Superman's power level

[Lily Adler]

Probably...

 

[Kal-El.9859]

I don't know if it has been discussed how CLARK should showcase his powers for the first time as he is just discovering them. So I'll say just for arguments sake I wouldn't mind seeing a scene take place on the farm, Clark is helping Jonathan with some chores and there is a farming accident. Clark looks shocked he isn't hurt and Jonathan has this "I knew this would happen" look on his face.

 

[Dr.]

For you and Geralt, maybe. I've seen this exact same argument in the past, wonder if it was you or him. I'd like to think this isn't a widely held opinion. I just can't wrap my brain around the logic behind "Superman looks insignificant, and thus it makes the feat less thrilling".

It’s certainly not impossible. Apart from the physics, I think the lifting of New Krypton in SR worked reasonably well. But some argued that the scene lacked the visceral potency of a more conventional Superman super feat – simply because of the scale involved. In wide view, all that’s visible is a giant island rising into the sky. Then we have closer views of a grunting Supes with a slab of rock across his shoulders. Through editing, there’s no problem connecting the two. But a potentially more impressive single shot of this amazing act of strength just can’t be represented. And that, arguably, diminishes the impact. Contrast this with the 777 or yacht scenes. In those, even though he’s small in the frame, Supes is still visible. So there is a more tangible physicality (i.e., no editing tricks) between Supes and what he’s doing.

 

[elgaz]

It's a fair point. I think they tried to address this in SR by not having the shots switch immediately from Island at a distance > Superman, but instead the camera moved in on New Krypton - from a close distance, and then closer and closer while huge lumps of rock fell away, eventually exposing Superman at the centre holding the whole thing on his shoulders. So there was more of a transition and it wasn't just a sudden switch between the scale of both shots.

For me personally, the fact that the scene was akin to an ant carrying a mountain didn't really diminish the impact in any way. Any potency in the scene lost by the use of such contrasting scales was IMO compensated for by our knowledge of what the scene was depicting : he's lifting a frigging continent ................. maybe a small one, but a continent no less.

 

[Kal-El.9859]

^that was a great scene I thought...and he and Lois floating upwards in front of the Daily Planet globe...great stuff

 

[Blue Sugar]

This topic is a hard balance. Cause part of why I love Superman so much is his amazing power but at the same time a too powerful Superman can hinder a story. But I rather them go all in then to chicken out.

 

[The Morningstar]

He should be as powerful as Neo from the Matrix films. Class 100 strength. Multiple mach flight and reflex speeds. Can take being smashed through concrete comfortably.

None of this sneezing solar systems out of existence and tugging dozens of planets along on a chain. There is a reason Superman isn't as powerful as he was in the silver age.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

He should be as powerful as Neo from the Matrix films. Class 100 strength. Multiple mach flight and reflex speeds. Can take being smashed through concrete comfortably.

None of this sneezing solar systems out of existence and tugging dozens of planets along on a chain. There is a reason Superman isn't as powerful as he was in the silver age.

Neo primarily fights, flies around, and moves really fast, so it's hard to say exactly what strength class he's in.

 

[The Morningstar]

Fair point. But in Revolutions when he a Smith were landing punches it was literally like bombs going off, with concussive blasts/shockwaves etc.

They were pretty damn strong and durable. That's what i want to see in Kal/Zod's fights. Each punch is literally like a bomb.

And of course they must have the speed blitz. Seeing that in live action with proper SFX will be immense.

 

[Prime]

Is anyone else worried that they might tone down Supermans power level in this movie, due to the (idiotic) notion the general audience has, that he is boring because he is too powerful? I really hope not. Superman is supposed to be the most powerful Superhero of them all. (or ´´the big daddy`` as Snyder calls him, lol!) And I want to see that reflected. The power level displayed in MOS should be greater to EVERY single CBM in the last decade or so. Hopefully with actual super villains to fight that will come to fruition (since I SUPPOSE that Kryptonite wont enter into the picture in this movie). But im still worried. Like someone else mentioned here already, I don't want any silliness like space suits or stuff like that. He's Superman, ok, he doesn't need a bloody suit to go into space! But also no made up powers on the spot or cheesy antics. Make him use the powers in battle and in creative ways (catching big objects, flying through fire, carrying things etc is not creative, been there, done that.) and make him as powerful as the character deserves to be...and the budget allows.

 

[The Morningstar]

Well Superman isn't supposed to be the most powerful superhero of them all. He isn't anywhere near it.

But i see what you are saying, they really need to show that this Superman is a real powerhouse.

The thing i'm most excited to see Snyder do is his speed and flight. He's got a great imagination, I'm expecting big things.

 

[Prime]

Well Superman isn't supposed to be the most powerful superhero of them all. He isn't anywhere near it.

But i see what you are saying, they really need to show that this Superman is a real powerhouse.

The thing i'm most excited to see Snyder do is his speed and flight. He's got a great imagination, I'm expecting big things.

Yes, I should have clarified, I meant overall most (or one of anyway) powerful since he has a wide number of super powers and is high up in all of them. For example, his brute strength should match that of WW Hulk at his angriest, his speed matches Flash, he can fly, destructive laser vision etc. Basically I want his power level closer to silver age rather than post-crisis or god forbid something like the Byrne Superman, which I think was just ridiculously depowered. I know I likely wont get that but im hoping for a happy medium at least, rather than one extreme or the other.
But yeah im with you, im expecting big things from Snyder too and especially flying. Im particularly excited for those scenes after Joe Letteri's (WETA) comments on the subject.

 

[The Morningstar]

Cool. You got a link or a point in the right direction for the talk about MoS by WETA?

 

[Prime]

Cool. You got a link or a point in the right direction for the talk about MoS by WETA?

Sure, here's you go:

http://www.supermansupersite.com/12191223.html

You can read the complete article/interview here:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplayl...emphasis-on-in-camera-effects-in-man-of-steel

And for those who don't wish to visit links and didnt catch the news when it came out, here's what Letteri said about MOS:

"Zack's going for pretty much everything in-camera as much as he can," Letteri said in an interview Monday in New York. "I mean, the reason to think about Superman in CGI, you don't need him full CGI as a character, because he's basically a full person. But you just don't want the flying scenes to look like he's on a wire. So [the question is] how do you use CG to make that happen, and that's still kind of being played with right now."

While Letteri didn't reveal exactly how they were depicting Superman's flying sequences, he said that they were primarily focusing on what was in the script and what Snyder wanted rather than referring to the decades upon decades of comic book images they could potentially draw upon as a reference point. "That's completely story-driven," he confessed. "That's going to depend on your shot and your composition, and the performance, and in that case, that’s kind of Zack's call - what is he looking for there?"

Letteri revealed that although the film will feature more action than its predecessor ("Superman Returns"), Snyder was still focusing on character over pure spectacle. "There is a bit of that to set it up and to kick it off, but actually it feels like it's more character-driven, yeah."

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Well Superman isn't supposed to be the most powerful superhero of them all. He isn't anywhere near it.

But i see what you are saying, they really need to show that this Superman is a real powerhouse.

The thing i'm most excited to see Snyder do is his speed and flight. He's got a great imagination, I'm expecting big things.

He might not be at the present, but he was the most powerful for quite a few years. If he's going to be called Superman, there has to be a reason for it other than the sentimental, sappy "it's not his powers that make him Superman" crap. Enough of the double standards where Superman has to be depowered to be relevant and relatable while nothing happens to any of the other powerful heroes.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

Superman should't be the dominant character in every category. He's the all rounder, Flash should be faster, Cap Marvel should be more powerful etc.

However, if Superman is depowered, by the standards of his fictional universe he is still Superman because he is the most powerful man on the planet. Since the military will be involved I expect to see him at S:TAS levels.

 

[Krumm]

So apparently Superman may not be able to breathe in space in the new Action Comics. Whether or not it's just part of his development, what do you guys think of this?

http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/exclusive-superman-cant-breathe-in-space

 

[Prime]

So apparently Superman may not be able to breathe in space in the new Action Comics. Whether or not it's just part of his development, what do you guys think of this?

http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/exclusive-superman-cant-breathe-in-space

Absolutely ridiculous! I mean, come on, look at him! He's supposed to be Superman! That looks soooo stupid.

 

[gugumugats]

Not just power level. I'm curious as to how physically realistic (I know I know its just a movie) they'll try to make Superman.

Like instead of being able to lift a plane, realistically (yeah a flying man) Superman would rip right through it given his relatively smaller size.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

That's just too limiting to super strength, I think. I mean, it doesn't just make silver age feats out of the question. It just makes me think of all the applications of his powers that become impossible once those sorts of physical impossibilities are taken into account.

 

[Blue Sugar]

Not just power level. I'm curious as to how physically realistic (I know I know its just a movie) they'll try to make Superman.

Like instead of being able to lift a plane, realistically (yeah a flying man) Superman would rip right through it given his relatively smaller size.

That would be awfully boring I think.

 

[Prime]

Yeah well, prepare to be kinda bored. Snyder said they are looking into the laws of physics and such, realistic portrayal of certain feats. This is one aspect that has me worried. I hope they don't go for a very depowered Superman + laws of physics because that = fail.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

At least he'll be able to punch Zod, I suppose.

 

[BigThor]

It's hard to make a credible threat for someone who lifts an islands without a huge budget, imo Superman's JL/JLU power level would be perfect for this film.

Superman vs Solomon Grundy
[YT]_o7jH8iVYUk[/YT]
Superman vs Captain Atom
[YT]1kTMv8STYNE[/YT]
^ Somewhere around those levels of power

 

[Lead Cenobite]

I don't think those fight scenes really show how powerful Superman is. I mean, how can you tell without knowing how powerful Captain Atom and Solomon Grundy are?

Either way, I don't care much about fight scenes anyway. The internet's *****ing about Superman Returns has made me sick of them. Superman isn't Neo, he isn't Goku, he's not just about big fight scenes. If he's powered down so much that he's only good for fight scenes, count me out.