When it comes to superpowers in the DC Universe, no one has a better collection than Superman. The Man of Steel has some of the most iconic abilities in comic book history. In addition to flight and super-strength, he has abilities unique to him as a Kryptonian, such as heat vision and freeze breath.
But Clark Kent has had a lot of other powers over the years. In his long history, comic creators have tried giving Superman some incredibly bold choices for powers. Some that appeared only once, some that he has but hardly ever uses. Read on to discover ten of the strangest powers Superman has ever possessed.
10 Super Intelligence
Superman might not be a certified genius like Batman or Mister Terrific, but he’s quite skilled at book learning. In Action Comics #12, Lois Lane has been seriously injured and Clark has rushed her to a hospital. Unfortunately, the doctors are unable to do anything for her. Superman asks where the library is and proceeds to read every medical textbook ever published. Within moments, he successfully performs surgery on Lois and saves her life. Not only can Superman speed-read faster than anyone can comprehend, but he can also apply that knowledge in ways better than most experts.
9 Super Senses
Everyone knows that Superman has some of the best senses in the DCU. His telescopic vision can see galaxies away and his super-hearing can hear trouble all over the world. But those aren’t the only senses that are ultra-powerful. Action Comics #22 revealed that Clark’s nose is sensitive enough that he can detect extremely faint scents and classify them instantly. There’s little doubt that Clark’s sense of touch and taste are just as powerful as his other three, making Superman a much more powerful version of Marvel’s Daredevil.
8 Super Ventriloquism
With this superpower, the Man of Steel can make a dummy of anyone on the planet. Superman’s ability to throw his voice is one of the oldest tricks in his book, first appearing in Superman #13. But as Clark’s powers grew, so did his ability to project his voice. In DC Comics Presents #87, Superman’s younger self, Superboy, utilized super ventriloquism to communicate with Clark while the two worked together to stop a devastating tidal wave. Maybe it’s not the coolest-sounding power, but it’s hard to argue against its usefulness.
7 Telekinesis
Superman is unbelievably strong, but his mind is powerful enough to end fights. In Adventures of Superman #586, Clark was able to stop a swarm of enemies from attacking him by using his mind to generate a protective force field. He was even able to see past their physical forms and see them as collections of psychic energy. Granted, tactile TK has always been more of Superboy Conner Kent’s thing, but Superman can just as easily utilize the power of his mind when he needs to.
6 Hypnosis
Speaking of the power of the mind, the Big Blue Boy Scout has also demonstrated an ability to install post-hypnotic commands. In Action Comics #38, a sinister villain hypnotizes innocent civilians to do his evil bidding via radio. Superman catches onto him and the villain tries to bring the Man of Steel under his sway. Not only was Superman’s resolve too strong, but he was able to hypnotize the crook himself, making the rogue turn himself into the authorities. Unusual, but quite effective in the brief time it appeared.
5 Super Eating
Yes, everything about Superman is super, including his ability to consume food. Action Comics #454 sees the hero forced to eat several thousand burgers to replenish his energy when the sun stops working for him. He’s also consumed a vial of the world’s deadliest microbes in World’s Finest #54 and the ingredients to create a nuclear explosion in Superboy #115. Having a stomach of steel might not come in handy when fighting Lex Luthor or Darkseid, but it makes for a hell of a party trick.
4 Time Travel
The Flash might be more well-known as DC’s resident time-traveler, but Superman has a long history of casually journeying to other time periods. Back during the Silver Age, Clark Kent could freely travel to whatever point in time he desired with little-to-no consequence. Even his younger Superboy self was powerful enough to travel through time simply by running fast enough. Though this power was phased out in the modern era, it should be noted that Clark is one of the few people that can activate the Flash’s Cosmic Treadmill, keeping his ability to time travel technically in canon.
3 Magic Kisses
Superman brought out an unusual power in the movie Superman II when he erased Lois Lane’s mind with a kiss. But this power has actually appeared in the comic book canon as well. In Action Comics #306, Superman kisses Lois with so much passion she nearly forgets her own name. While Clark doesn’t go around handing out super smooches, it is a bit comical to imagine that the Man of Steel could easily daze some of his more powerful enemies with a liplock.
2 Clone Projection
The comic creators of the Silver Age loved adding powers to Superman’s cache of abilities. But one of the strangest powers he gained in this period of time came in Superman #125. After an incident with an alien spaceship, Superman loses most of his powers, but he receives the new and outlandish ability to create miniature Superman clones that come out of his hands. Clark actually finds himself annoyed by the attention the tiny Supermen receive, which is good because this offbeat skill only lasted for the one issue.
1 Shape-shifting Face
Superman loves humanity, and thanks to his oddest power, he can be any human he desires. Superman has complete mastery over his muscles, meaning he can actually reshape his face to look like anyone he desires. In Action Comics #55, he assumes the form of a mountain wrestler to help him win a fixed fight (don’t ask). Other stories in the Golden Age have seen the hero reshape his face into fearsome aliens or even take on the visage of his allies. It’s not a stretch to say Superman just might be the best master of disguise in the entire DCU.
The Man of Steel gets by just fine with his standard assortment of powers, but these ten examples show Superman has some truly odd powers waiting in the wings.
