The Earth's yellow sun grants Superman unmatched physical strength, near-total invulnerability to most weapons, flight, and speed that often rivals Speed Force users. Kal-El's sensory suite transcends human limits, and he can project concentrated beams of intense heat from his eyes and discharge high-pressure blasts of freezing breath. Superman's repertoire has housed strange superpowers such as amnesia-inducing kisses and super ventriloquism, but it has also expanded to include abilities like his gold form, which makes him temporarily invulnerable to threats as deadly as Green Kryptonite, at the cost of a subsequent period of weakness.
However, Clark Kent isn't an invincible Kryptonian, and he isn't even the most powerful Superman in the DC multiverse.
As Superman, Jor-El Guides Human Civilization To Its Next Era
Father Of Tomorrow #2; Written By Kenny Porter; Art By Danny Earls
In a universe where Jor-El escapes to Earth instead of his son, Kal-El's father crash-lands on the Kents' farm, takes up the name "Jordan Kent," and blends into human society as Jonathan Kent's adoptive brother. Twenty years after being unable to prevent Jonathan's death, Jor-El not only has established himself as this universe's heroic Superman, but he has also used his genius-level intellect and his advanced knowledge of Kryptonian technology to push humanity to the next step in their evolution, harnessing previously unfathomable inventions in ways humans wouldn't have conceived in centuries.
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Father of Tomorrow #2 reveals a Metropolis that has seemingly transformed into a futuristic utopia in the span of only two decades, with massive skyscrapers and high-tech transportation that includes flying cars. Besides offering Earthly society his unparalleled knowledge, Jor-El has somehow managed to convince humans to adopt and integrate Krypton's technology without pushback. Protecting the world using his physical power is already an incredible feat, but singlehandedly creating the next technological revolution is an achievement only the Father of Tomorrow can pride himself on. Not even a joint effort by the whole Justice League could match this feat in regular continuity.
Kal-El Could Replicate His Father's Alternate-Universe Revolution, But He Won't
DC's Classic Superman Doesn't Interfere With Human Evolution
Kal-El doesn't possess the same innate drive to invent as his father, and he doesn't have the same Kryptonian tech expertise. However, Superman does have the physical might and the contacts he needs to achieve a similar leap in society's evolution. If a godlike alien either threatened or inspired humanity to put all its efforts on building a futuristic utopia, world governments and private companies would likely try to appease him. Rich DC heroes like Batman, Aquaman, and Green Arrow could put their wealth together to make it happen, and geniuses like Mister Terrific, Ray Palmer, and Silas Stone could contribute in great part to it.
Clark Kent consciously refuses to impose a high-tech, futuristic paradise upon humanity because he respects human agency far too much to strip away the planet's self-determination. Though Superman's solar-charged biology grants him the physical dominion to mandate a flawless society overnight, he recognizes that a utopia built on coercion is merely a gilded cage. Superman's patient, hands-off philosophy is precisely what Lex Luthor hates so much about the Man of Steel, as unlike the Father of Tomorrow, DC's regular Superman chooses not to use his Kryptonian blessings to shape human society, but instead to protect its free will.
Do you think it's time for DC's main Earth to evolve technologically?
Father of Tomorrow #2 is available June 24 from DC Comics.
Created By
Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel
First Appearance
Action Comics
Alias
Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent
Alliance
Justice League, Superman Family
Race
Kryptonian
Franchise
D.C.
English (US) ·