# How does Superman fly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 10, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676 "2009-12-10T02:31:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/41 "2009-12-10T21:47:09Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > But what about Ultra-Boy and Mon-El and (depending on the era) Wildfire? All of them are easily in Superboy’s class and Mon-El is somewhat tougher. Mon-El was trapped in the Phantom Zone, and lead is commoner than Kryptonite. It’s like J’onn J’onz and his thing about fire - it is less of a _deus ex machina_ for a bad guy to whip out a match and freak the Martian Manhunter\* out than to just happen to have the fragments of an exploded planet in your hip pocket.\*\* Ultra-Boy could only use one super power at a time. Although that was sort of a cheat - he could lift stuff using super-strength and fly with his Legion ring at the same time. That ring must have had a heck of a lot of lifting power. Regards, Shodan \*This always sounded vaguely homoerotic to me. \*\*Why did all the pieces of Kryptonite wind up landing in the USA? Kal-el traveled for some undefined period of time in the spaceship that brought him to earth. Even Alpha Centauri is several light-years from earth - how come a planet, which presumably exploded in all directions, wound up with so much of its mass on one planet waaaay far away? Can you imagine hitting the earth with a rock from [Proxima Centauri?](http://www.universetoday.com/guide-to-space/stars/what-is-the-nearest-star-to-the-sun/) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/42 "2009-12-10T21:59:34Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > \*\*Why did all the pieces of Kryptonite wind up landing in the USA? Kal-el traveled for some undefined period of time in the spaceship that brought him to earth. Even Alpha Centauri is several light-years from earth - how come a planet, which presumably exploded in all directions, wound up with so much of its mass on one planet waaaay far away? Can you imagine hitting the earth with a rock from [Proxima Centauri?](http://www.universetoday.com/guide-to-space/stars/what-is-the-nearest-star-to-the-sun/) You may think you’re being clever, but this was the plot point in a story once. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/43 "2009-12-10T22:07:33Z")
What answer would suffice? Just remember that, if you’ve given this question a minute of thought, that’s about 55 seconds more thought than any of Superman’s writers gave it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/44 "2009-12-10T22:16:47Z")
> [@](#): > > Just remember that, if you’ve given this question a minute of thought, that’s about 55 seconds more thought than any of Superman’s writers gave it. That’s not really true, or fair. Churning out a monthly comic book that’s acceptable to kids, parents, and editors and isn’t too repetitive or derivative can’t be an easy task. Writers and artists are always looking for new and interesting twists and ideas. But you don’t want to box yourself in too much, or try to get too technical, so some things you leave vague. I’m a little surprised that they never did do things with exactly how the flying worked, or what the limitations on his powers were in any reasonable way – but saying that “he has super-hearing, and x-ray vision, and can’t see through lead” is probably better and easier to remember than setting definite restrictions. I DO remember fan letters from the 1960s pointing out how there were denser materials than lead, for instance, that Superman oughtn’t to be able to see through. It didn’t affect the stories. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/45 "2009-12-10T22:19:53Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > \*\*Why did all the pieces of Kryptonite wind up landing in the USA? Kal-el traveled for some undefined period of time in the spaceship that brought him to earth. Even Alpha Centauri is several light-years from earth - how come a planet, which presumably exploded in all directions, wound up with so much of its mass on one planet waaaay far away? Can you imagine hitting the earth with a rock from [Proxima Centauri?](http://www.universetoday.com/guide-to-space/stars/what-is-the-nearest-star-to-the-sun/) IIRC the Golden Age explanation was that the space drive in the baby rocket Jor-El built opened up a warp in space (today we’d likely call it a wormhole). The rocket made it through the wormhole, but so did a lot of chunks of exploding planet. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/46 "2009-12-10T22:22:28Z")
I always assumed that Superman could fly and do other fantastic things because he was not subject to the normal laws of the Universe. That pretty much opens the door to anything and everything. Ya got a problem wi’ dat? ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/47 "2009-12-10T22:23:39Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Maybe he shoots particles out of the bottom of his feet to propel himself. > > That would also explain the laser beams coming out of Zod, Non, and Ursula’s fingers in Superman II. > > But it also sounds kind of dumb. In my old copy of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, Firestar is listed as being able to fly essentially by shooting out microwaves behind her. I think at one point I made a rough calculation of how much power it would take to allow a 100 lb girl to take off using only photons as power. I don’t remember what I calculated, but I do remember that I wouldn’t want to be behind her. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/48 "2009-12-10T22:28:41Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Mon-El was trapped in the Phantom Zone, and lead is commoner than Kryptonite. It’s like J’onn J’onz and his thing about fire - it is less of a _deus ex machina_ for a bad guy to whip out a match and freak the Martian Manhunter\* out than to just happen to have the fragments of an exploded planet in your hip pocket.\*\* > > Ultra-Boy could only use one super power at a time. Although that was sort of a cheat - he could lift stuff using super-strength and fly with his Legion ring at the same time. That ring must have had a heck of a lot of lifting power. > > Regards, > Shodan > > \*This always sounded vaguely homoerotic to me. I wonder if Martian Manhunter ever goes to Fie Island. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/49 "2009-12-10T22:30:19Z")
Ah, The Official Handbooks! My personal favorite, in the entry for almost every shapechanger ‘It is unknown where he gets the additional mass. It may be from an extradimensional source’. Fer example, Ursa Major changes from about 175 pound human to a bear that weighs something like half a ton. The OFHOTMarvel Universe generally attempted to make things scientifically plausible and ended up being less convincing than ‘A wizard did it’ My question How does Iron Man fly without breaking his legs? I’ll accept that the power source in the suit obviates the need for jet fuel. But, how does he have all that thrust pushing on his feet and not have his knees crushed? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/50 "2009-12-10T22:32:18Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > I wonder if Martian Manhunter ever goes to Fie Island. I do have the story arc (Valley Of The Dahls) where Jo’nnz becomes Joan. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/51 "2009-12-10T22:37:34Z")
> [@](#): > > My personal favorite, in the entry for almost every shapechanger ‘It is unknown where he gets the additional mass. It may be from an extradimensional source’. They officially get the extra mass from Hammerspace??? Me – I’m always amazed that shape-shifters can always replicate the shape they want so perfectly – without even being able to see the result. I think the worst fate would be to be a perfectly capable shapeshifter, only with absolutely no artistic talent. You’d try to make yourself look like the person you’re following, but you actually end up looking like a five year old’s clay model of a human being, with the proportions all wrong and no symmetry. Your mere appearance in any guide but your own would terrify people. You’d end up spending a lot of time as puddles of water and discolored splotches and random walls, because those require any artistic skill. Or you’d assume a shape that lets you hide inside of suits of armor and things, because that doesn’t require you to look any good. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/52 "2009-12-10T22:44:08Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Me – I’m always amazed that shape-shifters can always replicate the shape they want so perfectly – without even being able to see the result. I think the worst fate would be to be a perfectly capable shapeshifter, only with absolutely no artistic talent. You’d try to make yourself look like the person you’re following, but you actually end up looking like a five year old’s clay model of a human being, with the proportions all wrong and no symmetry. This would have been a perfect power for an extra member of the Inferior Five (the Substandard Six?) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/53 "2009-12-10T22:45:05Z")
I DO know of one character who has that problem. I can’t recall his real name, but he goes by “Shape”. Shape is a mentally retarded supervillain who has some stretching and shapechanging abilities. It does seem that he could do much more with his powers if he had a normal intellect. As it is, he has trouble holding a standard human shape and does indeed look like a sculpture done by a five-year old. ETA Shape appeared in the classic Squadron Supreme 12 issue series. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/54 "2009-12-10T22:46:25Z")
I’m always more amazed that shapeshifters can turn their bodies into several layers of clothing! ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/55 "2009-12-10T22:51:10Z")
Originally Posted by Intergalactic Gladiator I wonder if Martian Manhunter ever goes to Fie Island. > [@DocCathode](#): > > I do have the story arc (Valley Of The Dahls) where Jo’nnz becomes Joan. Gah, I meant Fire Island. Stupid fatfingeritis. And I read about that story at [Dave’s Long Box](http://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2006/02/justice-league-task-force-8-dc-comics.html). I never read the story myself and I can’t decide how intrigued I am by it. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/56 "2009-12-10T22:52:08Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Ah, The Official Handbooks! My personal favorite, in the entry for almost every shapechanger ‘It is unknown where he gets the additional mass. It may be from an extradimensional source’. Fer example, Ursa Major changes from about 175 pound human to a bear that weighs something like half a ton. The OFHOTMarvel Universe generally attempted to make things scientifically plausible and ended up being less convincing than ‘A wizard did it’ > My question How does Iron Man fly without breaking his legs? I’ll accept that the power source in the suit obviates the need for jet fuel. But, how does he have all that thrust pushing on his feet and not have his knees crushed? The suit is some sort of intelligent, selectively-hardening armor…I imagine it becomes stiffer through the legs, locking the knees in place. Although most artists probably don’t draw it that way. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/57 "2009-12-10T22:53:32Z")
A highpoint is when the team is informed that they must retrieve the extremely dangerous bio-weapon “The MacGuffin Virus”. I kid you not. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/58 "2009-12-10T22:58:52Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > I think it started with him just being able to jump great distances. _Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!_ > > The writers just **kept pulling super powers out of their ass** until Superman defied any internal logic that might have existed in the earlier stories. > > Our whacky yellow sun is the most likely culprit. I would love to be able to that! ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/59 "2009-12-10T23:03:03Z")
For a rational examination of powers, read MiracleMan (MarvelMan in the UK). Once the title character realizes he has super powers, he and his wife go about testing them and seeing just what powers he has. ‘You must be telekinetic. MiracleMan is muscular but you’d need a body like a mountain to lift that’ and ‘Do you have super breath?’ ‘Super breath?’ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676/60 "2009-12-11T00:08:53Z")
> [@](#): > > For a rational examination of powers, read MiracleMan (MarvelMan in the UK). Once the title character realizes he has super powers, he and his wife go about testing them and seeing just what powers he has. Most people have dreams where they can fly. I’ve had dreams where, while dreaming, I design experiments to test _how_ I’m flying. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-superman-fly/520676.md?page=4)