DC’sSupermanis among the strongest fictional characters ever created, but the Man of Steel can only unleash his full power under one very specific circumstance. Indeed, DC just confirmed thatthis vital limitation almost cost Superman his very first fightas a superhero.
The most surprising person to have suffered Superman’s full-strength punch is Batman…
Thanks to his Kryptonian biology, Superman can absorb yellow solar radiation, filling him with near-limitless power. This makes him stronger than the gods themselves, able to push literal planets out of orbit and defeat almost any villain,including galactic terrors like Darkseid.
However,Action Comics #1087just confirmed thatSuperman is unable to use his full power in 99.99% of cases. In ‘Birthday’ by Mark Waid, Skylar Patridge, Ivan Plascenia and Steve Wands, fans see Clark’s first adventure in costume and his realization that no matter what fans may assume, hedoeshave limits.
Superman Is Barred from Using His Full Strength Except in the Most Extreme Cases
Against His First Villain, Superman Couldn’t Throw a Single Punch
In the issue, Superman thinks back to his very first fight against a supervillain, back before anyone knew the name ‘Superman.’ Clark Kent and his family are in Metropolis to visit the ‘Expo of Tomorrow’ exhibit. While Clark is wowed by the science on display, Metropolis is quickly attacked by Raze - an alien invader out to conquer the city. Clark suits up for the first time and charges into battle, taking a few solid hits from Raze. However, as Superman prepares to end the fight with a punch, he comes to a dark realization -he doesn’t know how hard he can hit the villain without killing him.
Superman Can’t Use His Full Strength Without Killing His Enemies
Weakness Is an Advantage Against a Truly Moral Superhuman
Because of his vow never to kill his enemies,Superman is unable to throw a punchat Raze, since he has no way of knowing what the villain can withstand. While Superman’s experience and training make him more adept at reliably pulling his punches as an adult hero, the same principle applies. So long as he’s intent on sparing his villains,Superman is forced to pull his punches and keep his maximum strength in reserve.
This weakness means that even when villains like Raze are weaker than Superman, he can’t stop them in the easiest and most immediate way at his disposal, giving them longer to prepare counterattacks. Thankfully, Superman thinks fast and uses his speed to disorient Raze, whipping up a mini-whirlwind around him that allows him to restrain the villain without punching his head off. However, the fight still emphasizeshow much control Superman is forced to maintainat all times… ornearlyall times, giventherearesome villains he can fully unleash on.
Superman Punching the World Forger Remains His Most Iconic Blow
While Superman usually has to use only a fraction of his strength to avoid killing his enemies, therearetimes he’s been able to let loose. Darkseidand Doomsday have both felt the power of Superman’s unrestrained strength, but the most iconic instance so far happened inJustice League #25by Scott Snyder and Jorge Jiménez. In the issue, the Justice League are captured by the World Forger, one of the most powerful beings to ever exist. Superman is locked away, but Batman arranges a path to freedom, placing a string of suns in the Man of Steel’s path.
Flying through each of the sunsfills Superman with energy, making him as strong as he’s ever been, and he manages to land a punch on the World Forger that leaves a crater visible from space. Superman has been able to land similar blows on Darkseid, but only when fighting the ultra-villain in space -on Earth, the full power of Superman’s maximum strength punches would kill or injure nearby observers, showing how rarely he’s willing or able to cut loose.
The most surprising person to have suffered Superman’s full strength is Batman, inBatman #42, by Tom King and Mikel Janin. At the time,Superman was being mind-controlledby Poison Ivy, who lashed out at Batman in a moment of frustration. While Batman only suffered a glancing blow, it was enough to kill him outright, with Ivy using her control over plantlife to quickly resuscitate him.
As strong as he is, Superman is a true hero who cares as much about his enemies as he does about the innocents they put in danger. Clark Kent is committed to using only essential violence in bringing down those who threaten others, which means that his maximum-strength punch is off the table in all but the rarest of circumstances - usually when dark gods step out of line.Superman’s maximum strength reaches an unbelievable level that can have jaw-dropping consequences for anyone who experiences it, meaning that the Man of Steel has to hold back in a fight for fear of accidentally killing his enemies - something he’s been doing since his very first superhero fight.
