Superman's power level

[Llama_Shepherd]

And I was asking how would it? Considering both 300 Was filmed almost entirely on green/blue screen as was Watchmen and Sucker Punch to a lesser extent, having entirely CGI environments, with smaller or equal budgets.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

I think if you're expecting Superman to be at Silver Age power levels in Man of Steel, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. That would just be too expensive to put on screen.

Nothing about him surviving unaided in space suggests silver age power levels.

 

[Godzilla2014]

Nothing about him surviving unaided in space suggests silver age power levels.

And I never said anything about surviving unaided in space. More than likely, I doubt it will even come up in this film.

 

[Dr.]

Because the special effects for a Superman of Silver Age power levels would be insanely expensive.

But we expect a certain level of excitement and spectacle from even a “depowered” Supes. So with that in mind… is tossing around a CGI car really cheaper than tossing a CGI asteroid?

 

[Lead Cenobite]

I don't think it would be that hard to show him even pushing a planet. It's really no trick at all. Have Superman do a handstand in the middle of Central Park, everyone standing around wondering wtf he's doing, then cut to a shot of the Earth gradually moving with maybe a faint rumbling sound.

 

[Godzilla2014]

But we expect a certain level of excitement and spectacle from even a “depowered” Supes. So with that in mind… is tossing around a CGI car really cheaper than tossing a CGI asteroid?

What I meant was that the scale of the destruction that would inevitably happen during the battle with Zod (for example) would be too expensive to show. This is why the Hulk and the Abomination didn't level Harlem during their battle in The Incredible Hulk.

 

[X Knight]

regardless of Superman's power level, I want to see him do insane, crazy **** that NO other superhero can do!!

 

[DKDetective]

But remember that he didn't just leap tall buildings and lift cars throughout the golden age. He got pretty powerful by the end of the 40s, maybe equal to the pre-DCNU Superman.

I know, I was just using it as shorthand for reduced powers.

 

[DKDetective]

But we expect a certain level of excitement and spectacle from even a “depowered” Supes. So with that in mind… is tossing around a CGI car really cheaper than tossing a CGI asteroid?

No, but it is easier and much cheaper to do effectively and interestingly, especially since you don't have to completely use CGI to show the former. Besides, how exciting is it to see Superman do a handstand in Central Park?

 

[TheBat812]

There's no pressure in space though. Pressure comes from the atmosphere, and space is nearly a vacuum. Honestly though, why does Superman have to be limited in a way that makes him need a space suit? How does that make things more challenging for him? To me, it just looks dorky and odd to see him dressed up like an astronaut, especially considering the iconic final shot of Superman in the movies.

Sorry, I meant the opposite - depressurization. The effects on the water, gases, etc. in his body would cause internal damage that are irrelevant to Superman's physical power. I guess he can 'regenerate', but I've never really been too huge a fan of some of the ridiculous powers Superman has accumulated over the years, even if they were acquired pretty early on. Not that I don't accept them, I just prefer the lesser-powered one. My question is, why bother having Superman go to Space at all? For all we know, those last shots are just on the edge of our atmosphere, hah.

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Well for one, he could be trying to stop an asteroid, like in the classic Adventures of Superman episode and it's two remakes from Superboy and Lois and Clark. Or he could be coming to the rescue of an endangered space station.

 

[Lencho01]

The only thing I think Superman would need in space is something that allowed him to talk to others. Sorta like when he's with Wonder Women in Kingdom Come.

 

[Frank]

I don't want to see him at silver age levels and I don't want to see him as weak as he was in TAS either. I thought John Byrne's power level was fine. Silver age Superman was so powerful I couldn't take him seriously. I like how he's progressed gradually from John Byrne's levels like when Mongul was training him to hold his breath in space during the WAW story arc.

If they have to make Superman ******ly powerful then the villians need to be ******ly powerful too. I want Superman facing a legitimate threat. I never want to see another Superman Returns when all he does is lift heavy stuff.

 

[Micromind]

Keep Superman at same power level as in JLU animated series.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

I think as long as a fight between Zod and Superman is shown to actually hurt, or be physically effective in some way, then it'll be great.

I don't want to see them just throwing each other around and getting up without breaking a sweat or being winded.

 

[Lily Adler]

regardless of Superman's power level, I want to see him do insane, crazy **** that NO other superhero can do!!

Like lifting an entire island... MADE OF KRYPTONITE. It's gold Jerry, GOLD!

 

[hopefuldreamer]

That's not just doing something no other Superhero can do... That's doing something no other Superman can do!

 

[Micromind]

The only thing I think Superman would need in space is something that allowed him to talk to others. Sorta like when he's with Wonder Women in Kingdom Come.

Your avvy rocks !

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Like lifting an entire island... MADE OF KRYPTONITE. It's gold Jerry, GOLD!

Ugh, can't we just move on from Superman Returns already?

 

[Lencho01]

Your avvy rocks !

Hahaha. Even in that moment with Wonder Woman, Superman shows he isn't a fan of rocks.

 

[Lily Adler]

Imagine if Clark got stuck being a geologist.

Ugh, can't we just move on from Superman Returns already?

NEVAH! Nevah-Evah! Okay.

 

[Lencho01]

Imagine if Clark got stuck being a geologist.

We don't have to. Many people don't know, but that was Clark's first job when he appeared as Superman...

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/08/18/superman-history-comic/

 

[DrCosmic]

Going away from that approach was a proven failure over a 25 year period, so yeah...real Superman now back in DC's comics.

Describing the Superman's recent multi-title multi-media career as a failure is overzealous at best.

And if I'm not mistaken... this "real" Superman is in just as many physical fights as the old Superman. It doesn't sound like he's able to appeal to a modern audience with moral quandries either. Are you sure you have a counterpoint to my argument? Or are you pinning an old discussion on me or something?

 

[Lead Cenobite]

This is a little off the chain of discussion, but I was wondering what you all thought about whether Superman's specific powers are important in defining the character. Is he Superman if he doesn't have super strength and flight and stead has some other equally superhuman ability? I prefer those powers but I like to think Superman isn't about particular powers, and instead about simply being superhuman. Think about how he was practically a Swiss army knife of superpowers in the silver age, pulling out all sorts of never-before-seen abilities when the situation calls for it. To me, his superpower is having superpowers, period.

Unrelated to that thought, I also don't mind Superman's powers not making logical sense. I don't want to understand how he does what he does. To me, his abilities are just short of reality warping.

 

[DrCosmic]

Well... Superman is not 'about' those things, anymore than he's about a red cape and blue tights, but they have become symbols for what Superman is about. And while the powers aren't necessarily baked into his themes - aside from the comfort of familiarity that his powers bring to countless millions - the idea of being superhuman, in its most basic form, involves being superhumanly able to do things everyone does. Super speed, super strength, super senses. Flight is a metaphor for freedom, which a superhero, theoretically, has more of. Heat vision and Superbreath may seem pretty random, but even the hot and cold nature of his tertiary abilities has a very primary color, literally elemental effect. His powers don't make logical sense, but they make thematic and emotional sense.