Superman Invulnerability Question.

[kingsyn]

I was thinking if a character (good or bad) does not have the same strength as Superman, isn't it logical to assume that that character should not be able to get past Superman's invulnerability and therefore be able to damage him in prolonged combat? Maybe hit him around a little bit, but not actually damage him.
I kinda figured that strength and invulnerability should be intertwined somewhat.

Does anyone else agree with this?

[cosmoboy]

I dunno I guess if you think of invulnerability as absolute then yes it would be logical to assume that one without his strength would have a tough time of it. It has been shown though that this isn't the case, So let's say I get attacked by a baby. The little bastard is kicking and punching its wee little heart out but I laugh off every single blow. Now let;s say my 13 year old wants my car keys so he can go buy pot, I tell him no. He swings on me and connects. Not only do I feel it but enough shots I might go down. Anyway thats my long winded way of saying everything's relative.

[mgs]

strength, irl, has nothing to do with invulnerability or vulnerability. i.e., I'm pretty sure I can outbench my little 3 yo niece, but if she got in a good kick to my nuts, then I would feel it and go down.

[kingsyn]

strength, irl, has nothing to do with invulnerability or vulnerability. i.e., I'm pretty sure I can outbench my little 3 yo niece, but if she got in a good kick to my nuts, then I would feel it and go down.

I'm talking in terms of Superman's powers. I kinda thorght that each one of Clark's abilities (which are biologically based, not magical) were consistent with each other (as strong as each other and one is not more powerful than the other).

[mgs]

I'm talking in terms of Superman's powers. I kinda thorght that each one of Clark's abilities (which are biologically based, not magical) were consistent with each other (as strong as each other and one is not more powerful than the other).

so you mean if like someone deflected his heat vision back at him, it would not damage him?

[kingsyn]

so you mean if like someone deflected his heat vision back at him, it would not damage him?

Yeah. Thats what i was thinking.

[The Scarlet Sapien]

I've always thought that since his Super Strength and Invulnerability are listed as 2 seperate powers, it should actually take someone much stronger to hurt him. Its never presented that way though.

[kingsyn]

I've always thought that since his Super Strength and Invulnerability are listed as 2 seperate powers, it should actually take someone much stronger to hurt him. Its never presented that way though.

It sorts of does. I've never seen anyone who is weaker than superman (in terms of strength), damage him. Only people who are as strong or stronger, like doomsday.

[Mat001]

Here are the criteria for hurting Superman without Kryptonite or red sun weapons.

-They have to be at his power level or greater. Kryptonians, Mongul, Doomsday, Darkseid and Imperiex to name a few.

-They are supernatural or mystical in origin. Black Adam, the Four Horsemen of the Apokolips, Silver Banshee, Blaze and Satannus.

-They are armed with powerful weapons that can affect him. Intergang, for instance.

An opponet like the Toyman or the Prankster cannot hurt Superman. But they can hurt others. He will not suffer any damage to his invulernable body unless one of his weaknesses are exploited or he is not at full power. A Kryptonian's heat vision can hurt him because their powers are the same and at the same levels. At best he will be burned by it or at the very least, knocked away. Power Girl recently knocked the Superman of Earth-22 away with heat vision. The first Bizarro clone's suit was darkened after Superman fired a blast of heat vision at him. He was slightly singed. The heat vision, at a high level, can affect Superman. In fact, Clark uses a low level intensity blast to shave his face. He can burn the stubble or a full blown beard of with it. In "The Adventures Of Superboy" episode "The Road To Hell" part two, an elder version of Clark from an alternate Earth, used his heat vision to help with a blood transfusion to an injured Superboy.

[kingsyn]

Here are the criteria for hurting Superman without Kryptonite or red sun weapons.

-They have to be at his power level or greater. Kryptonians, Mongul, Doomsday, Darkseid and Imperiex to name a few.

-They are supernatural or mystical in origin. Black Adam, the Four Horsemen of the Apokolips, Silver Banshee, Blaze and Satannus.

-They are armed with powerful weapons that can affect him. Intergang, for instance.

An opponet like the Toyman or the Prankster cannot hurt Superman. But they can hurt others. He will not suffer any damage to his invulernable body unless one of his weaknesses are exploited or he is not at full power. A Kryptonian's heat vision can hurt him because their powers are the same and at the same levels. At best he will be burned by it or at the very least, knocked away. Power Girl recently knocked the Superman of Earth-22 away with heat vision. The first Bizarro clone's suit was darkened after Superman fired a blast of heat vision at him. He was slightly singed. The heat vision, at a high level, can affect Superman. In fact, Clark uses a low level intensity blast to shave his face. He can burn the stubble or a full blown beard of with it. In "The Adventures Of Superboy" episode "The Road To Hell" part two, an elder version of Clark from an alternate Earth, used his heat vision to help with a blood transfusion to an injured Superboy.

Yeah, i agree entirely. One thing i'd point out is that power girl did'nt actually damage Superman, she just knocked him back because he was unprepared. He still looked fine and was talking normally afterwards (no burn marks or anything). And i think (but i might be wrong) Superman might have more yellow sun radiation stored in his body than other Kryptonians, which should make him abit more powerful. But most writers always ignore that.
oh and do you mean characters who are capable of magical attacks (shazam lighting, etc) when you say "supernatural or mystical in origin"?
But that was an excellent post you made. Very nice, Thanks!!

[kingsyn]

Double-post. Deleted.

[cosmoboy]

Hey king, for a great example of the Shazam thing go grab Kingdom Come.

[mgs]

In fact, Clark uses a low level intensity blast to shave his face. He can burn the stubble or a full blown beard of with it.

Thanks. :) I wondered about that but i wasn't sure, so I didn't post it, but I either read or heard about how he shaves and stuff and I wasn't sure if it was him using his heat vision or someone suggested that he used some sort of kryptonite laced comb or something to cut his hair. I wasn't really sure which, or if both were true.

[Mat001]

Yeah, i agree entirely. One thing i'd point out is that power girl did'nt actually damage Superman, she just knocked him back because he was unprepared. He still looked fine and was talking normally afterwards (no burn marks or anything). And i think (but i might be wrong) Superman might have more yellow sun radiation stored in his body than other Kryptonians, which should make him abit more powerful. But most writers always ignore that.

The Earth-22 Superman has more solar energy stored up since he's older than New Earth. That's why the heat vision didn't damage him. But it did knock him for a loop.

oh and do you mean characters who are capable of magical attacks (shazam lighting, etc) when you say "supernatural or mystical in origin"?
But that was an excellent post you made. Very nice, Thanks!!

Yes. Captain Marvel and Black Adam can hurt him with punches and when they summon the lightning, but hold on to him, their lightning can hurt him.

Thanks. :) I wondered about that but i wasn't sure, so I didn't post it, but I either read or heard about how he shaves and stuff and I wasn't sure if it was him using his heat vision or someone suggested that he used some sort of kryptonite laced comb or something to cut his hair. I wasn't really sure which, or if both were true

When it comes to shaving what he does is get a piece of metal, usually a piece of metal from the ship that he came to Earth in and bends it a bit. Then he fires a low level blast of heat vision, which reflects back at his face. Regular metal can be used, but he has to replace it more often than Kryptonian metal. In regards to the hair on his head, that's a trickier situation. Pre-Crisis, his hair stopped growing at a certain age and he didn't have to worry about it.

Post-Crisis, it was never an issue until he came back from the dead. Artist Dan Jurgens decided to experiment a little when he was drawing Superman #81 and added the long hair. After running it by Mike Carlin, who ran it by the big bosses and the other artists, they added the long hair. When Clark lost his powers following "The Final Night" and they didn't come back right away, he got his hair cut the day of his wedding. Since then, his hair has been short. If he had to have his hair cut, he'd probably wear a red solar watch like the one he had Batman make for Chris Kent. Thus allowing his hair to be cut since his powers are shut down.