New Powers for Superman

[magha_regulus]

So I'm a fan of the idea that as Superman ages, he gets more powerful. Now that we have Jon in the books Superman has aged a bit and I think it would be great to see him with some new powers. Its something that's been hinted at over the years in different stories in and outside of continuity, with Superman Unchained being one of the more interesting stories to tackle the subject in my opinion. I hated that Super Nova power they tried to give him because it was so destructive and it weakened him. New powers shouldn't mean new weaknesses for Superman. That's not the route I'd want to go and its one of the things that I'm happy doesn't exist anymore. So what powers would you give Superman as he evolved?

For me it would be:
Telepathy
Telekinesis
I'd give him the ability to outright absorb different types of energies and redirect them
And I'd give him the ability to create protctive force fields around people this could be an extension of his new telekinetic powers or the new energy powers that I'd give him.

I think these powers are a sort of natural evolution for the character. The writers should also be thinking up new and creative uses for the powers that he already has.

What other ideas do folks have?

[Kuwagaton]

This character has literally lost more powers than others have. Telekinesis and energy absorption fit him so well that I'm surprised they never seem to last. I'd like to see tactile telekinesis while his strength is still in play to toughen him and I believe his old face molding power would be a nice touch for storytelling.

[daBronzeBomma]

For me, the idea of Supes evolving has to do more with the gradual elimination of all specific weaknesses and increases in his existing powers, more so than brand new powers.

For instance, at some point, Supes has guzzled more than enough yellow solar radiation to have grown:

- immune to all forms of kryptonite, natural or synthetic. Drop a concentrated K-bomb on him, Clark will no-sell its effects, Red K won't change him, and Gold K doesn't remove his powers at all, etc.

- immune to harmful electromagnetic radiation, as he is now able to absorb and convert any and all electromagnetic radiation (From x- rays to gamma rays to all visible light, etc) to add power to his cells, including red solar radiation, which goes from a weakness to just another source of strength.

- immune to any magic that isn't at least star - busting level. At this point, no earthly magic can adversely affect him.

- immune to any psionic attack. This has always bugged me: if Supes can regularly fall under mind control or illusions, then Luthor (or worse, BatGod) is completely justified in wanting to preemptively shut Kal down just in case he goes rogue. Bring back his Pre-COIE superspeed mental ability to simply overwhelms the attacking telepath. No one on Earth should be able to mind - control Supes. Beyond Earth, maybe a different story.

- immune to most transmutations due to an increase in his bio- field + superspeed acting as a combined autoshield.

- increased existing abilities: strong enough to casually split planets, durable enough to bathe in the core of any star and fly through black holes unscathed, fast enough with both FTL travel and FTL reflexes, heat vision powerful enough to instantly melt almost anything, freeze breath powerful enough to instantly freeze almost anything, sensory powers expanded to the point of cosmic awareness

- able to develop his own tech to cover what he still can't do alone (teleportation/ dimension - hopping, etc).

That's where I go with him. The trade - off being you couldn't tell stories of anything Earthly actually threatening him, but the scope of his adventures would simply get much more cosmic in scale.

[Ra-El]

For me, the idea of Supes evolving has to do more with the gradual elimination of all specific weaknesses and increases in his existing powers, more so than brand new powers.

For instance, at some point, Supes has guzzled more than enough yellow solar radiation to have grown:

- immune to all forms of kryptonite, natural or synthetic. Drop a concentrated K-bomb on him, Clark will no-sell its effects, Red K won't change him, and Gold K doesn't remove his powers at all, etc.

- immune to harmful electromagnetic radiation, as he is now able to absorb and convert any and all electromagnetic radiation (From x- rays to gamma rays to all visible light, etc) to add power to his cells, including red solar radiation, which goes from a weakness to just another source of strength.

- immune to any magic that isn't at least star - busting level. At this point, no earthly magic can adversely affect him.

- immune to any psionic attack. This has always bugged me: if Supes can regularly fall under mind control or illusions, then Luthor (or worse, BatGod) is completely justified in wanting to preemptively shut Kal down just in case he goes rogue. Bring back his Pre-COIE superspeed mental ability to simply overwhelms the attacking telepath. No one on Earth should be able to mind - control Supes. Beyond Earth, maybe a different story.

- immune to most transmutations due to an increase in his bio- field + superspeed acting as a combined autoshield.

- increased existing abilities: strong enough to casually split planets, durable enough to bathe in the core of any star and fly through black holes unscathed, fast enough with both FTL travel and FTL reflexes, heat vision powerful enough to instantly melt almost anything, freeze breath powerful enough to instantly freeze almost anything, sensory powers expanded to the point of cosmic awareness

- able to develop his own tech to cover what he still can't do alone (teleportation/ dimension - hopping, etc).

That's where I go with him. The trade - off being you couldn't tell stories of anything Earthly actually threatening him, but the scope of his adventures would simply get much more cosmic in scale.

This.

His Super Senses should be the powers the powers that really increase, he should be able to see things that no one else can, and it would be a good way to differ him from other heroes with similar powers. For example, in a fight with Zod they could keep their strength levels about the same, but Clark's vision and hearing should be superior.

[magha_regulus]

For me, the idea of Supes evolving has to do more with the gradual elimination of all specific weaknesses and increases in his existing powers, more so than brand new powers.

For instance, at some point, Supes has guzzled more than enough yellow solar radiation to have grown:

- immune to all forms of kryptonite, natural or synthetic. Drop a concentrated K-bomb on him, Clark will no-sell its effects, Red K won't change him, and Gold K doesn't remove his powers at all, etc.

- immune to harmful electromagnetic radiation, as he is now able to absorb and convert any and all electromagnetic radiation (From x- rays to gamma rays to all visible light, etc) to add power to his cells, including red solar radiation, which goes from a weakness to just another source of strength.

- immune to any magic that isn't at least star - busting level. At this point, no earthly magic can adversely affect him.

- immune to any psionic attack. This has always bugged me: if Supes can regularly fall under mind control or illusions, then Luthor (or worse, BatGod) is completely justified in wanting to preemptively shut Kal down just in case he goes rogue. Bring back his Pre-COIE superspeed mental ability to simply overwhelms the attacking telepath. No one on Earth should be able to mind - control Supes. Beyond Earth, maybe a different story.

- immune to most transmutations due to an increase in his bio- field + superspeed acting as a combined autoshield.

- increased existing abilities: strong enough to casually split planets, durable enough to bathe in the core of any star and fly through black holes unscathed, fast enough with both FTL travel and FTL reflexes, heat vision powerful enough to instantly melt almost anything, freeze breath powerful enough to instantly freeze almost anything, sensory powers expanded to the point of cosmic awareness

- able to develop his own tech to cover what he still can't do alone (teleportation/ dimension - hopping, etc).

That's where I go with him. The trade - off being you couldn't tell stories of anything Earthly actually threatening him, but the scope of his adventures would simply get much more cosmic in scale.

I like the way you think!

[Joker Venom]

For me, the idea of Supes evolving has to do more with the gradual elimination of all specific weaknesses and increases in his existing powers, more so than brand new powers.

For instance, at some point, Supes has guzzled more than enough yellow solar radiation to have grown:

- immune to all forms of kryptonite, natural or synthetic. Drop a concentrated K-bomb on him, Clark will no-sell its effects, Red K won't change him, and Gold K doesn't remove his powers at all, etc.

- immune to harmful electromagnetic radiation, as he is now able to absorb and convert any and all electromagnetic radiation (From x- rays to gamma rays to all visible light, etc) to add power to his cells, including red solar radiation, which goes from a weakness to just another source of strength.

- immune to any magic that isn't at least star - busting level. At this point, no earthly magic can adversely affect him.

- immune to any psionic attack. This has always bugged me: if Supes can regularly fall under mind control or illusions, then Luthor (or worse, BatGod) is completely justified in wanting to preemptively shut Kal down just in case he goes rogue. Bring back his Pre-COIE superspeed mental ability to simply overwhelms the attacking telepath. No one on Earth should be able to mind - control Supes. Beyond Earth, maybe a different story.

- immune to most transmutations due to an increase in his bio- field + superspeed acting as a combined autoshield.

- increased existing abilities: strong enough to casually split planets, durable enough to bathe in the core of any star and fly through black holes unscathed, fast enough with both FTL travel and FTL reflexes, heat vision powerful enough to instantly melt almost anything, freeze breath powerful enough to instantly freeze almost anything, sensory powers expanded to the point of cosmic awareness

- able to develop his own tech to cover what he still can't do alone (teleportation/ dimension - hopping, etc).

That's where I go with him. The trade - off being you couldn't tell stories of anything Earthly actually threatening him, but the scope of his adventures would simply get much more cosmic in scale.

Very well thought out. This also seems to me to be the more logical approach, rather than him getting new powers. I've always been resistant to that idea, because it's not something he really needs.

[stephens2177]

I know I can't see Superman using TK or magnetism as a power,I,like the others right above me,like the idea of growing past his weaknesses.he doesn't need to grow in power to god levels,but he should incrementally grow a lil more powerful over time,not enough to destroy planets with a sneeze,but enough to handle what he struggles with now.

He doesn't need to be a telepathy either,just stopping telepathic assualts by sheer will is enough imo.

He can already absorb into his cells any form of solar energy,which in time means he can absorb energy from anything or anywhere,like out in space with no sun,just the dark energy out there would be something he could snack on.

In a 100 years from now I would hope Superman would be the same as he is now,yeah different writers have different takes on him,and yeah he might change his clothes once in a while,but it will still be him,and his powers no matter how he overcomes things that he has trouble with now,will still look and feel like they are now

[Superlad93]

To this day I still maintain that All Star Superman did it the best with his EM field manipulation. It's simple, versatile, based in science (fictional or otherwise) , and conjures up vague feeling of mythology. As a bonus, it's also a nice salute to all the strange one off powers that didn't stick and wears them like a badge of honor and acknowledgment of the strangeness of Superman by paying homage to the era powers that stuck the longest, Superman Blue.

A big thing that's always bothered me about the suggesting of a new power for Superman is that the new powers tend to not be physical enough for the Action Ace. We tend to make him DC's version of Phoenix. An addition to Superman's powers should hearken back to myths where gods held up the sky with their bear hands, dragged the sun across the sky, or cried the sun and stars into being.

So when I see Superman literally pitch a self-made lighting bolt like a baseball, I feel like you're doing it right as a writer.



Just look at him. There's weight, drive, and follow through in his use of the power. Even the way his opponent gets hit is less like getting blasted by a beam and more like getting clocked in the face with a ball. You can't throw lightning, but you can probably throw a ball, yes? You've also probably given someone next to you a small shock from the static on your body, right? You follow me?

It meets both the physicality prerequisites and the mythic ones. If you look back at All Star Superman he never uses his EM powers like say Doctor Manhattan or Cap Atom. He doesn't just point and and something happens. And I'd never ever want him to. He's pitching lighting bolts like baseball, and shrouds people and objects in electricity like a safety net or chains so the people or objects can be towed. That's a new Superman power to me.

So Em manipulation gets my vote. Yo, Bendis, if you're reading this and want to give Superman a new power for your run, this would be it!

[Lightning Rider]

daBronzeBomma and Superlad93 expressed my wishes beautifully.

[Vakanai]

Maybe something simple. As silly as it seems, super ventriloquism would work, man has such powerful lung control and can move his lips faster than anyone can see, would be great for teasing or distracting villains.
On the sensory front, echolocation makes a world of sense.
Taken to an extreme, combining his X-Ray and microscopic vision could allow him to see the firing of neurons, allowing him to literally read minds without introducing any pyschic ability.

[Kuwagaton]

I know I can't see Superman using TK or magnetism as a power,I,like the others right above me,like the idea of growing past his weaknesses.he doesn't need to grow in power to god levels,but he should incrementally grow a lil more powerful over time,not enough to destroy planets with a sneeze,but enough to handle what he struggles with now.

He doesn't need to be a telepathy either,just stopping telepathic assualts by sheer will is enough imo.

There's a few things I like from what's been mentioned, like the idea of keeping a physical aspect and also the idea of getting more powerful with time. Like some Kryptonian shouldn't crash land on Earth and just do what he does. And I can't see the physical getting away again like with the electric (good idea not really executed) or flare (just a bad idea imo) so I wouldn't want TTK to do more than explain some of his impossible control where strength fails.

But being Superman and not just a strongman, I like the enlightened aspect of mental power. Zen Mode Superman. More Haki from One Piece than the force or uh... "the force but with speed." The difference with the former idea is that reaching new levels is more about getting better than having exclusive access. He even began teaching Lois.

Where he's used sheer force of will to do impossible things like steal a Green Lantern's ring, through understanding and experience those feats should become more reliable. That seems to have been where DeMatteis was taking his Torquasm abilities. Which all started out with the idea of bending reality, not too long before Where Is They Sting and Infinite Crisis, the reality punching stories. His theta state projected the reality of a tougher form.

[Lightning Rider]

Maybe something simple. As silly as it seems, super ventriloquism would work, man has such powerful lung control and can move his lips faster than anyone can see, would be great for teasing or distracting villains.
On the sensory front, echolocation makes a world of sense.
Taken to an extreme, combining his X-Ray and microscopic vision could allow him to see the firing of neurons, allowing him to literally read minds without introducing any pyschic ability.

Yeah, I was always a fan of this possibility.

[Jackalope89]

I won't lie; a lot of these sound pretty off putting to me. May as well make Superman a God with powers beyond that of the Imps and call it good. No need for an ongoing, as he would just automatically make everything picture perfect in one or two issues.

And yes; the "power of the week" stuff from the Silver Age Gary Stue Superman was off-putting to me as well.

[stephens2177]

Cool ways to use his powers or combine powers in unison would be great.i liked how lobdell gave him sonar vision.his powers can be used in endless ways,they need to explore that more

[stephens2177]

I won't lie; a lot of these sound pretty off putting to me. May as well make Superman a God with powers beyond that of the Imps and call it good. No need for an ongoing, as he would just automatically make everything picture perfect in one or two issues.

And yes; the "power of the week" stuff from the Silver Age Gary Stue Superman was off-putting to me as well.

Thats why you don't add new powers,you have him fight thru his weakness and find new ways to use the powers he already has,and if he does get more powerful than make it so incrementally that he still has power peers,and not just easily beats everyone