Sometimes it feels like Superman Has countless powers: flight, super strength, super speed, heat vision, frost breath and dozens of others. The breadth of powers is one of the biggest reasons why people call Superman boring, but all of those powers pale in comparison to his ultimate resort: the Super Flare.
Superman having an attack that is so powerful, he avoids using it is a pretty scary concept, but it is Exactly what the super flare is. Alternatively called the solar flare power, it debuted in Superman #38 by Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr. When Superman realizes that he is able to expend all of his solar energy in one giant blast.
This attack Decimates everything around him and drains Superman of all his powersRendering him almost human – therefore he rarely uses these abilities. Not only is this the most destructive power in his arsenal, but it leaves him almost entirely vulnerable after the fact, making it a truly last resort attack.
Solar Flare is the strongest Kryptonian ability
Superman #38 by Geoff Johns, John Romita Jr, Klaus Janson, Laura Martin, Ulises Arreola, Daniel Brown, Wil Quintana and Sal Cipriano
Superman has powers because of Earth’s yellow sun. Superman’s Kryptonian cells can absorb the yellow radiation and turn it into incredible power. Superman’s strength, flight, speed, and heat vision all come from the solar energy he absorbs, and if he needs to, he can expend all of it instantly. The Super Flare is a catastrophic ability, and he almost never used it. But when Superman is in a pinch, He is able to release all his power at once To absolutely obliterate anyone in the immediate area around him.
Superman avoids using this ability, but he has also managed to refine it over the years.
Losing all of his powers after using a super flare is the biggest reason Superman avoids using the ability, but he’s also managed to refine it over the years. The Justice League helps Superman in Justice League #49 by Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson and Rob Lei, so that he can control the exact amount of energy he releases in his super flare, allowing him to make it much smaller and more contained. Instead of destroying an entire city block, he can localize the blast much more easily, which also Allows him to spend less energySave some so it doesn’t take him as long to recharge after using the solar flare power.
Why doesn’t Superman use his solar flare power anymore?
Superman holds back his strongest attack
With the amount of ​​powers and high level of strength Superman has, he rarely needs to use his super flare attack. Few enemies can push him to the desperation he would need to unleash all his power at once. He would also have to be sure that his super flare attack would actually take his enemy down, or else Superman would be severely weakened. While this attack is rarely used in the comics, it remains Superman’s Strongest move and is reserved for only the most desperate situations.
Superman #38 is now available from DC Comics!