Superman’s Most Controversial Power Made It to Film, But It Was Way, Way Creepier In the Comics

[[{“value”:”

Superman is practically famous for the sheer number of superpowers he possesses, many of which have been adapted over the years. He has so many that it’s no surprise movies and TV haven’t been able to showcase them all. What’s surprising, however, is that one of his creepiest powers not only made it into a movie but was somehow even creepier in the comics.

While Superman and Lois Lane are happily married now, that wasn’t always the case. For years, the comics would tease this potential romance, with events like Clark being forced under the mistletoe with Lois Lane. One year,Clark finally had enough and decided to really plant it on her, with some creepy implications.

This super-kiss appeared in the pages of Action Comics #306 by Robert Bernstein and Al Plastino. After being bullied into standing under the mistletoe with Lois Lane, Clark kisses her so intensely that it leaves her physically dizzy and disoriented, followed by a frankly bizarre comment about it afterward.

Superman Erasing Lois’ Memory With A Kiss Makes No Sense

Action Comics #306 by Robert Bernstein & Al Plastino

Action Comics #306 isn’t the first time Superman demonstrated a super-kiss. It appeared again in Superman II, where a frankly bizarre plot element had Clark Kent kiss Lois Lane and use his powers to wipe her memory, causing her to essentially forget the entire plot of the movie. While the Donner films have always had a touch of goofiness, this moment was a bit more absurd than most fans could believe. However, it does have its roots in the comics, as Superman has displayed the ability to give super-kisses before.

The super-kiss was a step too far for most fans, as the Donner films, while fantastical, generally followed their own internal logic. They provided reasonable explanations for how Superman could fly, use frost breath, and wield heat vision—all of which made sense within the movie’s universe. But then, out of nowhere, Superman whips out this magic kiss at the end, leaping from comic book fantasy straight into the realm of the magical with no real explanation. It was clear the movie just needed Lois to lose her memories, so it conveniently gave Superman the power to make it happen.

Clark’s Original ‘Super-Kiss’ Has An Even Creepier Twist

Superman Might Have A Split-Personality Problem

The kiss was ultimately harmless in the movie, but Superman’s super-kiss in the comic has a much creepier twist to it. After kissing Lois, Clark claims that it wasn’t Clark Kent who kissed her, but instead, Superman. While this could just be Clark coyly saying that he kissed her as his true self. It’s still a bit weird, especially when taking into consideration Superman’s issues with alternate personalities. That’s right, while most fans might not know it, Superman actually has a disturbing history of having separate personalities, and this seemingly benign comment hints at this.

Superman is Metropolis’s most beloved hero, but there was a time when he embraced far more violence than anyone would have been comfortable with. To do this, he created the Demolisher persona and nearly lost himself to it. As the Demolisher, Superman brutalized his villains, and when Metropolis rejected this new, violent hero, he didn’t just retire the persona—he almost destroyed the city’s power station, which would have plunged Metropolis into darkness and triggered a major crime wave. Although Superman eventually came to his senses, it’s still alarming that things escalated that far.

Superman’s Absurd Powers Have Always Been Part of His Character

Why Superman’s Creepiest Power Should Have Stayed Out of the Movies

While Superman using his kiss to erase Lois Lane’s memory is certainly absurd, it’s also perfectly in line with Superman’s character. DC’s writers have been giving Superman nonsense powers to solve problems for decades. Remember the time Superman gained Superman-vision, which he used to give his father Kryptonian powers? Or how about the time he was able to fire miniature versions of himself out of his fingers? Superman has always had bizarre powers to solve whatever problems the writer needs, which is one aspect of Superman’s character that the movie certainly managed to capture perfectly.

The difference here is that, usually, Superman’s powers aren’t so creepy. Erasing Lois’ memory with a kiss is silly and fantastical, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. However, the idea that it wasn’t really Clark who kissed her becomes a bit creepier, especially when Clark seems to shift the blame to an alternate personality. While Superman is undeniably one of the greatest heroes to ever appear in media, there are aspects of his character that don’t necessarily need to be adapted to the big screen—and some of those are his frankly creepier powers.

Action Comics #306 is on sale now from DC Comics!

“}]] Superman has an incredibly CREEPY power.  Read More