James Gunn finally explains why Clark Kent’s glasses actually fool people – and it’s comic canon
You know the bit. A guy with a curl in his hair throws on some spectacles and suddenly no one can tell he’s the most powerful being on Earth.
It’s the oldest joke in comic book land, up there with Batman’s rich guy trauma and Spider-Man’s rent. Yet here we are, a century deep into Superman stories, and still wondering: how the hell do the glasses work?
James Gunn has an answer. And it’s kind of dumb. But also… kind of perfect.
In a recent interview with ComicBook, the new architect of the DC Universe confirmed that Clark Kent’s glasses in his upcoming Superman flick aren’t just a fashion choice—they’re hypno glasses. That’s right. They literally hypnotize people into not seeing Superman. It’s not some sneaky disguise. It’s brain magic. From the comics. Canon, baby.
“It’s kind of been forgotten,” Gunn told ComicBook, “but that’s from the comics.”
He’s right. Somewhere in the bottomless pit of Silver Age weirdness, this explanation exists. And if you’re wondering whether Gunn, who once put a talking raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy and made it make you cry, will lean into the silly—yes. Yes, he will.
The tone of the new Superman movie (out July 11) already hints at a lighter, more playful take. The trailers have freeze breath saving puppies, Krypto the Superdog assisting in punch-ups, and a Superman who tosses out one-liners like he’s auditioning for a very fit improv troupe. So yeah, “hypno glasses” fit right in.
But Gunn isn’t just hand-waving the disguise thing. He says David Corenswet—our new Superman—actually pulls off the double identity better than anyone before.
“Out of all the actors that have played Superman, Corenswet looks the most different as Clark Kent to Superman, even more so than Chris Reeve.”
Big call. Reeve was the gold standard, transforming from clumsy sweetheart to steely saviour with just a slouch and a smile. But according to Gunn, Corenswet’s version of Clark “looks a little bit blockier” with the glasses on, like the specs subtly rewire how you perceive his entire face.
Cool, cool, cool. But also… hypnotic glasses.
It feels like classic Gunn: take something absurd, point at it, laugh about it, then make you believe in it anyway. In the world of Superman (2025), disbelief isn’t suspended—it’s hypnotized. And maybe that’s a smarter kind of truth for a universe where a dog can fly and your boss might be an alien.
So the next time someone asks how glasses can possibly fool the Daily Planet newsroom, you’ve got an answer: because they’re magic. Because this is a comic book movie. And because maybe—just maybe—we want to be fooled.
And hey, the world could use a little more make-believe right now. Even if it’s wearing horn-rims.
Check out the trailer here.
