Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

Superman's weakness/disadvantage against magic is something that's often debated and argued on the board. Is he really "weak" to magic or is it something that he's just not as invulnerable to as say, bullets? Are all kinds of magic detrimental to Superman or just specific kinds? What's his best showing against magic? His worse? And what about average? Which magic users would be the most detrimental to Superman? This thread is designed to answer these questions and more as we pit the Man of Steel against the forces of mysticism and the arcane.

Magic>>>Superman

There are two takes to the vulnerability:
(1) Magic just straight up f*cks Clark up. Anything mystical related from a werewolf to- a non magical I think- sword in a magical place could gut him. At one point the JLA were fighting magical bats or what have you and he had to stay out IIRC.

(2) Superman is not vulnerable to it like he is to kryptonite, he is simply affected by magical laws similar to other entities who aren't particularly resistant to magic. If someone stabs Superman with a mystically forged knife, it wouldn't break his skin unless there's a spell on it to cut through materials -as tough as Superman- etc.

The second was closer to Busiek's take. In modern continuity, it's closer to something in between those two takes but based on what I've seen, when Superman encounters something -swords or what have you in particular- with a mystical origin, he usually gets hurt.

I'd probably agree with Rage. Magic isn't inherently harmful to Superman; he just has only so much defence against it.

Originally posted by -Pr-
I'd probably agree with Rage. Magic isn't inherently harmful to Superman; he just has only so much defence against it. What is "so much"?

Do you mean his invulnerability still helps?

Originally posted by Mindset
What is "so much"?

Do you mean his invulnerability still helps?

Depending on how powerful the magic is, it can.

He's survived being struck by Shazam's lightning, for example.

Pffft, humans survive lightning strikes. mmm

Originally posted by Mindset
Pffft, humans survive lightning strikes. mmm

magic affects him like it does anyone. he is not completely defenseless against it though (fought the hordes of blaze i think and his powers still worked but were more limited and somewhat inconsistent.)

a powerful magic spell or sword would do the same thing to clark as it would to say, jonnz, or anyone who doesn't have a SPECIAL resistance to magic.

OK I'm actually going to use Hancock as my analogy for this. At least as he was at the end of the movie when he was weak and getting injured.

And by that I mean Hancock kept getting shot and stabbed and beaten on but because he wasn't a normal human being he could still take some of it and he still had his powers to will himself through it. Like when he was getting choked out and he was able to focus and use his strength to pick up the guy and throw him away.


My idea of Superman is along the same lines. He get's effected by it and magic causes him injury but he is still superhuman and can still bulldoze himself through it if need be tho for only a limited time like Hancock.

Edit: Of course it will vary depending on the type of attack and the magic power level.

Looks like Superman can get over his magical hangups


IMG]http://http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9002/ccf0418201100000.th.jpg

Originally posted by paisapower
Looks like Superman can get over his magical hangups


IMG]http://http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9002/ccf0418201100000.th.jpg I disagree.

I hope that puts an end to that.

Originally posted by Sr J-Bieb
I disagree.

I hope that puts an end to that.


You disagree with ?

i forget the source, but i once read that his logical, scientific mind simply doesn't understand it, so he's vulnerable to it.

if a normal human with a magical dagger stabbed superman, would he cut superman?

Originally posted by Starscream M
if a normal human with a magical dagger stabbed superman, would he cut superman?

Possibly.

he'd just have to contend with Superman's enhanced healing.

Originally posted by Rage.Of.Olympus
There are two takes to the vulnerability:
(1) Magic just straight up f*cks Clark up. Anything mystical related from a werewolf to- a non magical I think- sword in a magical place could gut him. At one point the JLA were fighting magical bats or what have you and he had to stay out IIRC.

(2) Superman is not vulnerable to it like he is to kryptonite, he is simply affected by magical laws similar to other entities who aren't particularly resistant to magic. If someone stabs Superman with a mystically forged knife, it wouldn't break his skin unless there's a spell on it to cut through materials -as tough as Superman- etc.

The second was closer to Busiek's take. In modern continuity, it's closer to something in between those two takes but based on what I've seen, when Superman encounters something -swords or what have you in particular- with a mystical origin, he usually gets hurt.

Yes, good sum-up.

Pre-crisis it was all (1), now it's mostly (2), but even something without a specific enchantment does a *little* better than it would normally.

superman has had several upgrades to magical defence. It dont mess him up like it used to though.

Originally posted by zeel
superman has had several upgrades to magical defence. It dont mess him up like it used to though. What are these several upgrades?

I know of one.

Originally posted by zeel
superman has had several upgrades to magical defence. It dont mess him up like it used to though. Issue numbers ?

can captain marvel kill superman by holding him to the air and yelling shazam over and over

Didn't he crush Arion recently?

Originally posted by Colossus-Big C
can captain marvel kill superman by holding him to the air and yelling shazam over and over probably. not sure.

i remember Cap was working Supes with Lightning strikes in the "Clash" episode of JLU; it was very effective until Supes grabbed Cap between strikes and made him revert back to Billy.

Magic resistence, like against kryptonite, is plot-dependent. And that's the end of the discussion, really.

There's no consensus, because it's always fluctuating for what the writers need in their story.

Originally posted by TricksterPriest
Didn't he crush Arion recently?

yes.

Originally posted by Colossus-Big C
can captain marvel kill superman by holding him to the air and yelling shazam over and over

eventually yes.

Originally posted by Sr J-Bieb
I disagree.

I hope that puts an end to that.

Read somewhere that he was giving a amulet or something, that shields him against magic. Or has that being taken out.

Originally posted by Mindset
What are these several upgrades?

I know of one.


i believe zatanna and fate both helped supes in this department.

Was it for the duration of an arc/issue or something that was permanent and has since lasted with Superman?

Didn't Phantom Stranger help Supes out with magic, too?

Originally posted by Colossus-Big C
can captain marvel kill superman by holding him to the air and yelling shazam over and over

Sure. Dunno how many blasts it'd take, but they do a lot of damage.

Wasn't there an issue recently where Superman and Power Girl were losing their powers because they were in the vicinity of magically created dinosaurs? Their hearing, speed, strength, invulnerability etc were all fading just by being near the creatures. I didn't read the whole issue though so I'm not sure what was going on.

Personally, I've never seen Superman outright tank magical attacks w/o some sort of upgrade -- it almost always has some sort of effect.

It's like many others have said: Superman isn't *usually* portrayed with any sort of special resistance to magic. It affects him like it would most anyone else.