The Superpowers That Time Forgot (Superbowl edition)

The NOT So Familiar Abilities of SUPERMAN!

Second only to the holiday of Thanksgiving, Superbowl Sunday is probably the biggest officially-sanctioned day to pig-out on the American calendar. As such, of all the obscure superpowers of Superman, his ability to eat endless amounts of food would certainly come in handy on a day like today.

Telling the story of how Clark Kent was hired by Perry White in Superman #133 (1959), the Daily Planet editor unknowingly exposed Clark to Kryptonite, causing the rookie reporter to faint. Tricking Perry and Lois into thinking he'd fainted from hunger (thereby whisking him off to a restaurant), Clark gulped down a five pound steak...then revealed to the reader that the stomach of Superman knows no bounds!

 

Years later in Action Comics #454 (1975), the Toyman invented a gadget that could siphon off Superman's super-energy, leaving him exhausted and starving! To keep functioning, Superman was forced to indulge into a SUPER PIG-OUT...which (as you can see below) looked an awful lot like the spread at your average Superbowl party!

 

Comments

[Kelson]

Wow...and a decade before Wally West started having to eat constantly to make up for all the energy he expended by super-speeding!

[David E Martin]

In my superpowers cyclopedia The Ultimate Powers Book I called this power HYPER-INTAKE/EXPULSION. The hero can inhale, drink, or ingest fantastic amounts of material, store it indefinieely or digest it, and release it at will. Various methods could accomplish this effect, such as telekinesis, an internal dimnsional warp, or in Superman's case, super-strong abdominal muscles. Matter Eater Lad of the LSH and Sugyn of the Devil's Dozen (A LSH opponent) possessed versions of this power.