First this was just going to be a blurb about Superman and magic, then I remembered something about Kryptonite, and that kind of changed the post. Anyway, on with it.

In a recent comic, Superman was given protection against magic from the Phantom Stranger. It protects him from magical attacks and altering affects aimed at him. This (obviously) changes some things since he was previously as vulnerable to magic as everyone else. Now it seems like he's as vulnerable to magic as he is everything else, which is pretty much not at all. Another point on magic came from Superman Prime who is impervious to magic from dimensions not his own. Is this true for Superman as well? I think it is and I've made statements based on that information before, but I'm not sure. (If it is true, fights with people like Thor are affected.) Either way though, (for) now it seems like Supes is mostly magic-proof.

I really enjoyed Superman and Batman 44 (out this week) and it looks like the start of a good story. Basically (and this shouldn't spoil anything, but warning anyway) Superman feels there's way to much Kryptonite on the planet so he wants it all gone and has asked Batman to help him get rid of it.

How Supes reacts to Kryptonite changes with writers, but in this issue the reaction was severe and lasting (K poisoning that persisted for a few days). I like this better as it's something that actually hurts him and not something he can just walk through to show he can be badass. It seems Batman feels the same when he tells Superman that the possibility of death "makes us human" (I think it's more than that, but w/e) and that Kryptonite is what makes Superman close.

So, I don't know if they'll be successful in cleaning up the planet (Batman shows Supes just how much K there is on Earth and it's ridiculous) but say they are, what do you think that will do to/for Superman as a character and how you look at him? Factor in the magic protection as well, same question.
Post Edited:2007-12-25 00:09:35

I can already see the people who claim Superman is overpowered as is, saying "I told you so." To me, the protection from magic seems short time. I don't see this being a continual part of the Superman mythos. Same with the Kryptonite, they'll never get it all but I would like to see it as a rare commodity (almost impossible to obtain) with only a select few having access to it. Like Batman, Lex Luthor, and the United States Government.

I'm hoping they'll be more creative with the enemies he fights. Less Kryptonite should mean more proper fights. Given the heavy hitters in the DCU right now and upcoming events, Earth's most visible protecter shouldn't go down at the sight of a green rock. I'm sure it will come up again, but hopefully it will be used sparingly. We'll be seeing a new colour of K in #46.

Magic is a different issue. I think the powerful users in the DCU should still be able to get at him, but I don't think anyone with a spell book should be able to take on Superman. I'm unaware of the Phantom Stranger issue, though I do know Zatanna taught him how to recognise and resist certain magic.

what level of magic protection does he have? in all skills/abilities there is a limit which can be bettered by a more powerful entity... just as thing is incredibly strong but hulk is stronger... is supermans magic protection at the level to stop a high level attack from the likes of strange?

From what I've read, Zatanna taught him the basics. He can resist, to some extent, attempts to subvert his will. However a direct magical attack will hurt him. Anyone of Zatanna or Strange's level of ability should have no trouble, though as Buckshot mentioned, it maybe the case that magic from other dimensions can't hurt him (rendering Strange unable to do anything to him).

Remember, Superman has no innate magical ability and he has only a beginner level of knowledge. Someone of Strange's (or Zatanna, or the old Doctor Fate) level could probably (given time) work around an existing spell, even from someone as powerful as the Phantom Stranger while he's not there.

So Supes becomes magic proof in Batman/Superman 42?

Question: Did the dc company ever explain why Superman is weak against magic? Or did they just put that there?

zero edge says:

"So Supes becomes magic proof in Batman/Superman 42?"

No, they resolve to round up the Earth's kryptonite to prevent Superman from getting taken out by second stringers (and it's 44, 42 is the conclusion of another story about Darkseid).

Copy says:

"Question: Did the dc company ever explain why Superman is weak against magic? Or did they just put that there?"

He's no more vulnerable than anyone else. It's not that he's weak against it, like he is with kryptonite, it's just that his powers are ineffective against magic. Of course in Superman terms that does seem like a vulnerability.

Gambler says:

"I can already see the people who claim Superman is overpowered as is, saying "I told you so." To me, the protection from magic seems short time. I don't see this being a continual part of the Superman mythos. Same with the Kryptonite, they'll never get it all but I would like to see it as a rare commodity (almost impossible to obtain) with only a select few having access to it. Like Batman, Lex Luthor, and the United States Government."

I thought the same thing, if this "gets out" we'll never here the end of how overpowered he is. I don't know how long it will last or if other writers will keep it. I agree on the Kryptonite thing. It should still exist, but it shouldn't be so easy to find that every drug dealer on the street has some in their pocket. It should be near impossible to find and it shouldn't be public knowledge that it's Superman's weakness. When Lex (and he'll be one of the few who can still get it) pulls it out of his back pocket, everyone should be so shocked that they actually believe he could win.

Cosmic Sentinel says:

"I'm hoping they'll be more creative with the enemies he fights. Less Kryptonite should mean more proper fights. Given the heavy hitters in the DCU right now *and* upcoming events, Earth's most visible protecter shouldn't go down at the sight of a green rock. I'm sure it will come up again, but hopefully it will be used sparingly. We'll be seeing a new colour of K in #46.Magic is a different issue. I think the powerful users in the DCU should still be able to get at him, but I don't think anyone with a spell book should be able to take on Superman. I'm unaware of the Phantom Stranger issue, though I do know Zatanna taught him how to recognise and resist certain magic."

I agree entirely on the magic thing. The Phantom Stranger's magic protection was in the Superman Annual #13. Didn't know about Zatanna teaching him. That's cool.

Rotten gun says:

"what level of magic protection does he have? in all skills/abilities there is a limit which can be bettered by a more powerful entity... just as thing is incredibly strong but hulk is stronger... is supermans magic protection at the level to stop a high level attack from the likes of strange?"

Cosmic Sentinel answered you with regards to what Zatanna taught him, but the Phantom Stranger's protection hasn't been tested much. Magic spells were ineffective and one attack just dissipated instead of hitting him, but there wasn't more than that. Phantom Stranger is a powerful magic user though.

I think the Phantom Stranger's spell was just ment for his fight against Arion, though I don't know. Arion seemed to think he could break through if he was at full power though.

It's possible that it was only for that fight. If it wasn't though, what Arion said about being able to break it down would be like what you were saying. Even with his protection, powerful magic would still be a threat to him.

Buckshot says:

"I thought the same thing, if this "gets out" we'll never here the end of how overpowered he is. I don't know how long it will last or if other writers will keep it. I agree on the Kryptonite thing. It should still exist, but it shouldn't be so easy to find that every drug dealer on the street has some in their pocket. It should be near impossible to find and it shouldn't be public knowledge that it's Superman's weakness. When Lex (and he'll be one of the few who can still get it) pulls it out of his back pocket, everyone should be so shocked that they actually believe he could win. "

i always thought that the government(s), could be foreign governments too who have figured out his kryptonite weakness, and luthor would have found out how to track down all the kryptonite so they would have it to use against him. i could see them all working at making more and i could eventually see whole armies using krpytonite battle armor and weapons, maybe kryptonite force fields. if you can make a kryptonite laser, maybe you can make a kryptonite force field too. there should have been a small amount on the planet, but a large amount later because of people figuring out how to make it and use it to protect themselves from superman.

Buckshot says:

"I really enjoyed Superman and Batman 44 (out this week) and it looks like the start of a good story. Basically (and this shouldn't spoil anything, but warning anyway) Superman feels there's way to much Kryptonite on the planet so he wants it all gone and has asked Batman to help him get rid of it.

Thats a whole lotta Kyrptonite...

Superman #651

You think luthor would learn not to have to much kryptonite around him. I mean didn't he have kryptonite poisoning?

I always wonder, why a lot of Kryptonite is on Earth, why don't you see it on other planets? or if you do, sorry. There should be some on Mars, presumingly.

Copy says:

"You think luthor would learn not to have to much kryptonite around him. I mean didn't he have kryptonite poisoning?"

That was during the time he wore the kryptonite ring, it causes poisoning on skin contact and it takes a long period of time for that to happen.

"

Buckshot says:

"I really enjoyed Superman and Batman 44 (out this week) and it looks like the start of a good story. Basically (and this shouldn't spoil anything, but warning anyway) Superman feels there's way to much Kryptonite on the planet so he wants it all gone and has asked Batman to help him get rid of it.

Thats a whole lotta Kyrptonite...

Superman #651

"

"

First this was just going to be a blurb about Superman and magic, then I remembered something about Kryptonite, and that kind of changed the post. Anyway, on with it.

In a recent comic, Superman was given protection against magic from the Phantom Stranger. It protects him from magical attacks and altering affects aimed at him. This (obviously) changes some things since he was previously as vulnerable to magic as everyone else. Now it seems like he's as vulnerable to magic as he is everything else, which is pretty much not at all. Another point on magic came from Superman Prime who is impervious to magic from dimensions not his own. Is this true for Superman as well? I think it is and I've made statements based on that information before, but I'm not sure. (If it is true, fights with people like Thor are affected.) Either way though, (for) now it seems like Supes is mostly magic-proof.

I really enjoyed Superman and Batman 44 (out this week) and it looks like the start of a good story. Basically (and this shouldn't spoil anything, but warning anyway) Superman feels there's way to much Kryptonite on the planet so he wants it all gone and has asked Batman to help him get rid of it.

How Supes reacts to Kryptonite changes with writers, but in this issue the reaction was severe and lasting (K poisoning that persisted for a few days). I like this better as it's something that actually hurts him and not something he can just walk through to show he can be badass. It seems Batman feels the same when he tells Superman that the possibility of death "makes us human" (I think it's more than that, but w/e) and that Kryptonite is what makes Superman close.

So, I don't know if they'll be successful in cleaning up the planet (Batman shows Supes just how much K there is on Earth and it's ridiculous) but say they are, what do you think that will do to/for Superman as a character and how you look at him? Factor in the magic protection as well, same question.
Post Edited:2007-12-25 00:09:35

"

superman is highly resistant to magic but not on par with his invunrablity, hes also more resistant than ever as shown in current comics, its like there slowly taking away hes weaknesses and with red sun radaition taking ages to take his powers away?