Can't the beams effect Superman? I remember it harming him once..
I guess it all depends on what Darkseid exactly want to do to his adversary :P

The most recent animated version with Darkseid was wildly inconsistent.  Batman can dodge Darkseid's Omega Beams?  Superman can block them with his hand over Darkseid's eyes ??  What the what ?  I came across an old crossover with the Fantastic Four/Superman where Darkseid let his Omega Beams loose point blank on Galactus and he wasn't hurt at all.  Of course, that's Galactus and not an alien, Amazon, or former test pilot.

I think his Omega Beams are greatly under used, and usually not depicted as powerful as they can be, ignoring the whole Final Crisis revival...*rollseyes*  Superman's invulnerability affords him some resistance against Darkseid's Omega Beams, its been depicted as not such a mere feet though.  It's not like bullets bouncing off his chest.  I think Wonder Woman has deflected his Omega Beams at one point, either in the comic or cartoon.  Robin once avoided them in Total Justice, it's been awhile since I read that so I can't quite remember how.  My experience with Darkseid he usually comes off as over confident or overly obsessed (like in the superpowers cartoon with wonder woman).  Someone needs to write a really good JLA story with Darkseid when he comes back, the true Darkseid.  Show how powerful and evil he is, one that will redefine him and make a lasting impression in comic books for years.

I know he tried to use them on the Spectre. However, it didn't work just made the Spectre angry. Only those who protected by the Source will be protected, Wonder Woman was able to deflect them with her bracelets if I'm not mistaken.

I agree that the Omega Beams (and their source the Omega Effect) were portrayed in very incoherent way, but keep in mind that the original New Gods serie which introduced the idea was at first thought as a sort of fully contained universe, not a part of the bigger picture.
 
Given that the "Omega whatever" are horribly powerful, with them there is little he can't do. Accoring to some source the lists of effects includes:

• Disintegration
• Teleportation
• Time Travel
• Matter transmutation
• Control over multiple kinds of energy
  
• Also Darkseid has interiorized the energy of the Omega effect increasing his size and strength over those of the other New Gods in the process
  

• apparently he can't use them to permanently terminated another being or thing empowered by the Source (which allows Wonder Woman to deflect them with her bracelets)
• A prolonged use is taxing, something that his New God stamina usually counterbalance
• All of Darkseid powers requires him to keep constant control over himself, if he ever lose control or allows his will to fade all his abilities became useless

i thought that his Omega Beams were completely de- powered in Superman/Batman Apocalyps.

Deus-ex-omega beams.

He hit Kara with those beams and  well I thought she was vaporized

I always wondered. Why is Darkseid's name pronounced, "DARKSIDE" and not "DARKSEID". Would "Darkseid" mean "Darkside"? Anyway, I don't think Darkseid even controls his Omega beams. I think he doesn't really understand what power he wields. Because when he tried to kill Batman in Final Crisis #6, we found out later that he was transported to the caveman times in the end of final crisis #7. So maybe Darkseid controls the beams at times, however, other times the Omega beams choose who to kill and who not to kill

" There is no doubt that he will be back eventually. As for the Omega Beams, they have been portayed somewhat inconsistent. But definitely they are very powerful. "

I believe it actually depends on what form of matter is being shot.

You mean some guy in DC has a power that is written totally inconsistently from one place to another?  NO WAY!

There is no consistency when it comes to Darksied’s Omega Beams. So when it’s used, like many beam like powers, I just see how the writer and/or artist intends to use it. Between incineration, penetration, and vaporizing… let along life and death. We’ve seen how it works. Same goes for Superman’s Heat Vision and Cyclops’ Optic Blast. 

Good article

To kill Superman Darkseid  would probably have to blast him repeatedly for a long period of time to kill him or any other kryptonian. Wonder Woman well we all have see how those Omega beams stand up to her bracelets. Only individuals probably able of dodging the beams would probably be the Flash, A serious acting Superman, Batman (Justice League Unlimited) and maybe a few others.

" @Sha: This comic scene reminds me of the Superman/Batman: Apocalypse movie. "

In DC comics, if you're name's on the cover, you're unbeatable. That's how Hal Jordan was able to sucker punch Batman, after all.

Booster Gold would stop him if he were to try and mess with the time stream. He is the greatest time master of all...and all.

i was JUST having a convo about this yesterday! i was watching the new superman/batman Apocalypse movie and in the movie supergirl is hit MANY times with the beams and although it hurt her, she survived and was able to keep fighting, however in the comics it turned her to dust with one blast (even though it wasn't really her, she was teleported away at the last second) but it hinted that if it WAS to hit her, she'd die, so my question is why didnt she die in the movie? and since it COULD kill a kryptonian when it hits them, how is superman still alive?? this is truly confusing, and it seems that that the beams constantly change in both power and speed from story to story. another example is how Batman could dodge them in the JLU Series although they are supposed to be extremely fast, but couldn't dodge them at the end of final crisis...what the heck DC?? are they all powerful or not??

Was about to say in the Superman/Batman:Apocalypse movie, Kara dodges his beams and as they're seeking her, she flies behind Darkseid and they nail himself lol.  Nothing happens other then him getting hit. Her and Superman also just take it which tells me kryptonians are very, very durable to his OB's. So to me that makes sense, now if he hits a human or most other people it should fry them or disintegrate them IMO. 
 
Superman's heat vision at max power at least in the Silver Age was also said to destroy planets and ignite suns...so I'm curious as to what would happen if Superman charged his heat vision vs. Darkseid's OB's head on. 
 
Also, when Batman "died" didn't he actually get transported to another dimension after getting hit by Darkseid's OB's?