About that Supernova?

Just wondering, Superman tanked a Supernova or two. Does solar energy have anything to do with it? Was the only reason there wasn't a scratch on him was because the explosion literally amped him before he was knocked out by the sheer force?

@dratini1331@killemall@reaverlation

@beware_my_power: A supernova doesn't naturally occur with yellow suns or blue suns, so we really can't say. Part of the life cycle of a star prior to supernova is becoming a red giant, which obviously drains him of power. Since we have no idea what specific radiation grants superman his powers, and honestly don't know that much about supernovas, we really can't say for sure whether it would amp him.

It's equally likely it could no effect on him in anyway. Just because a star's general radiation gives him strength doesn't mean that explosion will. Upon collapse and explosion, supernovas can get crazy, often releasing whole slews of radiation. The best we can say it that it's neutral.

@dratini1331: so he really withstood that much force? then again, he WAS knocked out cold... :/

I don't know, but New 52 Superman very likely would die from it.

@beware_my_power: He also has an absurd healing factor. The first time he did it, he also didn't get away unscathed. He tanked the death of a Sun Eater, which blasted him backwards in time and nearly killed him. The brainiac one is fairly impressive, but it still KO'd him for like a few hours IIRC.

@dratini1331: did not know that, you should bring that up next time someone pulls out that feat :P

@aquaman01: yeah, most likely

@beware_my_power: I went to take a look back at the scan, he's actually not as beat up as I thought O.o I was incorrect :'( Must now go reflect on my life (by which I mean eat lunch and write an essay). Here's the end result of the other scan though:

@dratini1331: is that silver age?

@beware_my_power: It's directly post crisis late 80s early 90s. he has the mullet.

Nope, he said in Superman #20 - Wham! that Supernovas are no big deal.

What, really? Ugh, I read the issue but I forgot about that. You wouldn't happen to have a quote would you? Not doubting you, but does he explain why? I mean, Superman is in bad shape from a nuclear blast...Isn't a supernova like 10,000 atomic bombs?

Can't remember it word for word but he said it before entering Lois's apartment. Yes but he was completely drained after getting beat by a sun amped Zod. He couldn't even break down the led wall.

@dratini1331: : The MULLET!!!

@saint_wildcard: Do you have a scan? It'd just be nice to see.

@aquaman01: @thitiki:

@saint_wildcard: Wow thanks for going through and doing that. Nice scan got to love how casual he is about it.

My astronomy is rusty, but I believe blue suns do enter supernova. They can either enter supernova or turn into a neutron star(blackhole).

A yellow sun like ours turns into black dwarf AFTER becoming a red giant. The size and mass of a sun is what makes decided it's ultimate fate and I'm fairly certain blue suns (which are much larger than ours) can either become a SN or BH. Like I said though, I'm rusty on Astronomy.

@saint_wildcard: lol what is funny is that he mention nuclear reactors lol Yeah I am going to assume he was just too weak because of Zod.

Thanks for the scans!!!

@omnibeast: My understanding was that it only happened after they collapse/start to die. The supernova and dwarf star forms are both towards the end of their lives, after their phase of life where they devolve into red stars. Basically, my understanding is this:

It may be over simplified, but generally speaking Blue stars don't just explode, not to my knowledge at least. They only go off once they become unstable.

EDIT: Just to be clear, you're completely correct that our sun can't supernova, nor should any yellow star. The one superman took was also a yellow sun, so meh. It's still just not really anything we've seen.

@dratini1331: Well this chart doesn't lie. I felt like I was missing something in the life cycle. I figured blue stars just expanded to blue supergiants then went supernova. Well a little brush up on my astronomy is nice.

@omnibeast: Eh, you probably know more than me, so you could well be completely correct :D

@sc: @saren: Move to Gen Discussion, please.

@deathstrokergeist: oops, sorry :P

@beware_my_power: Its not your fault. It's an honest mistake.

I just asked to move it there so more people from the Gen Discussion see it as most of them are the "experts" on comics.

@deathstrokergeist: wow. Thanks man! Very thoughtful :)

@beware_my_power: No problem. Although, I don't think they've moved it yet. @sc: @saren: @god_spawn: Move to Gen Discussion please.