Silver Surfer vs Superman (IN CHARACTER)
OK enough "max potential" debates... we've been doing that forever. Who would win if they actually fought in character, with full knowledge that the other character is also a hero and therefore will likely try and defeat the opponent without seriously damaging them?
And no, this doesn't mean you can say "supes wins because the writer never lets him lose in the end". you still have a burden of proof.
This is easy. Surfer.
He actually has a way to disable Superman without hurting him but Supes would need to pummel Surfer into unconsciousness.
Surfer could just drain the solar energy from Superman or bombard him with red sun radiation and weaken him to where they stop fighting and talk it out.
In a straight up fight to the death, my money is on Supes though, but that's not what the thread is about so...
I think this one depends on why they are fighting. Since we're taking character into account and not just setting them against each other for our amusement, I think motivation should be stated. They're both aware they are heroes, but why are they fighting? It's a hero vs hero comic, we need a reason. There's always some reason they're at odds, like Surfer's been identified as a threat to earth, or Superman is going to explode or something.
So, basically KMC rules, but they're fighting reluctantly and not trying to kill each other.
That's alot harder to call. I might have to give this one to Surfer, given that's he's alot more ruthless to begin with. Superman is more likely to pull punches.
Then again, with the fate of the earth at stake, I could see this going either way.
I could see this going either way but surfer has far more advantages. Surfer wih basic knowledge of superman knows about kryptonite and power cosmics a set of kryptonite knuckles into existence and it's lights out superman. However that said I still believe a max power version of supes takes this but as he is right now.... Surfer.
Depends on the confrontation.
Surfer begrudgingly leading Galactus to Earth to feed? I see Superman trying to demoralize/lecture Norrin to convince him to send his master elsewhere and appeal to his better nature. Surfer eventually begrudgingly attacks Superman and tells him to flee this planet while he still can. Superman fights back, Surfer pours on more of the Power Cosmic, Superman endures but is worse for the wear of doing so. Eventually, Superman recharges and beats down Norrin while telling him how he won't lose another planet and he needs to put him down, etc. Surfer relents and plotdeviceplotdeviceplotdevice later, Galactus goes to feed elsewhere and Surfer has a newfound respect for Superman or something.
At least, I find that to be the most likely scenario in character.
If nothing was at stake or worth to Superman really digging down and fighting for, I would say Surfer more than not.