He was strong enough to lift a car over his head, could leap hundreds of feet, and “nothing less than a bursting shell” could break his skin. That was about it. No X-ray vision, no super speed, no flying. If you had his powers, what would you do with them? I’m guessing that costumed vigilantism isn’t a realistic option. One could become a very wealthy professional athlete. Football, in particular, seems like a the place to turn those powers into money. I guess you could probably also make your mark as an entertainer. Maybe the .gov might want to hire you as a presidential bodyguard or something. More likely they’d want to study you with the aim of figuring out how to make more like you. Any other suggestions?
It’s…Showtime! 
Was he still vulenarble to Krptonite?
Seriously, I remember watching an episode of Lois and Clark, and he blew on his cummerbund to freeze it stiff, in order to get (keys?) for the cage he was in.
I was thinking since when could Superman do that?
But if you ask me, the fact that Superman did have a weakness, makes him better than all Superheros that dont have a Physical weakness. (That is, that could stop them dead in their tracks, -no Psychological / Emotional problems that only flare up in “down time”)
I would say that the Death of superman was great too. Except that he came back 4 fold… Right?
Also, Krypto (Super Dog) looks like its trying to hard. I wonder if Superman and Reeves are turning over in their grave.
This has been addressed in the past. In the first place, this is essentially the situation in the book Gladiator by Philip Wylie, which is where Siegel and Schuster lifted the basic idea. And the hero’sd adventyures are given in that book. Surprisingly, Gladiator was made into a movie that nobody remembers:
The movie isn’t faithful to the book, though, playing it for laughs.
Years later Marvel introduced The Hulk, who had a lot of Superman’s original powers, including the leap-instead-of-flying and the tough but not invulnerable skin. And, even in the old days, the Hulk wasn’t invariably dim-witted. (And that turning-into-the-Hulk-when-angry business didn’t develop until years after the character was introduced)
There were other characters who resembled the early Superman as well. Marvel did one, nominally based on some rock song, which uses Superman’s origin, and has the grown-up alien kid becoming a Superman-with-early-powers type. (I can’t recall the name – Doc Samson?)
It’s not Doc Sampson. He was a psychologist that gained hulk like powers from gamma something or another.
Kryptonite didn’t show up till the 40s, in the radio show, or the late 30s, in an unpublished story where he told Lois his secret identity.
Krypto, the animated series, looks like goofy fun. I could stand it. Better than what they’re doing to Bugs.
Mmm. Well, thanks to modern machinery, most of what could be done, can be done. I’d volunteer for Search and Rescue work, as a consultant, because I’m sure there’s always one task that needs manpower… but you know what I’d really do?
Bert Rutan’s test pilot.
Cool. Five replies, only one of which was even a nominal attempt to answer the OP.
Anything that attracts attention is out, unless you like being the subject of medical experiments. Without “true” invulerability, sooner or later someone’s gonna figure out how to piece your skin and then you’re done for.
If it was me, I would be an adventurer, looking for treasure or artifacts and such. Make enough dough for a comfortable lifestyle, but not enough to attract the attention of anyone but other geeks that enjoy digging in the dirt…spend the rest helping the world in ways that leaping over talk buildings never could…don the mask occasionally, to free a hostage or stop an volcano…see the old Max Flecter (sp) Superman for practical uses and limitations of powers.
As Blonde says, “I’ll take the money honey, you can have the fame.”
Mostly I’d just impress chicks at the beach.
Don’t know the character you’re talking about, but Doc Samson was a psychiatrist who received a blood transfusion from puny Banner.
The gamma-rays-altered blood gave Samson permanent (but lesser) Hulk-like powers, and also turned his hair green.
Meeko, kryptonite was introduced for the radio show when the actor who played Superman got sick and couldn’t perform for a couple of weeks. Kryptonite was invented to explain his absence.
Also, Krypto the Superdog was first introduced way back in the 60s, if not earlier. I don’t know where you’re going with your “rolling in their grave” thing; Krypto is a well-established, if occasional, part of the canon.
To answer the OP: adventures and lots of them! I’d basically be living the life of Concrete, only I wouldn’t be as lonely.
You’re not thinking of Doc Savage, are you?
Soitenly not! He wasn’t a Marvel character (having existed in the pulps before Superman did), even if they did produce a rather confused Doc Savage comic in the 1970s.
With my luck, I’d end up being the guy who gets beaten up in the last panel of a Charles Atlas ad.
Uh? In 1938, he was casually outrunning express trains, figure ~70 MPH.
Not super enough for you? Feh, kids today.
Depends on what context of “realism” you’re going for. There are various other mainstream super-heroes with powers roughly at this level, so there’s no reason it couldn’t work.
The Ultimate Bodyguard?
Actually, any kind of hazardous work – firefighting, police officer, emergency rescue – would probably be a cakewalk.
You know, I think just the powers of a single Superman would be enough for me. I don’t need the powers of 1,938 Supermen.
But thanks for offering.
I think you may be thinking of Omega the Unknown from 1976.
How many average criminals, even in the 21st Century, have ready access to bursting shells?
One: Saddam Hussein, if you listen to our President.
I think bursting shells meant tank shells or the anti-aircraft guns on warships…remember it’s 1938. So today, I would imagine a high powered rifle loaded with whatever goes through tank armour these days would be enough.
I’m not sure if it’s deliberate but- aren’t Mr. Incredible’s powers roughly in the range of the 1938 Superman, minus (perhaps) the bulletproof skin and vertical leaping ability?
Well, here are some thoughts:
- Maffia boss. You would basically be immune to assasination and pretty good at intimidating people.
- Leader of a cult. You could claim your powers were of divine origin, and perform various “miracles”.
- International terrorist. You could be the first re-usable suicide bomber.
- Self-help book author. You could claim that your powers came from your diet or your positive attitude, and sell books and courses to gullible people on late-night TV.
- Artist. You could make huge sculptures using your superhuman strength - maybe add an extra face to Mount Rushmore?
- Steve Irwin clone. Except you’d wrestle rhinos and giant sharks.
- Pizza delivery man. With your powers of jumping and running, no traffic jam would slow you down.
- War zone reporter. Watch out for bursting shells though.
- Shooting range operator. You could paint a target on your chest and let people shoot at that.
Surely there are others.