7 Powers You Didn’t Know Superman Had

One of the most powerful characters in modern fiction, Superman possesses abilities practically unmatched in DC Comics. Superman performs feats that can topple gods and shatter universes. Yet, looking back at his first appearance in 1938 reveals just how much his powers have changed over time. Initially, Superman couldn’t fly, lacked heat and X-ray vision, and didn’t possess the infinite strength and speed he has today. These powers were gradually added over the years and eventually became regarded as quintessential aspects of the Man of Tomorrow’s power set. However, not every new power Superman was given was well-regarded or stood the test of time. In a constant effort to make Superman stronger, DC Comics writers have developed some truly odd and bizarre abilities that have thankfully been retconned and forgotten.

Superman is well known for being faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. However, the Man of Steel has also had some strange abilities over the decades that people aren’t aware of.

7) Soul Vision

Superman is famous for his X-ray and microscopic vision, which allows him to see through walls and view objects at the subatomic level. But what few people know is that Superman can literally look into a person’s very soul. The Man of Tomorrow used this ability in 2005’s Superman #220. In this issue, Superman’s clone, Superboy, confesses that half of his DNA is that of Lex Luthor, and he fears that he could become just like the villain. To assure Superboy, Superman uses his soul vision to see that Superboy’s essence is fundamentally good. This strange ability was used only once and hasn’t been seen or referenced since.

6) Telepathy

Superman is already one of the physically strongest characters in DC Comics, so making him a telepath as well seems like overkill. For a short time during the Silver Age, the Man of Steel had the power to read minds and even control them. He’s used these powers to figure out who was calling him on the phone and to brainwash an alien into helping him escape from an alien spaceship. Given the fact that Superman is already so powerful, it makes sense that DC quickly got rid of his telepathic powers. That said, the modern Superman still retains limited mental defenses against telepathic attacks and mind-reading.

5) Super-Ventriloquism

Just the name super-ventriloquism sounds too silly to be real. During the Golden and Silver Ages, Superman had the strange ability to perfectly mimic any sound he heard, including people’s voices. And as a ventriloquist, Superman could throw his voice to make it sound like it was coming from somewhere else. This latter skill allowed him to talk to people far away. What’s even more bizarre is that Superman’s dog, Krypto, also had this power and could talk like a person. As one can imagine, super-ventriloquism is a pretty ridiculous and situational power, so DC quietly swept this odd ability under the rug for everyone to forget about.

4) Memory-Erasing Kiss

In the critically acclaimed 1980 film Superman II, Lois Lane discovers that Superman is Clark Kent. To keep his secret, Superman kisses Lois, so she forgets his secret identity and the events of the film. Oddly enough, this power isn’t in any of the comics, and it was made up just for this movie. As the name suggests, Superman could selectively make people lose a portion of their memory by kissing them. The nature of the ability is pretty morally questionable because he erased Lois’ memory without her consent. In an ironic twist of fate, DC Comics Superman never let him use this bizarre ability in the comics, and fans forgot it ever existed in the first place.

3) Shapeshifting

While Plastic Man may be DC’s most recognizable shapeshifting superhero, for a brief time during the Golden Age, Superman also could change his appearance on a whim. Thanks to his complete control over his muscles, the Man of Tomorrow can morph his face, and sometimes the rest of his body, to look like other people. He’s used this ability to sneak around undetected and catch bad guys by surprise. Of course, this brings up an obvious question: if Superman could change his face to look like anyone, why would he ever rely on flimsy glasses to protect his secret identity? It’s probably this glaring plot hole that made DC retcon this superpower out of existence.

2) Great Wall of China-Fixing Vision

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is inarguably one of the worst superhero movies of all time, thanks to its nonsensical story, stale acting, cheap effects, and more. In one of the dumbest moments of the movie, Superman fights his evil clone, Nuclear Man, who proceeds to destroy the Great Wall of China. So how does the Man of Steel fix one of the Eight Wonders of the World? By just looking at it, of course! By staring intently, Superman causes the Great Wall to be repaired automatically. The Man of Tomorrow never had this staring power in either the comics or other Superman movies, and the absurdity of the ability ensured that it would never be used again.

1) Shooting Tiny Clone Supermen

During a Silver Age storyline, Superman encountered an alien ship that stole most of his powers but also gained one of the strangest superpowers ever. Superman discovered that he could create and fire a miniature version of himself from his hand, which had all the hero’s lost powers. Superman would launch his “Mini-Me” clone to fight crime for him. Hilariously, the Man of Tomorrow started to get jealous about how much attention his adorable little clone was getting. The tiny Superman would eventually sacrifice his life to save the original Man of Steel from Kryptonite. Once Superman regained his lost powers, he never mentioned his little clone again –which feels just a tad ungrateful, considering the whole “sacrificed his life” thing.

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