Why Superman Will Always Stinks

[stumpy]

I also have never heard that Superman's toughness is a form of super fast healing (though he does heal fast, too). Wouldn't that mean that bullets would go through him instead of bouncing off? But, I don't keep up on everything, so I could have missed a memo. I guess if the healing really were really, really fast, then the cells might repair themselves before any macroscopic damage (like tears) could appear... I'm not sure how that would be really different that just traditional invulnerability, though.

Either way, I do agree with HQ's larger observation that it seems like much of the Byrne rationales for Superman's powers have been cast aside. And, that's for the best, in my opinion.

Byrne's explanations never actually explained anything, so I never saw the point in changing them from the original (or at least Silver Age) explanations. I mean, saying his invulnerability comes from a telekinetic force field rather than just because his Kryptonian flesh is incredibly resistant to damage doesn't better explain anything because "telekinesis" isn't an understood mechanism any more than "yellow sun invulnerability" is. Saying a power is "telekinetic" isn't any closer to an explanation than saying it is "magic". Not that I have anything against telekinetic (or magic) power rationales for characters, but this is Superman, so why change the nature of his powers? As I recall, Byrne had some other powers like heat vision 'explained' as telekinetics, but there was never much point to the change.

Anyway, I don't have much use for most of the changes Byrne made (the overall powering-down was fine, but others had done that before (and since)), so I'm just as happy that they've been phased out.

[detourne_me]

the "welcome to the internet" barb is just insulting though,  this forum prevents us from using common words because it deems them inappropriate.

"Superman flung Braniac into a speeding Spalding truck. jimmies were bouncing all over the highway."

Why I have to read errors in the titles of two of the more popular threads at the moment, that happen to take top billing when coming to this site, just blows.

[Previsionary]

Why I have to read errors in the titles of two of the more popular threads at the moment, that happen to take top billing when coming to this site, just blows.

Pshaw...as if we all don't make errors in posts. Tisn't that serious. At least Jey isn't making his thread a running thread of jokes, hypocrisy, and taking something that's a hobby super seriously as if it matters in life like another member.

I havent read this linked to article yet, but from the comments here...it sucks hardcore. If superman sucks for any reason, it'd be because of bad writing more than anything. Though, I may not like that certain writers keep portraying him as the super boyscout that overpowers everything one moment and is dumb as rocks/weaker than paper the next, I've just come to accept that as one of his other, unwritten, weaknesses. :P

[herodad1]

i'd hate to have powers i constantly had to concentrate on to get them to work.i imagine alot of head aches. i could buy him having telekinetic/energy field generation augmenting him.it atleast explains how everything works.maybe on the way from krypton he was subjected to stellar energies that changed or mutated his natural kryptonian abilities.dunno!

[stumpy]

It doesn't explain how anything works any better than the old explanations did. Neither one was really plausible science, for starters. And, even within the realm of comic science, telekinesis is no better explanation for Superman's resistance to damage than just saying he has super tough skin. Not that one couldn't also resist damage with a bio-electric force field or whatever, but that isn't a better explanation, just another one. Both are just ways of saying, "He is very highly resistant to damage in a way without a scientific explanation, and this is a name we are attaching to the phenomenon." Similarly, the telekinetic field may be one rationale for why heavy things don't break apart when lifted, but it's not any better than just saying that, in comic books, things are tougher when lifted. Neither one is science in any way, but the latter doesn't leave everyone asking why things don't break apart when Captain Marvel or Wonder Woman or Iron Man any of a hundred other strong characters who aren't otherwise telekinetic lift something.

I would love to have powers. I'm not sure it would be a benefit to the world, though.  :lol:

[catwhowalksbyhimself]

As to Superman's ability to not get knocked around all the time, he could also generate tremendous thrust in any direction at incredible speeds with his flight power.  By holding himself steady with the invisible thrust necessary to move at mach 15 or whatever, that can compensate for a pretty big impact, rather than necessitating a high density.

That actually makes sense, if you really need as explanation.  For some reason, though, strong character don't seem to fly around when hit, no matter if they can flight or not.  That's just  comic books for you.

TAS did change this, though. In that series, Superman is always getting tossed through buildings.

[BWPS]

Minor quibble, but can we get a mod to remove the final 's' in this thread's title?
Between this and 'stop hateing' I think I'll have a grammeurysm

Hi, welcome to the internet! Please keep in mind that grammar affects nothing of any importance.

Except communication . . . (whee!  Here we go again!!! :lol:)

hahaha!!!
and FIXED!

http://xkcd.com/326/ (although in this case, it is, in fact, probably meant to be 'affects')

I totally baited that grammer correction! But way to post an xkcd!

[Cdub]

Honestly, the only DC character I really like is Green Lantern. I'm defineatly(sp.) a Marvel kinda guy.

Anyways, I have picked up a Superman comic or two and I never did again. Please don't take this personally guys, but to me it was like a great action movie with crappy dialouge. I mean, everyone goes out of their way to help Superman. In spider-man, they almost never do, infact, they usually do the oppisite.

Now that I got that out of the way, half the article was pointless. Kryptonite isn't Superman's only weakness. He is susseptible(sp.) to magic, he has to breath (although Mongul taught him to hold his breath for long periods of time), and he can die of age.

Another weakness is guilt. He always feels guilty that he can't save everyone.

Well, that's about it. See ya!

[Aly Cat]

I think Byrne's TK field was actually the personal forcefield that all living things have, just Supes' was more so than any other,actually preventing impacts & anything 'skin-tight' from being damaged (hence the never ripped uniform back then). They actually did change that to what it is now & I think that the best expaination would be that due to his strength, which would permeate EVERY part of his body, anything LESS than his power level (guns, mortar shells....etc) would do no damage, sort of like say a human being being injured by a fly; while it is true that SOME insects CAN hurt us,it's not the same thing since we are not as powerful as Superman. This would explain why he gets hurt by certain individuals who possess equal or greater strength (or power)than him. It's like Cap's sheild, it's the strongest metal in existance, but does no damage to the hulk when he hits him, but some 1 with greater strength (like the hulk vs the Maestro) it CAN cut even the hulk. The rapid healing aspect given by HQ is more along the Smallville version rather than the mainstream, tho' he DOES heal quickly I do not believe that this is the reason why bullets bounce off him & such; his invulneralbility is based primarily on the fact that these things have no affect on him, however, the more powerful the impact:the more he will feel it. Maybe I'm just rambling(cus I DO do that a lot), but that's my assessment on the subject.  ^_^

[BlueBard]

On Superman's super-strength/invulnerability...

The original premise for his super-strength and invulnerability was that he came from a planet with a higher gravity than Earth.  Therefore his body was far more dense than any human's.  Nonsense from a physics standpoint, but plausible if you apply a little suspension of disbelief.

This of course was before the advent of kryptonite.  Now you have to explain why exposure to kryptonite allows him to be injured.  Thus you have the stuff about TK and bio-energy fields, etc.

Now, it is inarguable that the radiation from a 'yellow sun' is what gives Superman his powers.  That's been built into the character from the very beginning and it has never been changed.

The original Superman did not actually fly.  That came later.  But when it did come it eventually was established that flying was an "act of will".  I seem to recall his super strength is also portrayed that way in some stories.  It would explain some of the applications of strength wherein the object he's handling isn't ripped apart by the stresses involved.  (Think moving planets, stopping falling jet planes in midair, etc) It's not a classic portrayal of telekinesis, but it fits what he's doing as well or better than anything else.

Really, just about every comic book character in existence is nonsense from a real-world physics standpoint.  I just throw physics out the window and enjoy the story.

[BlueBard]

Anyone read the rebuttal?
http://www.bamkapow.com/rebuttal-defender-of-truth-justice-and-the-american-way-1204-p.html

This rebuttal could stand to have a bit less Batman-bashing and it too is rather on the simplistic side.

But as to Supe's motivations, I think it's spot on.