This looks like a job for Superman!
PHYSICAL ABILITIES.
Kryptonians are stronger, faster and more powerful by absorbing solar radiation in their cells, allowing them to achieve superhuman feats manifesting itself from an early age (at the age of 8 for Superman).
They become physically stronger and more powerful over time. Therefore, it will be more challenging to fight Superman than last time and ,vise versa, Superman will be physically stronger and more powerful than last time - especially if he does not hold back, as he usually does due to his upbringing .
STRENGTH.[]
An exaggeration, but the point is that Superman has a very great strength.
- This being responsible enters. His strength... his powers... must border on the infinite.
Superman #29
- Scaling :
1st scaling : scales to the New Gods Orion, considering that only the latter destroyed Kalibak beta-club.
- That beta-club was forger in the fire-pits of Apokolips! Only the accursed Orion has ever shattered
Action Comics Annual #3
- Mountain level :
- You have the strength to move mountains [...]
Adventures of Superman #494
DURABILITY.[]
- Planet level :
survives being restrained with the weight of a planet.
- I know. In this realm that behemoth has the strength of a planet.
Superman Annual #7
- Scaling :
1st scaling : scales to the New Gods Orion in matter of durability, according to the fact that only Orion survived Apokolips fire pits.
- A man? And he's breathing? He survived the fire-pits? By the stench-soaked scum of Apokolips -- that's impossible! Only that odious New Gods, Orion, has ever survived before. Which makes this some sort of miracle. How much, then, can I get for him, eh?
Adventures of Superman #426
SPEED.[]
- Light speed :
- With his telescopic vision and ability to fly at light speed, Superman could take up the chase...
Action Comics Weekly #622
REACTION SPEED.[]
- Nanosecond :
- In less than a microsecond a dozen reactions raced through my brain.
Superman 1987 #12
WILL-POWER.
John Byrne Superman's revamp explains Superman high end feats, as competing a more powerful character. Superman's power is proportional to his will : The greater the will, the more he will overcome the obstacle. Explaining the over achievements, and inconsistencies, in particular, on resistances as it's only a matter of willpower.
However, I must admit that this does not explain how he can compete against metaphysical/spiritual entities. But just briefly, since the explanation is after Death Of Superman, he ascended to the metaphysical/spiritual plane by becoming the embodiment of : Hope, Truth, Justice and the American Way, etc.
[]
- The reference in terms of power :
1. Unquestionably one of the powerful superheroes.
- Well, like I was sayin'-- there was lots of these super-weirdies back in the '40s -- but none were ever as powerful as this one!
Adventures of Superman Annual #7
2. Captain Atom recognizes that Superman is a powerful being.
- [...] if they have an anti-personnel weapon that can kill Superman... what hope is there for any of us?
Superman #26
3. Once again, he is undeniably one of the most powerful superheroes on earth.
- Of all the earth's super-heroes, he is arguably the mightiest...
Action Comics Annual #3
4. Brainiac believes that it will take all the the combined might of heroes in the Warworld to defeat Superman. Re-asserting that he is one of the most powerful heroes.
- It will take all these heroes to place you in thrall.
Superman: The Man of Steel #10
5. Kismet showed a possible futur in which the krytponian side of Superman defeated all the heroes and dominated the Earth.
This is interesting, as it would assert Zeus and Brainiac words above, and shows the importance of Superman's mind as explained in LIMITATION(S). Adventures of Superman #494
6. Eclipso stated that Superman is "the most powerful individual on Earth" and that only the daxamite Lar Gand is close to the power of Superman.
- This cannot be happening to me!! I have lost the most powerful individual on Earth! And yet.. I still control one who is at least Superman's equal! Even if the man of steel finds his way to my palace, Lar Gand will prove more than even match!
Adventures of Superman Annual #4
- Scaling :
1st scaling : scales to the gods according to Zeus himself :
- Highfather, he is as mighty as your "New Gods" or my fellow Olympians. With his power, he could take over the entire planet by himself.
Action Comics #794
2nd scaling : scales to the New Gods Kalibak, since Mannheim needed him to fight Superman. Adventures of Superman Annual #7
3rd scaling : scales to the gods according to Wonder Woman, even though it could be argue that Wonder Woman sees Superman as a god due to the fact he is a mighty being, but such statements about Superman are very common.
- Strange sentiments, for one who might stand as equal with gods!
4th scaling : scales to Waverider according his own words :
- Truly, Superman's powers rival my own.
Action Comics Annual #3
5th scaling : scales to the gods as the god of fear Phobos admitted it, and needed "the perfect answer" - Quetzalcoatl - so that Superman would not interfere with his plans.
- And yet, Superman has power to rival even the gods. His intervention could ruin our plans. I must think! I must distract him! But how? The emergence of Quetzalcoatl would be the pefect answer. And no one would suspect the gods of Rome...
Superman: The Man of Steel #3
6th scaling : scales to the gods, given the fact that Quetzalcoatl considers him an equal of the gods by calling him "little brother", and still call him as such despite Superman's disagreement.
- S : Why do you call me "little brother"?
- Q : Who but another god could challenge me so brashly and so well?
Superman: The Man of Steel #3
7th scaling : scales to the New Gods Orion.
- Ughn This one holds the power of Orion himself!
Adventures of Superman #495
RESISTANCE.[]
- Body and soul :
Thahn tried to posses Superman's body and soul to enter in the physical plane.
- No wonder. He's stronger than before, and he's only moments away from possessing Superman... body and soul.
Superman Annual #7
- Molecules manipulation :
Darkseid's Omega Effect.
- I can attune the frequency of my energy blasts to your precise molecular structure, Superman.
Action Comics #586
- Mind :
1. One of the circle members died by entering in Superman's mind. Below, his last words before his death :
- I... do... do wish I could stop... do wish this would go away... but his mind -- you should be inside that mind. He's not one of us.. he's something else, maybe even something more! There is overwhelming peace inside him! No turmoil, no hate, no anxiety, no judgments over others!
Adventures of Superman #427
2. Superman's mind caused Brainiac's coma for days.
- H-his mind... to strong... c-c-can't beee
Superman #27
3. Overcomes Maxima's psychic invasions. Action Comics #651
4. Superman's morale code is so strong that it broke Phobos spell.
- Just as I feared... Superman's moral code against killing was too strong. He's broken the god's spell.
War of the Gods #2
5. Shows a degree of resistance against a mind reader. Suicide Squad #62
6. Overcomes Brainiac's control over his mind. Superman: The Man of Steel #9
- Heart :
frees himself from Hfuhruhurr heart manipulation.
- Impossible! He's broken free!
Adventures of Superman Annual #1
- Atoms :
- By the veil of Valmoora! That burst would have ripped a scout ship to atoms!
Superman #26
- Magic :
- He... he shattered my mystic sphere! It cannot be... I once held six men helpless with such a spell!
Superman #26
LIMITATION(S) :[]
1. Undoubtedly, Superman is one of the most powerful beings on earth and the reference in terms of power, but he is also the most vulnerable of all :
Clark Kent. Kal-El. One and same. Yet, two opposite sides : Kal-El is the krytponian side of Superman, while Clark Kent is the human side of Superman.
Kal-El is kryptonian, but was raised as Clark Kent by a farmers couple who could not have a son, and so they made it their own. The Kent raised Kal-El as a human kid and, therefore, the latter adopted the same physiology as a human by growing up as such. "He thinks as a human being, feels as a human being", as stated John Byrne in "Action Comics #585".
But discovering the truth and learning more about his kryptonian side, Superman's mind is imbalanced as as he is not just a human raised by a kind-hearted couple, but also a super-human by being the last son from a doomed planet, Krypton.
Such imbalance in Superman's mind is one of, if not, his greatest vulnerability since he has to find the balance between his human side and kryptonian side. Indeed, in Action Comics #586, Darkseid stated that :
- Superman's powers require his full, active brain to drive them
So understanding this, helps to understand Superman's under achievements such as defeats against less mighty beings, as shown in Adventures of Superman #430, where, initially, lost against the Circle, but then defeated them following Jonathan's guidance.
- Sometimes you're more like Superman. Sometimes more like Clark. And sometimes one side becomes more important that the other-- but what you are isn't what you do. You're the same man, with or without that fancy suit.
2. Superman serves the world. In fights, he is more worries for others than himself when the danger is around. He will try to save as many lives as possible by sacrificing himself. Lex Luthor is the first to notice this in Superman Confidential #3 (from pages 10 to 12).
3. In fights, Superman may easily be defeated because he voluntarily lets his opponents give him a few blows to gauge their power. This can be detrimental to him against ruthless, blood-lust, etc. beings.
- Starman : How do you gauge an opponent's strengths?
- Superman : Good question. With my power, I can usually afford to take a few hits.
Starman #14
NOTE : I ignore kryptonite, magic and others, since these are common known vulnerabilities of kryptonians.