# How many ways are there for superheroes to fly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2005, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573 "2005-11-04T23:28:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/41 "2005-11-05T22:06:26Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Now _that’s_ a little difficult to categorize, but definitely counts as a unique method. IMO, manipulating kinetic energy is just glorified telekinesis. Transportation as energy is not teleportation, as teleportation is the instantaneous transmission of oneself to another point. Being able to move at the speed of energy is fast, but not instantaneous. I wouldn’t even consider moving in such a way to be flying so much as riding a path of least resistance. If anything, since as a superpower its users are able to manipulate where they go rather than follow the path of least resistance like most energy, I’d say that this too was just another form of telekinesis. Regarding phasing, as I’ve always understood it, the phasers are able to manipulate their atoms to slide around other atoms. They can pass through solid materials, but not energy. They still have mass and density, it is just so slight as to be able to navigate around the atoms of solid objects like walls or bullets. As far as being sucked by gravity to the center of the Earth, or actually flying, the two theories I know of are that 1. they do not phase the soles of their feet and 2. they can manipulate how their atoms interact with the environment and effectively “walk” on other atoms. In this case too, I don’t think it’s flying. It’s more like sliding on air… no real defying of gravity in the true sense of what defines flying. Just my opinions based more on experiences playing superhero RPG’s than actually reading comics. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/42 "2005-11-05T22:27:20Z")
> [@Wolfian](#): > > **ultrafilter** , don’t know about the comic book Terras, but animated Terra could fly on rocks. Sounds like it’s more or less the same character. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/43 "2005-11-05T22:35:33Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > The power ring is technology. It channels energy which is directed by will power. If the ring is depleted of energy, it will not function and the GL in question can’t fly. It’s technology in the same sense that Silver Surfer’s board is technology. Personally, I think objects that channel mysterious/cosmic-level energies don’t count as technology the same way that boot-jets and anti-gravity suits do. Also, at least at one point in time, GL’s power ring was said to be magical in nature, and later, it was described as a sort of semi-intelligence. Likewise, GL’s analogous Dr. Spectrum had a Power Prism that I think at one time or another, was also thought to possess intelligence or at least some sort of life-force. > [@](#): > > As Yellowjacket, he had a flying suit (and the vibrations from the wings also powered his disruptor blasts; why he never gave himself bio-electric “stings” like he did the Wasp I don’t know). Do you happen to remember how his flying suit worked? I thought I remembered him flying, but then I wasn’t sure if maybe he was just using his proportionately greater strength the jump around. > [@](#): > > Another energy-based flyer is Halo or The Outsiders. She’s a human girl who died and was merged with an alien energy being, one result of which was she could glow in the colors of the rainbow, each color corresponding to a different power. Don’t remember which color but she could negate gravity for herself and others, allowing her to fly. Hm. I found [Halo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(comics)). She can indeed fly, but it isn’t clear what color enables her to do it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/44 "2005-11-05T22:41:40Z")
Arthur Dent learned to fly the old fashioned way: you throw yourself at the ground and miss. (Being distracted at the right moment is a good way to miss.) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/45 "2005-11-05T22:55:01Z")
> [@soulmurk](#): > > IMO, manipulating kinetic energy is just glorified telekinesis. > > Transportation as energy is not teleportation, as teleportation is the instantaneous transmission of oneself to another point. Being able to move at the speed of energy is fast, but not instantaneous. I wouldn’t even consider moving in such a way to be flying so much as riding a path of least resistance. If anything, since as a superpower its users are able to manipulate where they go rather than follow the path of least resistance like most energy, I’d say that this too was just another form of telekinesis. When you think about it, every time a superhero mentally controls a form of energy or material, they’re basically using telekinesis. I’ve always wondered why just about every mutant with the ability to manipulate/control something wasn’t cross-trained as a telekinetic, but I suppose Jean Grey would start bitching. “Oh great, now everyone’s going to end up a Phoenix!” Anyway, transportation as energy is just that, transportation. But not flying, as you say. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/46 "2005-11-05T22:58:31Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > It’s technology in the same sense that Silver Surfer’s board is technology. Personally, I think objects that channel mysterious/cosmic-level energies don’t count as technology the same way that boot-jets and anti-gravity suits do. Also, at least at one point in time, GL’s power ring was said to be magical in nature, and later, it was described as a sort of semi-intelligence. Likewise, GL’s analogous Dr. Spectrum had a Power Prism that I think at one time or another, was also thought to possess intelligence or at least some sort of life-force. I think you’re conflating the Golden Age GL (Alan Scott, later known as Sentinel) and the Silver Age GLs (Hal Jordan, et. al.). In the GAGL origin, there is a green glowing meteor that lands on Earth. It communicates to someone (I guess whoever found it) that it would flash three times, once to bring life, once to bring death and once to bring power. The finder fashions the meteor into a lantern. The “life” flash cured someone of insanity. Dunno about the “death” flash. Somewhere in there Alan Scott got ahold of the lantern and fashioned a ring out of a piece of it and the “power” flash had something to do with his assuming his costumed identity. Flash forward several decades, and we have SAGL and his bosses, the Guardians. There was a story in which it was revealed that the Guardians wanted to eliminate the chaos that a universe with magic in it would have, so they gathered together the majority of the magical energy in the universe and compressed it into the meteor (known as the Starheart) that later became GAGL’s lantern. Whatever. > [@levdrakon](#): > > Do you happen to remember how his flying suit worked? I thought I remembered him flying, but then I wasn’t sure if maybe he was just using his proportionately greater strength the jump around. It was some sort of circuitry, as we saw explicitly when an old costume was stolen and cannibalized by Yellowjacket II. > [@levdrakon](#): > > Hm. I found [Halo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(comics)). She can indeed fly, but it isn’t clear what color enables her to do it. In looking at the list, I have a feeling that her flight was not tied to a specific color. When I was talking about her negating gravity I was thinking of her indigo “tractor beam” but I know she flew any number of times with a different color going. Really, if she were dependent on a particular color to fly, she’d be almost useless in a fight as she’d have to land every time she wanted to, say, fire off a heat ray. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/47 "2005-11-05T23:36:47Z")
Thor actually controls his hammer as he flies, he’s the navigator so to speak. So there’s a little more involved then him just throwing it at hanging on. The Surfer can fly without his board but he looks sort of silly. I always like how Electro flew using electricity. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/48 "2005-11-05T23:37:22Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > **Rogue** inherited Ms. Marvel’s flight powers, but I don’t really know how they worked. Ms. Marvel’s powers mimicked Captain Marvel’s, but he got his from those bands on his wrists, which were cosmic in nature, I think. Originally Ms Marvel had circuitry in her costume that allowed her to fly (I have an old Ms Marvel issue around somewhere that shows it). At some point (seeing as how she changed into that rather fugly black outfit) the power became inherent. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/49 "2005-11-05T23:40:48Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > She can command the wind to carry her! You think that’s lame??? Yes, I do. C’mon. Have you ever seen one of those amusement ride type places where you stand over a grate with a jet engine under it. It takes a hell of a lot of thrust to hold a human in the air. But is Storm’s hair ever messed up??? Huh, huh??? Is it??? I suppose she _telekinetically_ fixes her hair as she flies. > [@](#): > > Or maybe he’s more like **Cannonball** , from the New Mutants, who “blasted” his way around. Ooh. Good one. I’ll add him to my list. Would he fall under “control of elements” or do I need to create a category for blast-of-energy-from-less-than-cosmic sources? > [@](#): > > Which means, apparently, he [Thor] actually jumped using his upper body strength!! Nuh-uh. it had to have had something to do with the magic hammer. Otherwise, why bother throwing the damn thing? Just jump like the Hulk! > [@](#): > > \*These \*[Mr. Miracle’s flight discs] you think are cool. What I find weird is that you consider it “technology.” Weren’t they? Some sort of anti-gravity discs or something? I don’t remember Mr. Miracle’s origins, so I can’t say for sure. But they _were_ cool. I’d much rather fly around on those than those 400 MPH winds Storm flies around on. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/50 "2005-11-05T23:42:13Z")
Oh duh, how could I forget the original Human Torch, whose “mixture of blue and red flames” made him lighter than air and able to fly? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/51 "2005-11-06T00:24:29Z")
**Animal Man** (Buddy Baker) had the power to mimic the natural abilities of animals, so he could fly by absorbing a bird’s flying skill. (Psst… hey, Buddy? Birds can fly because they have _wings._) He got this power from the radiation of a crashed UFO, so I don’t know whether that would fall under the category of ‘technology’ or ‘magic’ or what. Presumably the UFO’s systems were based on this animal absorption power in some manner, so maybe it accidentally molted its reactor shielding when it got too near a cicada or something. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/52 "2005-11-06T00:46:28Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The Legion’s Cosmic Boy could also fly via magnetic fields. Since all the Legion had flight rings, he didn’t do it too often. The original Legion had clumsy “flight belts,” which were even lamer. > > I think that Light Lass could have used her powers to make people glide, though I don’t think she ever did. > > Mon-el & Ultra Boy could also fly via super-power. Dawnstar had wings. Has it ever been explained how Mon-el & Ultra Boy can fly? I have Dawnstar listed, but I still don’t understand the nature of her abilities. When she first appeared, she was described as a mutant. But how many mutants can fly through space at faster-than-light speeds? > [@Otto](#): > > Oh duh, how could I forget the original Human Torch, whose “mixture of blue and red flames” made him lighter than air and able to fly? I still don’t get either Human Torch. Flame might be lighter than air, but the body that’s under the flame isn’t. > [@Terrifel](#): > > **Animal Man** (Buddy Baker) had the power to mimic the natural abilities of animals, so he could fly by absorbing a bird’s flying skill. (Psst… hey, Buddy? Birds can fly because they have _wings._) Bizarre. Definitely goes in the “difficult to classify” category. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/53 "2005-11-06T01:26:50Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > **Animal Man** (Buddy Baker) had the power to mimic the natural abilities of animals, so he could fly by absorbing a bird’s flying skill. His origin was as you stated originally, but he’s been ret-conned so that he actually taps into “The Red,” an elemental force similar to Swamp Thing and Floronic Man’s “Green.” Vixen I believe also taps into this force, although she does so through a totem/amulet. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/54 "2005-11-06T01:43:26Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Has it ever been explained how Mon-el & Ultra Boy can fly? Exactly the same way as Superman - who they were both modeled after (or, more directly, Superboy). > [@](#): > > I have Dawnstar listed, but I still don’t understand the nature of her abilities. When she first appeared, she was described as a mutant. But how many mutants can fly through space at faster-than-light speeds? At least two, in the DCU - Dawnie and Captain Comet. (Actually, I’m not entirely sure about Captain Comet’s top speed, but he can move pretty fast, and that’s really the least of his powers.) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/55 "2005-11-06T01:55:05Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > It was some sort of circuitry, as we saw explicitly when an old costume was stolen and cannibalized by Yellowjacket II. “Some sort of circuitry” doesn’t cut it **Otto** , you can do better than that. 😛 > [@Lochdale](#): > > The Surfer can fly without his board but he looks sort of silly. > > I always like how Electro flew using electricity. Well the Surfer is cosmic, so it doesn’t surprise me. How did Electro fly? I don’t remember that. > [@Otto](#): > > Originally Ms Marvel had circuitry in her costume that allowed her to fly (I have an old Ms Marvel issue around somewhere that shows it). At some point (seeing as how she changed into that rather fugly black outfit) the power became inherent. Again with the circuitry! Actually, I own Ms. Marvel issue #1 onwards, but I don’t remember how that worked either. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/56 "2005-11-06T17:32:35Z")
Back to the Golden Age: **Jack Frost** – flew on “wings of the wintry wind.” He was made out of ice. **Red Raven** – mechanical wings. Though he was named after a bird, they were bat wings. **Mercury** – Probably his sandals. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/57 "2005-11-06T19:30:55Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Exactly the same way as Superman - who they were both modeled after (or, more directly, Superboy). > > At least two, in the DCU - Dawnie and Captain Comet. (Actually, I’m not entirely sure about Captain Comet’s top speed, but he can move pretty fast, and that’s really the least of his powers.) So Superman and his knock-offs all fly telekinetically then. That must be what’s going on with Dawnstar & Captain Comet too. There’s no other way to explain Dawnstar since her wings would be useless in space, unless there’s something telekinetic, cosmic or magic going on. Captain Comet is pretty interesting BTW. He has the distinction of being the first mutant superhero, predating the X-Men by 12 years. **RealityChuck** , I found a Golden Age Jack Frost who turns out to be related to the Asgardian Frost Giants, but I can’t tell if he can fly. There’s also a villian called Jack Frost, who later became Blizzard, but he can’t fly either. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/58 "2005-11-07T01:51:22Z")
Was he really a mutant though? He got his powers several minutes after he was born (from a passing comet) so I’m not sure it’s fair to say that he was the first “mutant”. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/59 "2005-11-07T02:13:11Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > Was he really a mutant though? He got his powers several minutes after he was born (from a passing comet) so I’m not sure it’s fair to say that he was the first “mutant”. Good point. But they called him a mutant, so I guess that’s the important part. The Fantastic Four and Spider Man are also mutants, but not born that way, and people rarely refer to them as mutants. Mutated would be more correct, I suppose. So the X-Men have the distinction of being the first born-mutant super heroes? ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573/60 "2005-11-08T18:22:57Z")
What about the shapeshifters, like **Beast Boy** or **Plastic Man** that can shape themselves into a bird and fly? And does **Cannonball** count? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-ways-are-there-for-superheroes-to-fly/329573.md?page=4)