Superman’s strength and abilities under red sun radiation

[Robotman]

I really dislike when Superman is shown to instantly become as weak as a regular human under red sun radiation. Batman or Lex will deploy a devise that produces red sun radiation and suddenly Supes is completely powerless. So many writers seem to forget that Superman’s Kryptonian physiology would still give him some super strength and durability. Krypton was said to have much stronger gravity and a harsher atmosphere than earth, so Kryptonians have much more dense bones, skin, and muscles to compensate. Superman would still be a tank even without yellow sun radiation. Probably not Golden Age or “tee shirt and jeans” Superman levels since that version had still been absorbing yellow sun rads for 20 or so years, but way stronger than an average human. It’s the John Carter effect.

Have their been any recent issues where this was brought up? I recall an issue of Superman/Batman from a few years back where they had to go to Kandor. Batman needed a reinforced suit to compensate for the increased gravity.

[Jon Clark]

The red sun stuff started with Supergirl's introduction and the need to explain why her people living on a small asteroid sized piece of Krypton wouldn't have developed Superman's powers. Suddenly it became that the "John Carter" effect only became a thing under yellow suns. Superman would lose his muscle powers under Kryptonian gravity still- yellow sun or not. But now even under lighter gravity apparently he didn't gain any powers unless he was under a yellow star. Never made complete sense, but they needed some reason to explain why Argo City didn't have a population of Superpeople.

I'm sure after that it became a convenient way to depower Superman without the drawbacks of kryptonite. Superman just became a regular Joe under a red sun, not a dying writhing in pain useless character. Plus like magic it gave the writers a little variety in weakening him. I can see the appeal of having another tool in the creative belt.

But I agree with you that the Silver/Bronze use of red solar rays never made sense and the re-introduction Post-Crisis of weaponry that used it should never have happened. Having Clark unable to recharge somewhere with just red solar rays, fine. Hit him on Earth with a red laser- no.

[Minerboh]

If i got it correctly, the radiation from a red star doesn't alter Superman, it brings him to his original state because Krypton was orbiting Rao, a red giant. It's the yellow (or rather the white) star radiation that alters him.

[Kon93]

Well the sideways annual had the new 52 superman say this



So maybe "a" superman's powers work like this,not that dumb,red light equals nothing,solar flare equals nothing crap.

Oh and dont forget he shouldn't just be John Carter like,but also have vision abilities because of the conditions on krypton

[manofsteel1979]

I think that given his natural dense molecular structure and other physiological differences from humans,on Earth or a planet with similar gravity he should be at or just shy of his Action #1 (either version). I.E. mostly powers that originate from his muscles. Super strength ( about that of 20 men), faster than normal speed, super leaping and able to withstand anything less than a bursting shell from injuring him. The yellow sunlight and his ability for absorbing and metabolizing it in various ways only enhances those powers. A telekinetic aura surrounds his body which augments his strength to mountain toppling levels. It allows him to partially access the speed force to move supersonically. It makes his already impervious skin nearly completely invulnerable.It allows him to move his body with his mind giving him the ability to fly. It augments his already keen sight and hearing beyond what should be possible.

In other words, the yellow sunlight activates psionic capabilities that augment what is already there. It's the " secret sauce" that allows him to be beyond super.

Red Solar energy wouldn't immediately incapacitate him. His higher end abilities would dwindle as his solar stores dissipate. ultimately depending on the native gravity and atmosphere of what ever planetary body he would be on would determine whether he would still be Action Comics #1 levels, reduced to something closer to a normal human,or something else entirely.

Same would apply to Green K. It shouldn't make him a complete weakling and lose all his powers. It would just be akin to a normal human being exposed to low level plutonium.it would hurt like hell and eventually would die from the exposure to radiation.

At least that's how I see Supes powers working if I were writing him. 😀

[Adekis]

I've always liked the idea that under long enough red sun exposure, Superman would still revert to Golden Age power levels, rather than going "full Batman", depending on the planet's gravity. This has, to the best of my knowledge, never been done reliably, if at all.