Superman’s Motorbike Finally Gave DC a Kryptonian Batmobile

Spoilers for Superman: Godfall!

DC Comics’ Superman commands the kind of power that allows him to do pretty much anything, with his preferred mode of transportation being flight, something his fellow Justice League colleague, Batman, can only accomplish with the help of his numerous custom-made planes, boats, motorcycles, and of course, Batmobiles. But in a comic story where Kal-El finds himself back in the still-intact city of Kandor, Superman gets his answer to the Batmobile, one that fits this alternate take on the character well.

A superhero that traditionally doesn’t have use for a car or a plane to get to where he’s going, Superman has, on occasion, traveled in other ways over the years — specifically in the Justice League’s team jet, the Javelin — for long-distance space flights and trips that would take forever to complete even at Superman’s fastest.

So, why would Big Blue ever need anything but his yellow sun-provided powers to get from point A to point B? Superman: Godfall, a story that sees Kal-El brainwashed into thinking Krypton never exploded, handily answers that question, giving Superman his very own futuristic motorcycle!

Superman: Godfall – 2004 (Michael Turner, Joe Kelly and Talent Caldwell)

Trapped in the bottled city of Kandor, this version of Kal-El doesn’t remember his time as Earth’s Superman nor what brought him into this false narrative, only sporadically using his powers as his memories of being a hero slowly return. Initially wearing Kryptonian garb and a cape with his iconic “S” emblazoned on it, Superman rides a luminescent Tron-like speeder bike that mimics the faux-Kryptonian influences around him. Using the bike to help take out aliens who are targeting him, Superman’s bike is a quick, flashy, and ultimately much-needed tool he uses to escape a grisly fate.

What makes this bike so interesting compared to the Batmobile is visually obvious, with its large wheels and aerodynamic design working far better for Kal-El than an enclosed car space would, allowing Superman to use his laser vision to defend himself when that power briefly and inexplicably returns. Additionally, the bike acts as a symbol for this trapped Superman to feel some sort of control and freedom in his life before he realizes what’s going on, something that could also be said about Batman’s relation to his fleet of Batmobiles as he cruises around during his nightly war on crime.

Superman’s Kryptonian Bike Helped Him Get Around in Style but Can’t Compare to the Batmobile

Not to be confused with the Harley Davidson-esque motorcycle Superman used in Grant Morrison’s New 52 Action Comics run when Clark still hadn’t figured out how to fly reliably, this Kryptonian bike is far superior to what was presented there, making it a useful tool against his enemies in Superman: Godfall’s early moments. Though it still can’t hold a candle to Batman’s Batmobile and its high-tech prepared for anything usefulness, it was still an important part of Superman’s self-rediscovery in this arc, helping him once again feel powerful and free in a world that tampered with his mind and body.

Superman: Godfall is available from DC Comics.