This thread was inspired by a discussion between @lvenger and @sanohibiki in this thread, which i encourage all of you to skim through before posting here so you can get the reason why I'm making this thread, about what may happen with the upcoming, Superman: Doomed, event. So my question is: if superman were to develop new powers to be used in continuity what would you be open to?

It may get whining because other people are known for these powers, but I'd prefer them to be building on the base of his current powers. Anything that The Plutonian (Irredeemable) does would be good. Maybe some TK or "density shifting" (though people would whine because Superboy & MM are known for those, respectively). Anything H'el has done (but to a lesser power-level) would be cool too (since his powers are already Supes' psionic-abilities on steroids).

Just need to build on what he has,and don't need to add more really.

Snyder gave him gamma vision

Lobdell gave him sonar vision and a heat vision/super breath updraft ability

I would add a ability Supreme had,his body would naturally learn how to counteract anything that attacked him,a kinda SUPER healing factor.this would help with telepaths,kryptonite,magic,sonics etc.

I wouldn't give him shapeshifting or TK they are to far removed from his natural perfection powerset IMO.

Sorta like...Doomsday? :D

Well I think they gave new 52 superman doomsdays adapt/evolve ability already,just look at that way he has always gotten better power wise,and always found a way to comeback and beat things.

Density shifting seems the most harmless, he can do it in Smallville and it hasn't really made him too overpowered or made me complain about it.

@stephens2177: I might say that's more of the classic Superman (/Goku/Naruto/other main-hero from action based stories) "willing himself to victory" type things. He just HAS to save the day so he can dig deep & pull out all the power/ability he has to solve the problem (/beat the opponent) at hand.

@clarkkent12: what are you talking about?

@lightsout: true,but they kinda gave it a in universe/story function now.

I prefer way used by Kingdom Come Superman and Wraith. With years, living under yellow sun, Kryptonians became stronger, more durable and fast and – maybe – in future even immune to Kryptonite. Along the way Clark also learns how to use existing abilities with better efficiency and in new ways.

Added in New-52 abilities, such like Morrison-Snyder’s gamma vision, Lobdell’s sonar vision, are based on already existing and fit into existing Superman’s concept rather nicely.

Now, I would add tactile telekinesis (with possibility after several decades to evolve it into full telekinesis). It would help explain how Superman manages to lift massive objects without them crumbling under their own weight. DC already tried this explanation in 90’s and even made Kryptonians to display such ability on several occasions.

Also I would like to see phasing ability. Not Martian’s density control, but “I’m-moving-so-fast-I-can-phase-through-solid-objects”. Kinda like Flash and possible, but not so easily done by Kryptonians. Again, there were a couple of instances when Pre-52 Superman used it, so it not exactly “new” ability.

He should just lose freeze breath. Stupid power, makes no sense.

@stephens2177: I think lobdel also gave him the ability to heat his body up as muc has he wants in RHATO.

I think he should get TK on touche. And what I mean by that is, when he touches things, he is using TK on them. That way he can carry continents, yet still not be strong enough to punch through a country. And that would be a good explanation to why he can fly, and why superboy has TK if he is a clone of superman.

And he should have every kind of vision posible, heat vision, anything batman has in the arkham games, etc.

EDIT: It would also be great if he got supergirl ( solar burst? It has no name yet ) where she just releases a high dose of sun energy around her, blasting any enemy close to her, kind of like a bomb. She only used it 2-3 times in the new 52, and superman used it 0 times.

rebuild walls vision

Would really love it if they gave him Tactical TK

But I think being able to move so fast he can vibrate through things ( that is to be able to do it again ) is a bit too much, he is already the most durable hero. Let's leave that thing to flash.

Basically this and this

Those two posts sum up the kind of powers and ability development I'd like to see in Superman. Just build on what powers are already there. Don't give him unnecessary new ones when Superman is already one of the most powerful beings on the planet in any of his comic book versions.

Exactly. He's a hybrid (pre52, here) and it would make sense for hybridization to cause an "evolution" of Supes' powers (ie: his tactile-kinesis "growing" (/becoming more mastered) into a tacticle-telekinesis, and as flash-fowards of Superboy revealed - straight up telekinesis).

Why hasn't he received Supergirls 'sun burst' yet? If she has it, it only makes sense that he can do it too. Its like a 360 degree heat vision explosion. Also, it would be cool if he could super heat himself to increase his powers. Like, he concentrates his stored solar radiation and gets a power boost for a limited time...

Also, please take away the red sun radiation weakness. It's beyond stupid.

Pretty sure he has enough powers as it is.

If you have to give him more powers just build around the ones he already has.

I also thought his superbreath was stupid. I tried to think of it like his breath doesn't so much freeze things as made them colder through a powerful gust of wind. A super version of blowing on your soup to cool it down enough to eat. Though it it didn't always work for me to ignore my dislike for the power. Without giving it much thought shouldn't his breath actually be hotter going through his lungs with all that stored solar energy. It's how I always explained the heat vision by forcing out the excess energy.

@dernman: The thing about freeze breath is that he would need some type of mechanism or organ that actually makes his breath cold. The reason that your soup gets cooler when you blow on it is because you are continuously replacing the warm air around the soup with new "lung temperature" air, which whips the warm air away. It's a form of diffusion, but for heat. Without an air cooling system in his airway, Supes could only make things as cold as the air in his airway (or just around it) is. Not that that's the most ridiculous thing in comics, just seems dumb to me.

@stephens2177:

Him being able to shift his density to make himself heavier/lighter, he can do it in Smallville Season 11 and it isn't any big deal... At least I don't really mind it

@clarkkent12: what issue was that?

You guys are out of control. Superman needs a depowerement. He's cannibalizing other characters who next to him look like a bunch of losers.

@archizoom: lol,do you keep up with the comics he is in? Wonder Woman just plunked two kryptonians at the same time that superman was getting beat down by,Lobdell had him getting trashed by every telepath he could throw in the book,Pak has him being knifed by a guy who phases,Wraith is supermans better,in the injustice book captain atom and Alfred beat the hell out of him,he still has tons of problems with magic.

Sure he still considered the most powerful,and supposed to be the most respected (and feared),but he has always been set up to be that.

@stephens2177 said:

There's no shame in losing to a telepath, he's as vulnerable to psionics as the rest of humanity. He also trashed Hal in Justice League, he's the mighty boss in Injustice and in the 5 numbers, he received 9 compliments from Wonder Woman and gave her none - "you're a god", "you're so strong", "I wouldn't tangle with Superman if i were you", "you're a better flyer than I am", "without superman...", "only Superman can do this..only Superman can do that". In DC universe vs Master of the Universe , Superman is the "world's greatest defender", Orko knew that if they faked Superman's death, his fellow dumb ass Justice Leaguers would go berserk like a pack of rabid dogs, bar the Batman ofc. Superman is all anyone who plans to conquer the earth needs to worry about. He even bench pressed weight equivalent to planet earth for 5 days, without bathing in sunlight! Superman sure as hell needs more Powers, the more the merrier

@stephens2177: I know he talked about it in the Guardian arc, just can't pinpoint the issue/panel, but when he squares off against Batman in Smallville Season 11 #6 AKA Detective Part 2; he grabs Batman by the collar and Bats can't remove his hand. Bats then says to him "I suppose you have some variable-density control or selective gravity negation as a part of your power set", to which Supes replies "That's what my doctor tells me".

I still love Smallville, hasn't affected my opinion of it at all.

@archizoom: That's the spirit! ;)

Wonder Woman plunked two kryptonians is just PIS

No one should be count it,when you know how powerful is New 52 superman

@buttersdaman000:

Why hasn't he received Supergirls 'sun burst' yet? If she has it, it only makes sense that he can do it too. Its like a 360 degree heat vision explosion.

The way I see it, it’s not offensive ability. Losing pretty big amount of solar energy should weaken Kryptonians considerably and overall looks counterproductive to their powerset. It seems to me like some defensive mechanism of Kryptonian physiology, for not getting sun energy overload – which remove possibility of New-52 Superman to go All-Star.

@archizoom:

he received 9 compliments from Wonder Woman

Did you count them? Really?

He should gain the ability to use Kamehameha waves.

Also to go Super(man) Saiyan.

I counted them because I noticed in every comic book I read with Superman in it, people rained compliments on him and it's seriously gotten to the point where he's just shaming everybody else. This phenomenon is called market cannibalization where one product sinks another from the same company.

@archizoom: that is not what he is doing,what he is doing is just being superior,plain and simple.womder woman in the last SM/WW issue got some batman level PIS when she was fighting off two kryptonians and not getting killed by them.

That actually just part of Superman’s lore. He is arguably most known and noticeable hero on Earth and often used as measure stick for other heroes. There nothing new or wrong with it. And while reading his comics, I somehow find plenty of negativity directed to him. That balances all nicely.

Why is that PIS? She is on par with Kryptonians in strength, durability and reflexes + she knows physical capabilities of her opponents while they don’t know anything about her + extensive combat training + Kryptonian’s vulnerability to magic = Di is winner here IMO.

@sanohibiki: I am vindicated because @stephens2177 unwittingly proved my point. Superman has eclipsed Wonder Woman so much that the public's perception of her is frankly miserable. He's a big ugly vortex that sucks all the glory and all the praise towards him, everything around Superman tends to disappear.

@archizoom:

I usually try to give credit where it's due and not idealize any characters, even my all-time favorite… Here, I guess we agree to disagree.

He's a big ugly vortex that sucks all the glory and all the praise towards him, everything around him tends to disappear.

Fun fact - that’s how I see Batman since Timm’s JL cartoon.

Superman is much greater than wonder woman in New 52

That why we are call S/W 5 is PIS

@powerwoman:

Supes was holding back, he didn't want to fight Faora, he even said "I will not fight you", to which she replied "then you will die"... They are his countrymen, he was holding back intentionally, WW has no such relationship with them so wasn't holding back.

@clarkkent12: Was he holding back when Zod almost broke his neck. Soule clearly stressed Superman's lack of battle skills so the most logical assumption would be that he lost this fight because his foes were experienced soldiers whereas he's just a brawler. WW held back since she wore her bracelets.

@archizoom: He held back enough which ended up getting him into a bad predicament, although I agree he would've lost the fight 2 on 1 with his current combat skills, he could've fared much better if he tried to give it his all... WW only held back when she saw Supes was in danger, then she threatened Zod.

I don't think WW would've beat both Zod and Faora 2 on 1 either, she just held her own for a bit.

@clarkkent12: No I mean she held back because her bracers restrain her power and Wonder Woman is not a savage contrarily to popular belief, she also holds back. I know she didn't beat Zod and Faora per se but this brief confrontation with them was the closest thing to a feat she accomplished since the reboot so we're pretty hungry. Now to be consistent with issue 5, in next month's Wonder Woman should square off with Zod and leave Faora to Superman which I know would have the lot of you cry blasphemy! because we can't have Superman in the supporting role can we

From my understand s/w 5 just appease some ww fans,the writer isnt really care about how powerful is superman,in the s/w,superman need struggle lift a ship,but we know superman can bench earth weight five days,so,even other kryptonians a bit weaker than superman,they are strength still in the "bench earth weight"extent

Then,wonder woman would be get totally destroyed be based on each other feats,but

@archizoom: man you are desperately trying to prove that Wonder Woman is superior to superman,and at the same time say superman doesnt deserve being the most powerful hero on earth.

Wonder Woman has had no feats in the new 52 to prove she is on a kryptonians level in any power at all,this was Soule throwing you Wonder fans a bone,and setting superman up for the story beats.

@stephens2177: http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?486475-Superman-feats-VERSUS-WW-feats

Here,you can see,suuperman always much superior to wonder woman,in fact,wonder woman like a joke for superman in history,but writer need appease fans,even in the silver age JLA,superman cant hold 5 ton (or 1 ton),the DC's writer want to make superman "weaker"balance of other people

WW has only fought Kryptonians from her amazing skill. When superman rushed her into space it took skill to take him down not brute strength. He has also swated her away. He beating 2 kryptonians is PIS

@bronze_surfer: Hi,bro,I dont think so,skill can work only happen in the normal ,when superman can blow out stars,throw planets,no matter wonder woman skills how wonderful,that no match

New 52 superman bench earth weight five days,sorry,that sounds SA superman back,not wonder woman

@powerwoman: No sister you're dearly confused. Lifting the earth was the PIS.

@powerwoman: I'm talking pre 52 where superman moved a planet a record one time alone. He was pretty inconsistant as was wondy. She has good strength and helped both supes and MM move earth. She has some good reaction feats especialy. Besides superman was hurt by batman with a kryptonite ring

Thats great and all and SA is stupid so I don't know why you mention tem when I speak of pre 52. SA especialy is boring and not worth my time for the most part

@bronze_surfer: Because Power Woman took it upon herself to adjudicate this case. She personally established that Superman can move planets because he's been shown doing so 4 or 5 times. Those feats are legit for no better reason than because she says so. Consequently, when Superman struggles to lift an aircraft carrier, she considers them plot induced stupidity.

@archizoom: Ok? why are you telling me this?

@bronze_surfer: because why not, you're not the ultimate recipient of that message if you know what I mean

@bronze_surfer: Well,I just show you superman always much MORE POWERFUL than wonder woman in history,no matter it's Pre-crisis,Post-crisis,or New 52

@archizoom: It's not PIS,superman always push planets in his history,wonder woman never do even once