10 Times Superman was the World’s Greatest Hero

Since his debut in 1938, Superman has been the champion for the downtrodden, advocating truth, justice, and a brighter future. Despite being an extraterrestrial refugee himself, he deeply values humanity and sees the inherent goodness in all people. Those who criticize Superman argue that his status as the ultimate superhero is due solely to his immense powers. However, this could not be more untrue: it’s not Superman’s powers that make him a hero, but rather how he utilizes those powers. Daily, he dedicates himself to improving the lives of countless individuals, whether through grand acts of courage or smaller gestures such as providing comfort to someone in need. Interestingly, Superman is truly a superhero because he embodies the ideal of what humanity can strive for at its highest potential and what we all have the power to achieve to create a better tomorrow.

Considering the forthcoming premiere of James Gunn’s latest Superman film, a world yearning for the principles Superman embodies, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the pivotal instances in Superman’s past that solidified him as the epitome of moral integrity and optimism.

1) Holds the Cosmos for Atlas

In the comic book “Superman: Man of Tomorrow #12”, Superman decides to take a break, asking Lois Lane to write about his upcoming day off. He feels confident in Metropolis’ citizens’ ability to safeguard the city while he’s away, and they rise to the occasion, helping their community during this time. However, Superman wasn‘t taking a day off for leisure; instead, he was assuming an extraordinary responsibility. He chose to bear the weight of the entire universe for a brief moment so that Titan Atlas could walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. In essence, Superman took upon himself the task usually reserved for the Titan Atlas, who is condemned to hold up the sky eternally, allowing Atlas a precious memory he would always cherish.

2) Giving Kids with Cancer the Trip of a Lifetime

Being a hero transcends merely battling villains; it’s about spreading happiness and instilling hope in those who need it the most. Following his victory against the Demolition Team, Superman finds himself near a hospital where he encounters a group of young cancer patients. Seeking permission from their doctor, he arranges an outing for them to the Justice League’s Watchtower in space. With the aid of his fellow League members, Superman takes these children on an exhilarating journey to meet their beloved heroes. To cap off the day, he provides each child with a spacesuit and leads them on a moonwalk. As they gaze upon Earth, Superman etches each child’s name into moon rocks, ensuring their memories will endure forever. All of this, driven solely by his empathy for these children, fulfills their dreams without any need for reward.

3) Travels Across the Galaxy to Save a Little Girl

In the short tale “Superman: Soaring High Above“, we witness Superman’s extraordinary determination to rescue a solitary individual, particularly a child like Alice. When extraterrestrial beings kidnap Alice, Superman embarks on a cosmic quest, encountering numerous perils and ethical quandaries along the way. These hardships test his resilience as he tirelessly searches for Alice. He triumphs over an alien assassin despite being powerless, engages in combat with an armada of alien starships, and even negotiates with Darkseid to obtain a hint regarding her whereabouts. In the end, having successfully surmounted all obstacles, Superman manages to retrieve Alice and return her safely home. This narrative underscores that it’s not just Superman’s Kryptonian physique that grants him the ability to conquer seemingly insurmountable odds, but also the indomitable spirit fueled by his unwavering commitment to aid others.

4) Rebuilding an Apartment Complex

A frequent criticism of superhero stories is that the heroes seem unconcerned about the cities they’ve vowed to safeguard, as they often wreck cars, streets, and entire city blocks in the process of vanquishing villains without considering the well-being, possessions, or homes of innocents. Unlike those careless heroes, Superman isn’t one of them. In Action Comics #11, when an alien robot goes on a destructive spree in Metropolis, Superman swoops in to stop it swiftly. However, the rampage left an apartment building in ruins, potentially leaving many residents homeless. Instead of departing after defeating the robot, Superman chose to stay and rally everyone to help rebuild the complex. Utilizing his super speed, strength, and repurposing the robot’s metal, he constructed the building to be even better than before, demonstrating that Superman doesn’t merely stop villains; he protects people and improves their lives.

5) Preventing Future School Schootings

A select few individuals are capable of provoking Superman’s true anger, but those who endanger children’s lives will always encounter his fury without fail. In “Superman: Birthright #6,” the Man of Steel swoops in to intercept two teenagers who were planning a school shooting. Uncontent with merely stopping them, he immediately tracks down the individual who supplied the teens with guns and delivers him retribution. Describing how a nine-year-old girl had been forced to face one of his guns, Superman then takes the gun and fires it at the supplier. However, Superman catches the bullet before it could strike the man, allowing the police to make the arrest instead. In this instance, Superman went beyond apprehending the shooters; he took additional steps to ensure that the gun supplier would never again be able to arm teenagers with weapons.

6) Fighting the Klan

Drawing inspiration from an iconic radio drama, the mini-series titled “Superman Smashes the Klan” depicts Superman standing up for tranquility and fairness against some of history’s most notorious spreaders of hate in America: the Ku Klux Klan. In the post-World War II era of 1946, the narrative revolves around Clark as he grapples with his extraterrestrial background when being different could result in being viewed as less than human. When an Asian immigrant family experiences harassment and assaults by the Klan, Superman’s effectiveness in combating the Klan members encourages even the nephew of the Klan’s leader to abandon his prejudiced beliefs. While battling a harmful and powerful group at the peak of its political and social power, protecting those under threat, and inspiring others to shun violence and bigotry, Superman demonstrates courage and compassion.

7) Sacrificing His Life to Kill Doomsday

1992 marked a heart-wrenching moment for all as the iconic hero, Superman, the Man of Tomorrow, met his untimely end. A relentless destructive force, Doomsday, invaded Earth, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Numerous heroes attempted to halt this menace, but ultimately failed. Only Superman appeared to have a chance against it. However, Doomsday’s power proved overwhelming, even threatening Superman’s life. Their confrontation was fierce and brutal, with Superman fighting on despite feeling his own life slipping away. He continued the battle because he understood that if he couldn’t defeat this monster, no one else could. In the end, Superman managed to kill Doomsday, but it appeared as though he had paid the ultimate price for it. It was later discovered that Superman hadn’t died, but had instead entered a coma. Nevertheless, the truth remains that he was willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of the world.

8) Liberating Warworld

Apart from Earth, Superman has also brought hope to distant planets, as portrayed in “The Warworld Saga” of Action Comics. In this narrative, Superman encounters the alien warlord Mongul and unites with a group known as the Authority to challenge Mongul’s battleship-turned-gladiatorial planet, Warworld. However, Mongul swiftly gains the upper hand, stripping Superman of his powers under red sunlight, forcing him to become one of Mongul’s gladiators. Despite being powerless, Superman’s empathy and defiance against Mongul’s rule ignite the enslaved populace to rise up against their oppressor. Superman earns the moniker “the unblooded sword” for his refusal to kill his adversaries. Throughout this story, Superman demonstrated heroism for the oppressed, even without his superpowers.

9) Refusing to Kill Manchester Black

Although the Injustice series portrays Superman differently, it’s important to note that he would never kill out of anger. One of Superman’s formidable adversaries, Manchester Black, serves as a critique of anti-heroes. He professes to fight for justice but revels in taking lives. To challenge Superman’s image as the Boy Scout, Manchester manipulated several of his enemies into attacking him and his loved ones. In the culmination of his scheme, Manchester tricked Superman into believing that he had killed Lois Lane, hoping this would provoke Superman to retaliate with violence. However, even when Superman thought Lois was deceased, he resisted the urge to kill Manchester because he knew it wasn’t what she would have wanted. Therefore, even in his most emotionally distressed state, Superman resisted his darkest instincts. This underscores the essence of Superman – a character who will never succumb to the allure of hatred.

10) Saving Regan

The actions that truly define Superman’s character are not just about stopping catastrophic threats or performing extraordinary feats. Instead, it’s when he connects with individuals who are despairing and offers them hope, showing them that their lives have value. This aspect of his character is beautifully depicted in the critically acclaimed series All-Star Superman. In this story, Superman, who is battling a fatal illness, spends his final days helping as many people as he can. One poignant scene involves him overhearing a distressed phone call between a doctor and a girl named Regan, on the brink of jumping off a building. Superman arrives in time to prevent her jump, assuring her that she is stronger than she thinks. He then comforts her as she cries. While there have been other instances where Superman has dissuaded people from taking their own lives, this scene is particularly memorable due to its portrayal of his most powerful trait: his empathy and capacity to instill hope for the future.

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2025-07-10 15:11