro is often cited as an influence on Batman, but he also informed Superman somewhat, including the meek Kent identity, and perhaps, the cape.

Chris

Might sit down one day and watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5w3eVAVzQw

[Cosmicman]

Actually, the REAL reason he wears a cape is that creators Siegel and Shuster were inspired by the tights and bright colors of circus strong-men and acrobats of their day (the 1930s), and those preformers back then (and still today, I think) wore capes.

It was of course, followed by Bob Kane putting a cape on Batman, but I'm not sure if Kane did that because of Superman, or because it just worked well with the dark image of a bat. Robin, being a circus acrobat, most certainly was inspired by either the acrobats or by Superman - who was himself inspired by the circus.

Since then, tights and a cape have become a trademark image of the superhero. You can thank the circus for that.

Now, the true functionality of his cape is debatable. I've heard some creators liken it to the symbolism of a flag flapping in the wind, and if you believe he made it out of Kryptonian fabic as some people do, he could (and has) use it to shield innocent people from fire, gunshots, and falling debris.



Now since the big DC 52 universe the cape was the only thing in the rocket ship and it is now indestructible and Clark put it on with his blue tee shirt when he first became Superman.
Later on, Superman came across the family crest device that when he puts it on his chest it automatically wraps a protective suit around him. With the near indestructible suit and cape, this is how they have it in the new DC universe. I can't say I care too much for this new Superman costume and DC 52 ****.

[Hector]

Good stuff!