Originally posted by Galvaclaw
Countdown. The issue light ray dies Superman turns up minutes late for a meteor storm and apologises because he was in Vega 25 light years away when he heard jimmy olsen signal watch.
That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Light or radiowaves would take 25 years to travel that distance, sound would take centuries (if it could travel through space without fading) How exactly did he "hear" anything?
Plus Superman's hearing works on a different level as well. You and I in a room talking, the sound might travel 5 feet, bounce between the walls a couple times, and then be gone completely. However, Superman can be on the other side of the planet, and literally telescope his hearing INTO the room. Because surely the sound waves aren't actually traveling all the way to him while he stops a volcano or something equally as noise polluting.
Also, in a JLA issue, it stated he can hear crickets chirping from the moon or some such.
Originally posted by Juntai
Plus Superman's hearing works on a different level as well. You and I in a room talking, the sound might travel 5 feet, bounce between the walls a couple times, and then be gone completely. However, Superman can be on the other side of the planet, and literally telescope his hearing INTO the room. Because surely the sound waves aren't actually traveling all the way to him while he stops a volcano or something equally as noise polluting.Also, in a JLA issue, it stated he can hear crickets chirping from the moon or some such.
That would indicate that his "super hearing" has nothing to do with sound then ... as that's just not possible.
Originally posted by Juntai
Plus Superman's hearing works on a different level as well. You and I in a room talking, the sound might travel 5 feet, bounce between the walls a couple times, and then be gone completely. However, Superman can be on the other side of the planet, and literally telescope his hearing INTO the room. Because surely the sound waves aren't actually traveling all the way to him while he stops a volcano or something equally as noise polluting.Also, in a JLA issue, it stated he can hear crickets chirping from the moon or some such.
He was also quoted as being able to hear 'dust settling on the surface of
Mars' in Kingdom Come IIRC?
Originally posted by ScooblessIndeed, it must be however, there's just been two on panel instances mentioned in a couple of posts.
That would indicate that his "super hearing" has nothing to do with sound then ... as that's just not possible.
His senses are more akin to 'cosmic awareness', both in plot devicey-ness and application when he starts using them in unison.
Originally posted by Scoobless
That would indicate that his "super hearing" has nothing to do with sound then ... as that's just not possible.
BTW you have a point with the whole sound thing ....Kal can move many times faster than light, but the signal that went to the watch should never have reached him in time (at least for 25 years, assuming the signal travelled at C and did not dissipate).
Also about the sound issue ....thinking about it maybe his super-hearing has nothing to do with sound, as you say. After all, it is said he can hear an electron get shorn off the orbital shell of an atom. That is not something that can be registered using sound energy.
Anyways, it is kind of moot since we are talking about some character who can travel faster than C (meaning all physics get thrown out), but if i were a betting man i'd say that while his hearing is super, there is something about it that is beyond the mere cognition of sound waves.
Or ...as Juntai said ....it can be neatly wrapped up under Kryptonian tech.
Or maybe psionics.
Just remembered something else ...what was that series where Gog would go around, playing with time, killing Superman after Superman after Superman.
Then the Supermen, I believe in the afterlife, POOLED their telescopic vision to see into the real world ....or something like that (been 2 years since i read it).
That is definitely not 'normal' vision.
Again, maybe some sort of psionics.
Originally posted by spetznaz
Also about the sound issue ....thinking about it maybe his super-hearing has nothing to do with sound, as you say. After all, it is said he can hear an electron get shorn off the orbital shell of an atom. That is not something that can be registered using sound energy.
I wish his Supersenses would get written into more stories, but I imagine it's hard to balance all of the different aspects of a character like Superman. His human side, his superman side, his kryptonian side, his icon status, balacing the powers used in an issue, as well as the way he often uses his powers to create other opportunities or mimic other powers, or his sheer intelligence. His tech, etc.
Originally posted by spetznazThe Kingdom.
Just remembered something else ...what was that series where Gog would go around, playing with time, killing Superman after Superman after Superman.Then the Supermen, I believe in the afterlife, POOLED their telescopic vision to see into the real world ....or something like that (been 2 years since i read it).
That is definitely not 'normal' vision.
Again, maybe some sort of psionics.
Originally posted by The IlluminatiSuperman flew to the Source Wall in a few panels. The Source Wall is at the end of the DC Universe. Superman also flew from Vega, which is 25 light years away, to Earth in a few panels. Superman has enough recent feats to be as fast as Gladiator at the very least.
Your not wrong, Superman has never been shown to be 100x FTL Glads has. Glads and SS for sure, not sure if anyone else would take the majority.
Originally posted by OneDumbG0
Hmmm... looking at Infinite Crisis #7, what travel speed feats are you referring to exactly? And which ones from 'Countdown to Infinite Crisis?'