# Basic Superman Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2006, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069 "2006-02-18T09:48:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/41 "2006-02-21T15:03:38Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > ThanThis is one reason Batman doesn’t trust her. (The other reason of course, is he is one paranoid SOB.) Well, if he weren’t paranoid, he wouldn’t be prepared… ---
**Author:** ![mazinger\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/42 "2006-02-21T19:09:33Z")
Thank God for Wiki… So what happened to Linda Danvers? Does she still have powers? Are her and Matrix still one being? I stopped reading Supergirl right around all this God foolishness (I’ll say issue 24). When I read the synopsis in Wiki, I was both intrigued and annoyed at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/43 "2006-02-21T19:31:04Z")
It was actually a good story. Peter David tends to do that to characters. He does things noone else ever thought of, and makes a good story out of it. Linda is gone completely, for right now at least. She is supposed to still have the Supergirl powers though. And I wonder why there is no mention of her in the Supergirl book. OTOH, there is supposed to be a Supergirl showing up in Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes after Infinite Crisis. :dubious: Lok ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/44 "2006-02-21T19:33:35Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > It was actually a good story. Peter David tends to do that to characters. He does things noone else ever thought of, and makes a good story out of it. Linda is gone completely, for right now at least. She is supposed to still have the Supergirl powers though. And I wonder why there is no mention of her in the Supergirl book. OTOH, there is supposed to be a Supergirl showing up in Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes after Infinite Crisis. :dubious: > > Lok Same Supergirl, I think. Almost certainly Kara. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/45 "2006-02-21T19:39:34Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > In nearly 70 years, it must’ve happened once. There almost certainly has to be some goofy Silver Age story where he’s in drag. It was a staple plot, at the time, for the villains to force heroes into doing humiliating or out of character things. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/46 "2006-02-21T19:44:50Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > There almost certainly has to be some goofy Silver Age story where he’s in drag. It was a staple plot, at the time, for the villains to force heroes into doing humiliating or out of character things. No wonder the heroes became such dicks. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/47 "2006-02-21T19:50:11Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > Same Supergirl, I think. Almost certainly Kara. That’s what I heard, too. 99% sure it’s Kara. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/48 "2006-02-22T03:45:42Z")
Another Superman question: What is his heat vision, exactly? Is it a laser? ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/49 "2006-02-22T04:20:12Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > Same Supergirl, I think. Almost certainly Kara. Probably Kara, but they have not actually said it, and they have been kind of cagey about how Supergirl will be showing up. And it would be a nice way to keep Linda Danvers going. **Rhomus** , it is much more powerful than a laser. At least when Superman really lets loose with it. But it is basically beams of heat that come out of his eyes. That is the only explanation I have really seen. Lok ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/50 "2006-02-22T05:19:44Z")
> [@Lok](#): > > **Rhomus** , it is much more powerful than a laser. At least when Superman really lets loose with it. But it is basically beams of heat that come out of his eyes. That is the only explanation I have really seen. I remember one story where Steve whatsisname, the office jerk at the Daily Planet, brought Lois an orchid in a gift box. Clark, in a whimsical moment, used a combination of X-ray vision and heat vision to burn the flower to a crisp while leaving the outer box/wrap unaffected. Now THAT would be a cool power to have! Imagine a hostage situation where you could shoot a beam harmlessly through the hostage and flash-fry the criminal. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/51 "2006-02-22T17:08:49Z")
Pre-Crisis, or at least for most of the Silver Age, his heat vision was explained as a side-effect of his x-ray vision. Which was assumed to be real x-rays. Once the writers realised a significant portion of the readers knew and had become unwilling to ignore that X-Rays Don’t Work That Way, AFAIK, they just began handwaving away the actual mechanism of his vision powers. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/52 "2006-02-22T18:41:04Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Pre-Crisis, or at least for most of the Silver Age, his heat vision was explained as a side-effect of his x-ray vision. Which was assumed to be real x-rays. > > Once the writers realised a significant portion of the readers knew and had become unwilling to ignore that X-Rays Don’t Work That Way, AFAIK, they just began handwaving away the actual mechanism of his vision powers. Not Superman, but didn’t they explain away most superpowers in that series of novels about Aces/Jokers as being telekinesis manifested one way or another? ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/53 "2006-02-22T19:34:54Z")
Yeah, in Wild Cards most of the powers were supposed to be based on some form of mental powers. And John Byrne went in that direction with most of Superman’t powers when he did the reboot after Crisis. Heat vision = pyrokinesis, superstrength = telekinesis, other things like that. It was never stated that way outright, but he showed how he thought on his Fantastic Four run when Gladiator (of the Imperial Guard (Marvel analogue to Superboy in Legion of Super-Heroes)) showed up and attacked the FF. Reed and Sue took him out by confusing his mind, therefore his powers stopped working right. Lok ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/54 "2006-02-22T19:53:05Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > "Superman did not become Superman, Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he’s Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red “S”, that’s the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears, the glasses, the business suit, that’s the costume. That’s the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent? He’s weak, he’s unsure of himself… he’s a coward. Clark Kent is Superman’s critique on the whole human race. " > > -Bill, Kill Bill Vol 2 You realize he’s paraphrasing what Jules Ffiefer wrote in the 1965 right? in [this book.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560975016/qid=1140637941/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-5169847-5082205?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/55 "2006-02-22T19:58:08Z")
True, and Bill’s view of Superman is a very Silver Age view. Which makes sense, since a guy his age with his particular personal and professional responsibilities probably doesn’t have the time or patience to keep up with current Superman continuity. Plus, he seems like the type of guy who would resist those changes anyway. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/56 "2006-02-22T20:09:45Z")
To be fair, this is also the view that the new Animated JLU takes on Supes as well. I managed to see the season finale the other day (had already aired in the UK), and in his big dust up with the villain, Superman has an awesome monologue wherein he describes what it’s like to constantly be holding back- how he lives in a world of cardboard, and that it’s actually nice to be able to cut loose once in a while. As for the comic…well, I’ve tried to get into DC, but aside from Elseworlds one-shots, and some of the mini-series (Identity Crisis comes to mind) the rest is too much of a quagmire to delve into. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/57 "2006-02-22T20:10:08Z")
Curse you **DrFidelius**! For beating me to the reference. My own damn fault for posting before reading the whole thread. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/58 "2006-02-22T20:11:56Z")
> [@Stonebow](#): > > … Superman has an awesome monologue wherein he describes what it’s like to constantly be holding back- how he lives in a world of cardboard… I believe Alan Moore’s _MiracleMan_ made the almost the same comment. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/59 "2006-02-22T20:45:15Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > We’re back to baby blankets, by the way. As per _Birthright_, they were tailored by Ma Kent and cut by heat vision. Which begs the question: doesn’t that mean that ordinary string is holding the suit together? ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069/60 "2006-02-22T22:02:21Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > Which begs the question: doesn’t that mean that ordinary string is holding the suit together? Nope, the thread used to stich it together was also part of the blanket, unwoven and cut with heat vision. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-superman-questions/345069.md?page=4)