Defining Superman's Powers In A Reboot

[Crook]

Off the top of my head:
1) The speed force nourishes the Flash so he can run almost indefinitely.
2) It can speed us his metabolism and thus his healing, allowing him to heal massive wounds.
3) It allows him to run without being affected by the air's resistance or raising winds when he runs fast. Of course some artists choose to show that he raises a wind, or even create a sonic boom when he breaks the sound barrier.
4) According to Einstein's theory, at the speeds the Flash reaches, his mass becomes huge (i think...) so at those speeds he can hit as hard as Superman.

And there's a lot more than that.

I was never an advocate for any abilities that don't carry consequence, so I'm very averse to this.

I think that's slower than a speeding bullet.

Bullet speeds have great variety in speed. Some are faster than sound, a lot aren't. In any case, both are fast enough. I don't see any great advantage to making Supes that fast, especially considering the wealth of other powers in his arsenal.

 

[Mr. Earle]

I was never an advocate for any abilities that don't carry consequence, so I'm very averse to this.

What consequences do you want them to have?

Bullet speeds have great variety in speed. Some are faster than sound, a lot aren't. In any case, both are fast enough. I don't see any great advantage to making Supes that fast, especially considering the wealth of other powers in his arsenal.

I think that Superman can reach about Mach 7, maybe even 10 in the comics. He's very fast, but not as fast as the Flash. The point is that he's as fast as the plot requires. If they dont want him to be in time for something, he wont be, so its no use pondering on whether he should go mach 3 or 7. Its still super duper fast.

 

[terry78]

The main issue is that Superman pretty much has all the powers of most of the other characters, except maybe altered a bit. That's why it's somewhat difficult for writers to do **** with him at times.

 

[GreenKToo]

I was never an advocate for any abilities that don't carry consequence, so I'm very averse to this.


Bullet speeds have great variety in speed. Some are faster than sound, a lot aren't. In any case, both are fast enough. I don't see any great advantage to making Supes that fast, especially considering the wealth of other powers in his arsenal.

A 22 caliber rifle bullet travels roughly 1,500 feet a sec, it varies some, but thats the average and it equals to about 90,000 mph....

 

[The ?ion]

It isn't that difficult really.

-He can still have his powers drained away/absorbed
-He has a lethal reaction go green kryptonite
-He is as affected by Magic as any other non-Magical being
-He is susceptible to telepathc attack
-Though invulnerable by human measure, sufficientlly powerful beings can make him bleed with the apporpriate weapon or strength
-He is usually ineffective against extra-dimensional and cosmic entities
-He is technically genius level, but he can still be outsmarted
-He is powerless under a red sun/red wave length solar radiation
-Sonic attacks of sufficient power can cause him aural distress

That is all off the top of my head. That is why seemingly lesser beings like Manchester Black (telepathic) or The Parasite, can actually give Superman quite a bit of trouble, even though their power sets don't seem comparable. Manchester Black gave Superman a stroke. The Parasite has stolen Superman's powers on numerous occasions. Maxwell Lord managed to take control of Superman and force him to fight Diana. Even Poison Ivy used a combination of Kryptonite and her pheromones to take control of Superman.

I am always reminded of one of Arthur C. Clarke's laws. "Any sufficiently advanced technology will seem indistinguishable from magic." In this case, we can modify it to say that "any sufficiently powerful enough being, will seem indistinguishable from a deity." Superman's superiority is only because of our frail human perception. There are a wealth of beings that rival or exceed him or have other technology or powers that can over come him. He is only powerful or invulnerable because nothing we have can stop him. But ask Darkseid or Doomsday if Superman is invulnerable. Superman is not limited by his powers. Writers are limited by their imagination.

 

[Mr. Earle]

Exactly. His villains are specifically designed to overcome his powers. Superman doesnt fight mobsters or Killer Moth.

 

[Brian Braddock]

Co-signed.

Which is why I kinda ???? at calls to depower Supes just for a supposed 'relatability to the audience' thing.

 

[Mr. Earle]

"Superman's powers make him unrelatable, not to mention that they are unrealistic. So we re doing a realistic version of Superman with deeper themes than silly comics. You guys are gonna love this!"

 

[Crook]

What consequences do you want them to have?

Any reasonable consequence. So as long as an issue isn't analogous to the snap of a finger, and the utterance of "Abra-Kadabra". It isn't interesting.

I think that Superman can reach about Mach 7, maybe even 10 in the comics. He's very fast, but not as fast as the Flash. The point is that he's as fast as the plot requires. If they dont want him to be in time for something, he wont be, so its no use pondering on whether he should go mach 3 or 7. Its still super duper fast.

Of course it's important. If there's precedence for Supes having the willpower to do more, and he doesn't, that comes into question. The writer has either gone to contradictory territory, or has gotten lazy.

Co-signed.

Which is why I kinda ???? at calls to depower Supes just for a supposed 'relatability to the audience' thing.

The depowering is relative. No one's asking to make Supes comparable to Batman or anything. I'm just wondering the insistence on qualitatively high degrees of his superpowers. As I said previously, what is the advantage gained if Supes can go to the speed of light, as opposed to sound? Moreover, how many qualified cinematic villains can we actually name that would suit as an antagonistic force to go toe-to-toe with that type of prowess?

 

[Mr. Earle]

Superman cant reach the speed of light. He is somewhere around Mach 10. Now, if it is Mach 7 or mach 12, it doesnt matter. As i said, his villains are tuned accordingly. There is no need to get pedantic here.

 

[Daybreak_st]

I think the consensus is that we don't need to see supes pushing planets in the theatre. Making him powerful enough to earn the name is one thing, making him so powerful his very existence on earth would endanger the planet (watch out if he sneezes!! Duck and cover!!) would be a mistake that no one wants to see. It would also elminate the threat posed by his terrestrial villains.

 

[Crook]

I'm not being pedantic, there's a clear inconsistency with the display of Supes powers and the villains he faces. I'm obviously not referring to small discrepancies, because as you said yourself, they are inconsequential and barely noticeable.

My issue is if he's at a certain power level, then you have to maintain that standard for every opposing force he faces. Supes isn't someone who has a plethora of memorable villains ala Spidey and Bats that can provide this. It's even less when you approach the film medium.

 

[Mr. Earle]

I'm pretty sure they'll define his powers and play accordingly. At least i hope so.

 

[GreenKToo]

I agree. IMO I think his strength level should be around 100,000 tons, which is roughly lifting an aircraft carrier.
Speed, I think around 50 or 60,000 mph. That's plenty fast enough.
He'll still have his other powers as well, things like heat vision, x-ray vision, superhearing, invulnerablility.
He wouldnt be a pushover at that power level. Far far from it.

 

[Mr. Earle]

I think that his powers should be at the same level they are currently in the comic books. Its the current version of his powers, and the one writers use nowadays. No need to tamper with them.

 

[GreenKToo]

I haven't read any since the 90's. Exception being red son and kingdom come.

 

[Webhead2006]

yea i agree i hope we have the powers clearly defined and set at a modest level for superman. so he isnt to weak and isnt to powerful.

 

[BrollySupersj]

I'll go with the John Bryne era strength.

 

[Captain America]

The Planet Moving thing is WAY over the top, Byrne's depiction is my fav

 

[GreenKToo]

I agree. I mean does it really matter when you see a guy on screen lifting an aircraft carrier but you know he can't move planets?
It would still be awesome to see and very breath taking.

 

[Webhead2006]

totally we dont need a planet moving, though if we see over the course of a film series he is getting stronger/faster and all that its a cool thing to do.

 

[Venomfan]

i was a fan of SR power levels, he could lift a big island with lots of effort and could fly faster than the gas could light on fire

 

[Daybreak_st]

I think flight and strength are do different things. He could easily be that fast but not be that strong in the reboot. I know the island was meant to be impressive but the plane sequence was much more fulfilling for me. Recently watch the Fleicher cartoons and i loved how dynamic they made supes, and how he had to exert effort to accomplish tasks. Not that i want him at that level in the reboot but i'd like to see some dynamic tension involved in what he's doing.

 

[Webhead2006]

totally they should have him be very strong and powerful but at least for this first film in this possible new film series he should be at a limited power level. But then going on in sequels we see him getting stronger/faster and learn the longer he is exposed to Yellow sun his powers will continue to grow or something like that.

 

[GL1]

"Superman's powers make him unrelatable, not to mention that they are unrealistic. So we re doing a realistic version of Superman with deeper themes than silly comics. You guys are gonna love this!"

This.

I don't trust Nolan to do comics faithfully, even if the movies he does are very well done. After the number he did on Batman's personality and appearance, I don't want to 'put myself in Nolan's head' on this one. I'd rather do something more true to the spirit of the character, and that is defying earth science and redefining what realistic is.

If I were doing Superman's Powers in a reboot I would:

• Have Jor-El give us the basics of why he can do what he can do. "Kryptonians have photosynthesis, like Earth plants, as well as control over the electromagnetic forces in and on their bodies. In their powerful sun, you will be able to run faster, fly higher, withstand more than your human peers, and perhaps even channel energy from your eyes."
• I would have him tested, perhaps early after his arrival, perhaps as a publicity stunt, perhaps as part of Lois Lane's story or Lex Luthor's fake friendship, where STAR Labs scientists give us all the techno-babble. Then have Lois or Lex ask for layman's terms, and set theoretical limits on his powers.
• I'd show him straining, because the issue is not "realisticness," it's the perception that Superman is unbeatable. I'd also beat him, badly. SR almost got this right, but it will be more an all around public humiliation than a simple curb-stomping.
• More importantly, perhaps, show the upbringing that made him who is, in flashes and flashbacks, but show 1) How he learned not to abuse his power, 2) How he learned to value all life, and 3) How he learned to keep his powers secret.
• The first act would show 4) How/where he learned to take responsibility for protecting Earth, and Metropolis specifically.
• Deal with 'deep themes' of fate, hope, idealism, perseverance, responsibility and what it means to be human. Themes which can only be dealt with when we accept that there are powers greater than humanity. I think this requires a different worldview than what Nolan possesses. I think we'll see a more Machiavellian Superman than a Messianic one, like the one we have in the comics.