Superman is one of the most powerful superheroes in existence. He’s the gold standard for strength, shattering the boundaries of what we consider possible since he first lifted a car back in 1938. Over time, his strength rose to absolutely bonkers levels. In the Silver Age, Superman could do whatever he wanted and whatever the plot demanded, such as casually tugging an entire galaxy’s worth of planets to the other side of the universe in his spare time. His general power level has been toned down numerous times over the years, but at the end of the day, Superman will always be as strong as he needs to be to save the day.
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Of course, even with a hero as strong as Superman, comic book writers love to make things bigger, better, and more explosive than ever. Even the Man of Steel has had his fair share of power boosts over his long career. Today, we’re going to look at seven of the best boosts Superman has received over the years. Be they extra powers, temporary enhancements, or incredible transformations, we’ll be looking at everything that gave the Man of Tomorrow an extra edge and ranking them. We’re only counting mainline continuity boosts, but beyond that, it’s all fair game. Without further ado, let’s get right into it.
7) Solar Flare
Superman is no stranger to new superpowers. In the Gold and Silver Ages, it seemed like he had a new hyper-specific power every issue. That eventually cooled down to a standard power set, which made the introduction of the solar flare such a major deal. It was Superman’s first new power in ages, and showcased just how much utter destruction he could unleash when he wanted to. The solar flare felt like a natural evolution of his pre-established powers, and even added an extra layer of complexity as it forced Superman to become as vulnerable as a normal human for a day. It was powerful and costly, which always makes for interesting situations.
6) Red/Blue
Back in the ‘90s, Superman was prime for reinvention and found himself transformed into pure energy. Not only that, but he was split into two different forms, with Superman Blue being the thoughtful strategist and Superman Red being the action-focused brawler. Both Supermen were even stronger than the original, possessing greater speed, intangibility, and energy-based abilities. Of course, the trade-off was the loss of their physical might, which can definitely be seen as a net loss, but still, this was a strange yet very fun look at an alternate powerset for Superman. It didn’t stick, but it did leave quite the lasting impression.
5) Super-Bat Fusion
Superman and Batman are the World’s Finest, and when they combined their wills to steal the ring from a mind-controlled Green Lantern, they found themselves fused into one being. This new fused form possessed all of Superman’s powers and Batman’s skills, alongside a fully-functional Power Ring. The two heroes shared control over their new body, which let them take turns driving depending on the situation. This Super-Bat form combined all of the strengths and practically eliminated their weaknesses, which is insanely useful, even if we disregard how awesome it is. This fusion makes my inner child squeal whenever it shows up, and that alone earns it tons of brownie points.
4) King Omega
Spoilers for the end of DC K.O., but after Superman came back for a surprise victory over Lex Luthor, he absorbed the Heart of Apokalips and became King Omega. He was infused with the Omega Energy Earth had generated alongside the Alpha Energy from Doomsday, letting him grow to cosmic deity proportions and fight Darkseid across all of time and space at once. He grew even stronger after absorbing the Big Bang, which let him smack even King Omega Darkseid upside the head. This is one of Superman’s strongest power-ups of all, but what made it special is how he chose to relinquish it to win the right way, which is the only way Superman would ever win.
3) Super Shazam
Also from the pages of DC K.O., this boost came when Superman partnered with Shazam in the quarter-finals. The young hero infused Superman with all his magical might, which made Superman the most powerful magical hero of all. Shazam can already match or overcome Superman in every physical and mental stat, and this added all of that power on top of Superman’s own. The design is also top-tier, even incorporating a Dragon Ball Z reference with the earrings. This is the perfect combination of two of DC’s most powerful heroes, and I would love to see this insane power explored more in the future.
2) Cosmic Armor Superman
The Thought Robot was a metaphorical and physical suit of armor forged to let Superman battle Mandrakk the Dark Monitor. What made this suit of armor special wasn’t just its unfathomable power or impossible size, but what it represented. The Thought Robot was a physical manifestation of Superman overcoming adversity. It was a living story, being powered by Superman’s endless hope and love for people, pushing back the concept of defeat to carve a future where everyone could be saved. This armor was literally the ideal of Superman saving the day, given form, which is such an interesting concept to explore in such a literal sense. It was Superman’s strongest power-up, and definitely one of his most thought-provoking.
1) Superman Prime One Million
In the distant future of the potential 853rd Century, Superman’s power only continued to grow. He spent 15,000 years at the heart of the sun, rising to a level of strength that put everything else he had before to shame. When he finally emerged, he had fully transformed into a new golden form and came equipped with powers on an entirely new level. He even brought his love, Lois Lane, back to life, but what sets this Superman apart isn’t his power, but his heart. This version of Superman exists as proof that the universe will meet a better tomorrow. Superman will always be around, and he will always save the day, and eventually, everyone will be safe. This Superman is proof of the ultimate hope, and that’s beautiful.
Which Superman power-up is your favorite? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
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Courtesy of Warner Bros. Japan
