History Characters / SupermanTheCharacter

** An issue of ComicBook/{{Hitman}} written by Creator/GarthEnnis of all people (who, it should be noted, has always been extremely respectful of Supes) shows a completely sincere and respectful version of Superman who failed to save an astronaut who happened to be right in front of him while he was holding a nuclear reactor shut. He stated, "That's the one thing I'm truly afraid of. That everyone believes above all else. They know I can't be everywhere, but if I'm around, I'll save them. That they needn't be afraid. But when the moment came, Superman failed him".

** [[DownplayedTrope Relatively speaking.]] Most versions of Superman are competent brawlers but are not fighting prodigies. During the Silver Age, this was the point of a Silver Age Phantom Zone breakout storyline. Faora had gotten out and Superman with his rudimentary knowledge of kryptonian self defense simply could not take her, the greatest martial artist of the incarcerated criminals, in a fight. ''Somehow'' outsmarting the schemer clever enough to get out in the first place was his only option.
** Post Crisis Superman has knowledge of martial arts designed specifically for {{flying brick}}s. He's able to take down experienced mercenary Conduit who was relying on his own superpowers, technology ''and'' Superman's KryptoniteFactor, mop up mobs of recently empowered Kryptonians not as experienced with his powers and humilitate the never seriously challenged Crime Syndicate of the Antimatter Universe but he's ''not'' as skilled as new gods like Orion, Big Barda, or the higher tiered amazons Wonder Woman or Genocide. It's several years of publication time into the Post Crisis continuity that Wonder Woman herself is "strong" enough for the skill difference to really matter though.

* VibrationManipulation: While not as well known for it as the Flash, Superman has been shown to vibrate his molecules into an intangible state and vibrate his body to increase the damage of his attacks. In ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', he defeated Cyborg Superman by punching through his chest and vibrating so fast that Cyborg Superman's body -- which was weakened by kryptonite exposure -- was completely obliterated. [[MagicAIsMagicA Why this doesn't damage Superman's own speed force lacking body]], when Superman typically doesn't display any other hand of molecular manipulation beyond indirectly via heat vision, is not explained. Sometimes vibration is explained as another way to hide his identity, as he can use it to make photographs of himself appear blurry.
* VitriolicBestBuds: He and Batman may have a lot of disagreements (since the '80s), but they both respect each other for the same reason. Clark had all the power to go anywhere or even take over the world. Bruce had a fortune that he could squander forever in a life of luxury or simply, give up to everything and turn into supervillainy. But despite every other opportunity presented to them, both of them chose to become heroes instead, and it is this shared trait that they deeply admire in the other, and allows them both to be best friends.

* BigGood: Superman represents all that is good and righteous, has peerless strength of character, and brings hope to everyone. He is *the* superhero for the entire DC Universe. He is acknowledged as the League's most powerful member, in addition to being the Chairman and Face of the league, as he leads the League publicly (with Batman as his NumberTwo, helping him manage things behind the scenes, though it can be argued that Batman is the true leader of the JL as he's the brains behind the League). Superman always is called upon to deal with the most dangerous and serious threats.

* ClintSquint
** Golden Age Superman was almost always drawn with his eyes narrowed, fitting his tough-guy persona at the time.
** Some more stylized modern depictions have brought this look back as a way to honor his look in the original comics and the Fleischer cartoons

* CombatPragmatist: If Superman has a chance to end a fight quickly to prevent casualties, he ''will'' take it. For instance, one time he was in a hurry to face an ArcVillain and Metallo stood in his way. Superman noted that he had no time to waste with a twerp like him and simply shot off his limbs with his heat vision, leaving the cyborg in a pile of parts and his limbless torso out of action, but otherwise unhurt.

-->'''Brainiac:''' ''(crushing Superman's hand)'' Earth has robbed you of your potential. You are from a Kryptonian. You are a simple brute.
-->'''Superman:''' ''(digs his fingers into Brainiac's heads implants, paralyzing him)'' When I '''need''' to be. ''(smashes Brainiac's face with his fist)''

* CommonalityConnection

* CostumeEvolution: Given his over eighty-year long history, there's been a lot of changes

* DatingCatwoman: Several instances:
** Back in the early 80's there was an arc where a lecherous PR attempted to get him and Big Barda hypnotized to film them on a sex-tape. Fortunately Superman went aware of the situation and could stop it on time.

* TheDeterminator: He will stand unwaveringly against overwhelming odds because he knows that if he falls, it's unlikely there will be any remaining hero to take his place. He just won't stay down––not until he saves the day.
* DiedInYourArmsTonight: He dies in Lois's arms after his infamous bout against Doomsday while she cries after telling him that he's saved Metropolis. [[BackFromTheDead He gets better though]].

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference

* TheEveryman: Superman may be an impossibly powerful hero, but Clark Kent is just a guy who grew up on a farm, works a mid-range white-collar job in the big city, and his friends and family are similarly normal people ([[ComicBook/{{Batman}} barring]] [[ComicBook/WonderWoman a]] [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica few]] [[Characters/SupermanJonathanSamuelKent exceptions]]). Even his favorite things are the stuff normal people like, such as movies, ice cream soda or ''Literature/ToKillAMockingbird''.
** It is this aspect that makes Superman an inspirational figure, as he is an example that power and heroism can come from humble sources (as opposed to, say, Batman, who was born into privilege, or Wonder Woman, who is literally an immortal flawless goddess). Kal-El's Kryptonian physiology makes him super, but Clark's simple upbringing makes him a hero.
* {{Expy}}
** In The Golden Age Superman closely resembled [[Literature/APrincessOfMars John Carter]], only in reverse and with an attitude similar to [[Literature/TheBible Samson]].
** In the Silver Age Superman more closely resembled [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Heracles/Hercules]], with his similarities to Moses more played too as well.
* ExpyCoexistence

* FatalFlaw: Superman's ChronicHeroSyndrome can sometimes push him into [[HeroicSacrifice borderline martyrdom]].

* FishOutOfWater: His alien origin is often played up this way, especially in recent Superman works.
** Other works will lean into the fact that Superman was raised from infancy as Clark Kent on Earth, knowing nothing of Krypton until his late teens or early twenties. Thus, when Clark encounters surviving Kryptonians, he's a fish out of water among them, since he only knows Kryptonian culture, language, and history from the archives of the Fortress of Solitude. In the New 52, Superman's attempts to calm down a freshly-arrived Supergirl backfired because his Kryptonian speech sounded to her like he'd learned it from a book, not someone who actually speaks the language.
* {{Flanderization}}: Originally, he was something of a tough guy tackling (literally) wife beaters, war profiteers, and abusive orphanages. By the end of the forties, however, he was the leading citizen of Metropolis, battling larger-than-life villains.

* FlyingFirepower: He can fly and has EyeBeams, as well as SuperBreath

* FriendToAllLivingThings: The champion for truth and justice is also always ready and willing to find missing puppies to take'em back home, help kittens off a tree or protect a wilderness patch from a natural disaster.

* FriendlyRival: The original Doomsday of the Post Crisis continuity, the monster who fought Superman to a MutualKill, [[FireForgedFriends eventually becomes this as he gains sapience]]. [[BloodKnight He still likes fighting with Superman]] and ''claims'' he is going to kill him, but never actually tries to again and in fact saves Superman from Gog twice, willingly risking his life and or sapience the second time. Doomsday doesn't even cause random destruction and attack all life in sight anymore as he seeks out rematches with Superman, and saves people in Superman's name in between his two attempts to save Superman from Gog. Superman in turn goes out of his way to save original Doomsday from Lex Luthor's imperfect Doomsday clones and The Doomslayer([[Videogame/{{Doom}} not that one]]), who wants to kill Doomsday, everything related to Doomsday, and everything with knowledge of Doomday before killing himself, [[KnightTemplar so that Doomsday will be finally gone for good]]. The ''only'' reason there is any genuine animostity between Superman and Doomsday prior to Flashpoint is because of Doctor Psycho brainwashing Doomsday in an attempt to make him a simple minded killing machine. Unfortunately for Superman, Flashpoint does what Doctor Psycho cannot and permanently makes Doomsday a mindless brute again.

* GodCouple: He was tempted by this with Maxima, until he learned she was a conqueror. By the time she figures out that he'd prefer someone more heroic by his standards Superman's already married to Louis Lane and thus keeps rejecting Maxima. He prentends to be in one with Wonder Woman in the Silver Age, in order to protect Louis Lane from a StalkerWithACrush. He actually is in on with Wonder Woman in the ''New 52''.

* GrandFatherClause

** One particular instance of ArtisticLicensePhysics that even the youngest of children just have to ignore is that ''the sun is not yellow''. It can ''appear'' yellow depending on what angle the Earth happens to be facing it but can just as frequently appear orange, pink or ''red'', the latter being Superman's supposed weakness. Still, the yellow-red sun is too convinient of a PlotDevice for any Superman writer to throw out, and is part of some of Superman's most popular stories.

* GuileHero

* HappilyAdopted

** In an odd RealLife ContrivedCoincidence, 50's Hollywood society playgirl Leonore Lemmon was George Reeves' fiance.

* IGaveMyWord: Tied in with his determinator status-- when Superman says he'll do something, he'll pull out at all the stops. His ''New 52'' incarnation unknowingly passed on a chance to resurrect his parents, consequence-free, because he'd made a promise to save another group of people and insisted they be rescued instead.

* InternalReveal: Silver Age Superman idenitified more with Krypton than Earth and fantasized about living on the alien planet even if it meant giving up the super powers Earth granted him. Golden Age Superman by contrast did not know he came from Krypton or why he had super powers, stumbling upon these details by chance while researching [[KryptoniteFactor a mysterious stone that was making him weak]]. We the audience were told where Superman came from and constantly reminded of it, of course.

* InterspeciesRomance

* KryptoniteFactor

* TheLeader: Of the DCU superhero community as a whole. Types II and IV; not only is he admired by everyone, they trust his judgement. He is Co-leaders of the League with Batman, acting as the face of the league and Chairman.
** He is widely acknowledged as the second most capable leader in the entire DCU, with only [[MagneticHero Nightwing]] surpassing him.

* NerdsAreSexy: In Post-Crisis stories Clark has little difficulty attracting women despite his sometimes nerdy pursuits and farmboy naivete. Of course, being built like Superman helps.

* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands

* NiceGuy: Hands down ''the'' nicest person in the DC Universe. Anyone with similar levels of niceness will draw occasional comparisons to Superman.
** Modern stories have him now as the ''second'' nicest guy, after a certain [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel/Shazam]], who is literally an innocent pre-teen/teenage boy. Some books also have ComicBook/WonderWoman being much purer and nicer, what with being a literal, near-perfect demigoddess.

* PapaWolf

** If any ''hint'' of a threat comes near his son Jon, and Clark won't hesitate to vaporize even ComicBook/{{Batman}} or [[WouldHurtAChild Robin]]

'''Gaia:''' (talking to Superman) But you...rarest of elements...Pure. Full...Loving and loved. You can heal me...

* RapidAging: DC Rebirth establishes that Kryptonians slowly revert to and stay at their physical prime as long as they stay under the light of a "yellow" sun, but during ''Infinite Frontier'' aliens from The Breach poison Superman with radiation that causes him to rapidly age towards organ failure that has to be periodically off set by magic from the Enchantress. She can only deal with his symptoms however, the root cause remains until Superman receieves a blood transfusion from an old god. After this, Kal-El indeed starts reverting back to his "thirties" physiology.

* RedShirtArmy

-->'''I-Ching:''' ''"Your attitude is understandable! But I beg you to reconsider... one does not choose responsibility! It is often thrust upon one! To refuse it is to commit the worst act of cowardice! Look around you... See a world burdened with misery... with untold agonies -- a world which has need of you -- as you were!"''
* RespectedByTheRespected
** Anyone who knows about Superman and has seen him in action ends up respecting the hell out of him. Even for the villains, most of them end up having VillainRespect for him even if they also hate him. Not a surprised give that Superman is TheDeterminator. He never gives up and he one of the few omnibenevolent heroes in the universe alongside Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter and Captain Marvel, (for Batman, it depends on the situation as he can be an example of PureIsNotGood given his, at times, KnightTemplar tendencies.)

* TheRival
** Clark Kent's original rival is of course Lois Lane. She knows it is onesided, but the fact Clark Kent doesn't consider her a rival just drives Lois's intrepid reporting even further out of frustration. Marriage intensifies the professional rivalry even further still, as Lois tends to think that once she knows Clark's secret advantage she can finally outdo him. There's also Lana Lang, but as the {{cosmic retcon}}s piled up Lana was eventually moved out of the news profession altogether.
** In the Silver Age Hyper-Man Vartox constrasted Superman in that he was another abnormally strong alien who gained all of his "Hyper-Powers" through rigorous training and scientific study, rather than lucking into them like Superman. In this way Vartox saw himself as superior to Superman, and he lacked most of Superman's ''bad luck'' weakness. Furthermore, Vartox's "Hyper-Powers" were [[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands even larger in number]] than Superman's and superior to Superman's even where they overlapped. Vartox's freeze breath was completely non fatal and immediately thawed out after whatever amount of time Vartox set it to, up to one hour. There was one way Vartox was inferior to Superman though, and unforunately it was being far more supscetible to MindControl and {{brainwashing}}. Even in his right mind, Vartox often set his sights on the same women Superman was interested in. Still, they were allies just as often as foes, and usually not violent foes when Vartox wasn't being controlled.
** Post Crisis it was the alien bounty hunter Lobo. While Superman was selfless and out to help those in trouble Lobo was out for money he did not really even need and only did "good" by chance. While Superman was TheLastOfHisKind until ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'' and often tempted by opporitunities to revive his dead race, Lobo was the last of his kind by choice, and happily murdered another survivor of his EndangeredSpecies when he found he had missed a spot. Lobo and Superman inevitably came into conflict but ''sometimes'' were on the same side, since it was all just a [[NothingPersonal job and or a hobby]] for Lobo. Lobo ranged from far weaker than Superman to functionally invincible in the face of the entire JLA, [[StrongAsTheyNeedToBe depending on plot demands.]]

-->'''Superman:''' Superman: ''Don't throw away this chance, men... We can prove to Earth that superpowers shouldn't be taboo... and that we're not has-beens who've forgotten how to use them!''

*** J'onn reveres his home planet, its culture and his people's peace-striving living in ways Clark never did for Krypton's millitaristic, science-ridden way of life.

--->'''First Reporter:''' ''"Wh-Where'd he go?''
--->'''Second Reporter:''' ''"Did you see him duck out--?''
--->'''Third Reporter:''' ''"Didn't see a thing!''

--->'''Morgan Edge:''' ''"I cant see it now:'' '''''The Thanagar Saga!''''' ''Get that, Kent, and-- Kent! Where the blazes did he disappear to this time?"''

--->'''Batman:''' (thinking) ''I hate it when he just appears like that.''
--->'''Superman:''' (thinking) ''I have to admit. I love being able to do that to him.''
* StopWorshippingMe: There have been times where cults seeing him as a deity have emerged on Earth and even other planets. Given how [[AGodIAmNot Clark views himself]] this makes him very uncomfortable when it happens and he always tries to put a stop to it.

* StrongAsTheyNeedToBe: In relation to other heroes like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, sometimes Superman is barely, slightly stronger, some others way, way more. At times it has been explained that a quick sun-dip can ''[[NoPunIntended Super-charge himself]]'' to even higher levels. And whenever he's arround bigger stars (Hyper-giant blue class or something of the kind), Superman increases his strength by the thousands-fold.

* SuperCop: [[DefiedTrope Defied]]. People believe he is this because of his good relationship with the Metropolis police force, but Superman has to frequently remind them that he is not one. Post-Crisis, the mayor deputized Superman to get around the fact that Superman might be viewed as a vigilante.

* SuperheroPackingHeat: Three times in the Post Crisis continuity. Superman did not have all of his powers working yet when he returned during ''The Reign of The Supermen'' climax, so he resorted to using a giant pair of guns. Superman also carried a rifle during his time as New Krypton's general. After Wonder Woman blinded herself to defeat Medusa, Superman [[RefugeInAudacity shot her with a hunting rifle to see how she would react]]. Batman found this disturbing even after Superman explained that in the event Wonder Woman had failed to block the shot [[ShootingSuperman it still would not have really hurt her.]]

* SupermanStaysOutOfGotham: The co-TropeNamer. Although Gotham and Metropolis are often situated close to eachother, Superman generally avoids getting involved with Gotham's problems if he can avoid it, usually out of professional courtesy for Batman.

* TallDarkAndHandsome: Six foot something(6'2 in The Golden Age, 6'3 Post Crisis), black hair, and when he's cleaned up his look, considered very attractive.

-->'''Superman:''' ''Listen, violation patrol! Forget Directive A-7-- I'm trying to save lives!''

* TrademarkFavoriteFood

* TripleShifter: In The Silver Age it was established that Superman's need for sleep was purely psychological, having no impact on his body's biological functions otherwise. Nonetheless prolonged SleepDeprivation would deteriorate Superman's sanity, causing him to see and hear things that were not actually around him and become irrationally irratable. Part of Superman's need to be both Kal-El ''and'' Clark Kent is that Clark Kent helped Superman maintain regular sleeping habits so that he would stay in his preferred state of mind. On the otherhand the double life of Clark Kent still sees him get much less sleep than would be healthy for a human man.

* {{Unobtanium}}: In the Silver Age he discovered a metal that came to be known as Supermanium for its ability to channel Superman's powers, becomeing just as tough as he was and floating in air as he did when he touched it. Superman could soften this metal with his heat vision remotely and then mold it into shape with his super speed and strength before it cooled, allowing him to build things like the Supermobile, which could use Superman himself as its battery and engine.
* UnskilledButStrong
** [[DownplayedTrope Relatively speaking]]. Most versions of Superman are competent brawlers but are not fighting prodigies. During the Silver Age this was the point of a Silver Age Phantom Zone breakout storyline. Faora had gotten out and Superman with his rudimentary knowledge of kryptonian self defense simply could not take her, the greatest martial artist of the incarcerated criminals, in a fight. ''Somehow'' outsmarting the schemer clever enough to get out in the first place was his only option.

** In the Post Crisis "Witch And The Warrior Arc'' this was {{Exaggerated|Trope}} when Circe strengthened Superman with Doomsday's powers but turned him into a two dimensional fighter who had nothing going for him but flight, eye beams and telegraphed punches. Still, Lady Shiva noted that ordinarly Superman, while nowhere near as skilled as her in his best state of mind, was at least a better fighter than "Earth Born Angel" Linda Danvers.

* VibrationManipulation: While not as well known for it as the Flash, Superman has been shown to vibrate his molecules into an intangible state and vibrate his body to increase the damage of his attacks. In ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', he defeated Cyborg Superman by punching through his chest and vibrating so fast that Cyborg Superman's body -- which was weakened by kryptonite exposure -- was completely obliterated. [[MagicAIsMagicA Why this doesn't damage Superman's own speed force lacking body]], when Superman typically doesn't display any other hand of molecular manipulation beyond indirectly via heat vision, is not explained. Sometimes vibration is explained as another way to hide his identity, as he can use it to make photographs of himself appear blury.
* VitriolicBestBuds: He and Batman may have a lot of disagreements (since the 80s), but they both respect each other for the same reason. Clark had all the power to go anywhere or even take over the world. Bruce had a fortune that he could squander forever in a life of luxury or simply, give up to everything and turn into supervillainy. But despite every other opportunity presented to them, both of them chose to become heroes instead, and it is this shared trait that they deeply admire in the other, and allows them both to be best friends.

* WillfullyWeak: He usually holds back, otherwise he'd break people and the whole world. [[IAmNotLeftHanded If he stops holding back, someone's about to SUFFER]].

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Part of his core philosophy instilled in him by his parents and upbringing is that Humanity is more than capable of bettering itself and creating a better future. This is also one of the reasons he chose to be a superhero in the hopes that his actions inspire others into adopting and upholding this belief.
** He's also had these with Supergirl, given that in her teen years, she still faces the issue of being inexperienced and prone to emotional outbursts and low self-esteem, Kal-El would often remind her of how proud and trustful he is for her cousin to be a hero by telling her she's more than capable of doing great things and overcoming tremendous odds. Case in point...

* YouAreNotAlone: He's a big believer in this, often comforting those who've either led a lonely life or are out of options regarding social support.
** He's also been on the receiving end himself, especially in Post-Crisis where his nature/reputation as the LastOfHisKind is more pronounced. In ''Krypton No More'', after the events of ''New Krypton'' left him even more isolated and dejected, Supergirl takes it upon herself to cheer Clark up and remind him that he's not alone.

* YourCostumeNeedsWork: In a Silver Age story where Superman is stranded in The Furture by The Time Trapper Superman ends up being shot at while flying for illegal use of a jetpack. As people slowly start to realize he's the real Superman he becomes accosted by admirers instead.

* TheAce
** He's an AllLovingHero who is LovedByAll the common citizens of Metropolis, a clear winner of the SuperpowerLottery and a NiceGuy to boot. He qualifies by default. Even his civilian identity as Clark Kent is one of the Daily Planet's best reporters.
** But really, Superman's Ace-ness comes from [[TheParagon his heart]]. He will always do the right thing for the benefit of all mankind, and never for himself.

** Superman is so infamous for this and StrongAsTheyNeedToBe that he tends to have a domino affect on the rest of the DCU, especially the Justice League book, as writers feel the need to give other power figures new tricks and such just to keep them relevent as Superman keeps developing more powers. Their new resistances and abilities tend to fade away as well when Superman's do. See Wonder Woman also inexplicably gaining the inexplicable ability to phase through matter and losing it equally inexplicably in the Silver-Bronze age, briefly becoming magic resistant Post Crisis, or how gliding and then outright flight ended up sticking with her. See The Spectre turn from another costumed adventurer to the flat out wrath of {{God}} in an effort to keep him beyond Superman! Superman antagonists like Vartox and Doomsday often get new powers that are inexplicable even in the context they had been established to gain new abilties just to keep them relevant. Even supporting charaters like Lana Lang, sidekicks like Jimmy Olsen, have been swept up in the new power craze!

* PopCulturedBadass

* RankScalesWithAsskicking: Most of the time as the leader of the Justice League, but he also became a high-ranking officer in ''ComicBook/NewKrypton''.

* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: He transforms into a Doomsday-like monster called [=SuperDoom=] in ''Superman: Doomed'' after Superman is inflicted by Doomsday's virus. Naturally, he does manage to recover and revert back to his normal self at the story's conclusion.

** Several incarnations also show him as having an insatiable sweet tooth, eating candy and fast food by the pounds, since his metabolism literally will not allow him to get fat.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/superman_0002_1.jpg]]

** Post Crisis Superman briefly leads one as general of New Krypton. These people all have the potential to be almost as strong to slightly stronger than him, but none of them have his fighting skills, as they're all new to having super powers.

* RivalTurnedEvil: Conduit was originally the law abiding athlete Kenny Braverman who competed with Clark Kent in sports like football. Kenny had received super powers the same night Clark's rocket landed on Earth but did not use them to help him sports. Kenny had an abuse father who would punish and berate him for "losing" to Clark, the son Kenny's father would have rather had, which caused Kenny to grow to hate Clark out of resentment and accuse Clark of using powers to "cheat" even though Clark didn't ''have'' any super powers until adulthood in this story. Then Kenny lost his girlfriend Lana Lang to Clark. Kenny did put his powers to good use, joining the CIA, but then he went rogue for his chance to finally destroy Clark. First by stealing Clark's "[[MistakenForRomance girlfriend]]" Ruby but then by killing Clark when the resulting relationship turned sour.

* RivalTurnedEvil: Conduit was originally the law abiding athlete Kenny Braverman who competed with Clark Kent in sports like football. Kenny had received super powers the same night Clark's rocket landed on Earth but did not use them to help him sports. Kenny had an abuse father who would punish and berate him for "losing" to Clark, the son Kenny's father would have rather had, which caused Kenny to grow to hate Clark out of resentment and accuse Clark of using powers to "cheat" even though Clark didn't ''have'' any super powers until adulthood in this story. Kenny did put his powers to good use, joining the CIA, but then he went rogue for his chance to finally destroy Clark. First by stealing Clark's "[[MistakenForRomance girlfriend]]" Ruby but then by killing Clark when the resulting relationship turned sour.

* FriendlyRival: The original Doomsday of the Post Crisis continuity, the monster who fought Superman to a MutualKill, [[FireForgedFriends eventually becomes this as he gains sapience]]. [[BloodKnight He still likes fighting with Superman]] and ''claims'' he is going to kill him, but never actually tries to again and in fact saves Superman from Gog twice, willingly risking his life and or sapience the second time. Doomsday doesn't even cause random destruction and attack all life in sight anymore as he seeks out rematches with Superman. Superman in turn goes out of his way to save original Doomsday from Lex Luthor's imperfect Doomsday clones and The Doomslayer([[Videogame/{{Doom}} not that one]]), who wants to kill Doomsday, everything related to Doomsday, and everything with knowledge of Doomday before killing himself, [[KnightTemplar so that Doomsday will be finally gone for good]]. The ''only'' reason there is any genuine animostity between Superman and Doomsday prior to Flashpoint is because of Doctor Psycho brainwashing Doomsday in an attempt to make him a simple minded killing machine. Unfortunately for Superman, Flashpoint does what Doctor Psycho cannot and permanently makes Doomsday a mindless brute again.

* PopCulturedBadass: Post Crisis Clark Kent spends most of his time reading more historically significant and academical texts like ''Literature/TheArtOfWar'' but admits that his favorite book is ''Literature/ToKillAMockingbird''. Clark also thinks that as tough as [[Videogame/PokemonRedandBlue Mewtwo]] may be [[ButHeSoundsHandsome Superman could beat him in a fight.]]

* RapidAging: DC Rebirth establishes that Kryptonians slowly revert to and stay at their physical prime as long as they stay under the light of a "yellow" sun, but during ''Infinite Frontier'' aliens from The Breach poison Superman with radiation that causes him to rapidly age towards organ failure that has to be periodically off set by magic from the Enchantress. She can only deal with his symptoms however, the root cause remains until Superman receieves a blood transfusion from an old god.

* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: It took close to a decade for Superman's costume to become what it became famous for. Early Superman art drew heavily from the circus strongmen of the era, especially the costume, which originally featured laced sandals in lieu of boots. His logo also evolved. The original insignia was shaped like a police badge, and only featured a simple red ''S'' in the middle. This evolved into a red and yellow inverted triangle, which had slowly morphed into the familiar shield around the end of the Golden Age. During this time, other small details varied as well, in some early comics, his boots were yellow or blue, and sometimes his shield was on a black background.

* ExpyCoexistence: Whether intentionally designed after him or just drawing on the imagery of FlyingBrick with a cape, as the years have gone by he's teamed up with Captain Marvel [=/=] Shazam, Icon, and Apollo.

* SuperheroPackingHeat: Three times in the Post Crisis continuity. Superman did not have all of his powers working yet when he returned during ''The Reign of The Supermen'' climax, so he resorted to using a giant pair of guns. Superman also carried a rifle during his time as New Krypton's general. After Wonder Woman blinded herself to defeat Medusa, Superman shot her with a hunting rifle to see how she would react. Batman found this disturbing even after Superman explained that even if Wonder Woman had failed to block the shot [[ShootingSuperman it would not have really hurt her.]]

* PopCulturedBadass: Post Crisis Clark Kent spends most of his time reading more historically significant and academical texts like ''Literature/TheArtOfWar'' but admits that his favorite book is ''Literature/ToKillAMockingbird''. Clark also thinks that as tough as [[Videogame/PokemonRedandBlue Mewtwo]] may be [[ButHeSureSoundsHandsome Superman could beat him in a fight.]]

** [[DownplayedTrope Relatively speaking]]. Most versions of Superman are competent brawlers but are not fighting prodigies. During the Silver Age this was the point of a Silver Age Phantom Zone breakout storyline. Faora had gotten out and Superman with his rudimentary knowledge of kryptonian self defense simply could not take her, the greatest martial artist of the incarcerated criminals, in a fight. ''Somehow'' outsmarting the schemere clever enough to get out in the first place was his only option.

*** Happened again in the ''New 52'' when Superman lost his memories of the Kents' lessons and of meeting Batman and entered a relationship with Catwoman. This ended as soon as his memories returned.

** In older histories, Clark's nanny's name was established as '''L'''aetitia '''L'''erner and in more recent ones, his biological mother's full name is '''L'''ara '''L'''or-Van, providing a possible explanation.

* InterspeciesRomance: With Lana Lang and Lois Lane (humans), with Lori Lemaris (mermaid) and ComicBook/WonderWoman (Amazon/demigod) as of the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}''.

** He has taken on this role to ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} and, to some degree, to ComicBook/JimmyOlsen.

* RealMenEatMeat: [[AvertedTrope Averted in most depictions]], where Superman is a strict vegetarian. The original Golden Age Superman loved beef Wellington, however, while Silver Age Superman loved beef bourguignon.

* VibrationManipulation: While not as well known for it as the Flash, Superman has been shown to vibrate his molecules into an intangible state and vibrate his body to increase the damage of his attacks. In ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', he defeated Cyborg Superman by punching through his chest and vibrating so fast that Cyborg Superman's body -- which was weakened by kryptonite exposure -- was completely obliterated. [[MagicAIsMagicA Why this doesn't damage Superman's own speed force lacking body]], when Superman typically doesn't display any other hand of molecular manipulation beyond indirectly via heat vision, is not explained.

* PapaWolf: Hurting a kid or one of the teen heroes in front of Superman is a wonderful way to get him to [[IAmNotLeftHanded take the gloves off]] and [[NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech tell you exactly how badly you're gonna get your ass kicked.]] If it's a hero he's related to (Supergirl, Superboy), [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown the beating goes double]].

** Hell, ask any ''[[VillainRespect villain]]'' and they'll tell you the same.