7 Powers You Probably Forgot Superman Still Has

When Superman was first introduced, he had a much more limited scope of powers. He was strong, invulnerable, possessed super senses, and could leap an eighth of a mile. He quickly started developing new abilities, from X-ray vision to shapeshifting, and just kept gaining new ones. Especially in the Silver Age, it seemed like Clark was showcasing new powers in every adventure. He could do anything the plot demanded, such as punching at the right frequency to teleport everyone on Earth to a parallel universe. Over time, his powerset was thankfully narrowed to a few iconic powers, but even now, that list is much bigger than most recognize.

Superman’s most consistent powers are his strength, invulnerability, flight, and various vision-based skills, but they’re far from his only ones. The Man of Steel has developed a whole lot more powers over the years, and even if they don’t show up all that often, he’s never lost them, meaning he can theoretically bust them out whenever the situation calls for them. Today, we’re going to take a look at seven of those forgotten powers that Superman still has, but almost never uses. Without further ado, let’s prowl into the land of forgotten powers.

7) Solar Flare

The solar flare was Superman’s first major new power in years, and the first one introduced after the New 52 reboot. Superman can unleash all the stored solar energy in his body in a massive explosion of force and flame. The result is one of his strongest hits, but it also drains him, leaving him as vulnerable as a normal human for an entire day. This power was the focus of a major arc, leading to Superman’s identity being revealed to the entire world, but after that, it practically disappeared. The last time it was relevant was when Jon Kent developed the power in the “Super Sons of Tomorrow” storyline, eight years ago. This power carries a lot of risk, but it’s definitely worth the blast.

6) Bio-Electric Aura

Superman’s invulnerability and strength are actually augmented by an invisible psychic aura he projects around himself at all times. This special energy field is what keeps his clothes from ripping, and spreads to everything he touches, which is what lets him lift buildings without them crumbling at points of stress. It’s a bit like a rudimentary form of Connor’s tactile telekinesis. This aura was introduced in John Byrne’s Man of Steel miniseries, which was Superman’s first origin post-Crisis. Technically, the current Superman is the same character as that one, so even though reality has been reset and this aura is never mentioned anymore, that does mean it’s still there until stated otherwise.

5) Radiation Vision

Superman has all kinds of vision powers, from heat to telescopic, but his least-remembered one is his ability to emit pure radiation from his eyes. Microwaves, specifically. He demonstrated this in Action Comics (2011) #2, where he fried every electronic in the room while the army was attempting to torture information out of him. This implies that Superman can emit all kinds of electromagnetic wavelengths from his eyes, which goes hand-in-hand with his X-ray vision. It makes sense, but it makes you wonder. Can Superman shoot radio waves from his eyes? Could he control what they say? He could shout radio waves into police scanners way back in Superman (1939) #22, so it’s probable. Frankly, this is one of Superman’s deepest bags, and I need to know the answers.

4) Phasing

Superman possesses full anatomical control over his entire body. This has manifested as shapeshifting and unparalleled fine motor skills, but occasionally is used to vibrate his molecules at the right frequency to pass through solid objects. This power is more associated with the Flash, and he definitely uses it more often, because it just seems like overkill for Superman. He’s already practically impossible to damage and can smash through anything barring his way, so phasing through things is putting a hat on a hat. Superman doesn’t use this power often, mostly to keep some tension in his fights.

3) Energy Absorption

Superman’s powers come from absorbing solar radiation, but he’s actually a sponge for all types of energy. He’s shown that he’s not only capable of forcing himself to take in other forms of radiation, but is physically incapable of not absorbing certain types of energy. Superman has amped himself with power from Starman and the Totality, unconsciously grown immeasurably stronger with the Genesis Fragment’s energy, and even took in the radiation from a nuclear explosion in Superman/Wonder Woman #7. The last act left him rather weak, but it just proves that Superman can bring in any energy, not just beneficial ones.

2) Soul Sight

Yet again, another lesser-known vision power. Superman can see across the entire electromagnetic spectrum and even into other dimensions, perceiving things that normal people can’t even comprehend. The highest tier of this ability is Superman’s power to see the raw lifeforce that hangs around all living things. He can literally see proof that anything is alive or dead, to the point where seeing corpses is a whole new level of unnerving for him. This aura is special for every person, which means that Superman can see the energy of every person’s soul. Honestly, that’s beautiful.

1) Super Voice

The Man of Tomorrow’s senses have all been elevated to a super level. Everyone knows about his sight, hearing, and even smell, but perhaps the most overlooked is his super voice. Superman can bellow like an airhorn, mimicking just about any sound he can imagine and amplifying it to a degree that would put bomb sirens to shame. He can even weaponize this, shouting with such strength that he can rip apart everything around him. It’s effectively a less-focused but far more powerful version of Black Canary’s Canary Cry, and if Superman trained to truly master this ability, he would have a whole arsenal of sonic attacks at his disposal.

Which of Superman’s underrated powers would you want to make a comeback? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!

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