10 Worst Things Superman Has Ever Done

10. Paralysing A Football Player - Superman, Gridiron Hero

Imagine that you're a young football hopeful looking to make yourself stand out in order to make a better future for you and your family. With the biggest game of your burgeoning career on the horizon, things suddenly take a term for the disturbing when you are purposely paralysed and replaced by a doppelganger.

For Tommy Burke, that's the precise situation he found himself in way back in 1938's Action Comics #4.

A story somewhat questionably titled Superman, Gridiron Hero, this tale had Tommy left paralysed after the Boy Scout infected him with a unique substance. Why would the ever-heroic Last Son of Krypton do such a thing? Well, that was so that he could alter his appearance to look like Tommy and then take his place in the football team.

There was a paper-thin plot in here about a corrupt coach that Superman was trying to bring down, but the bigger take-home point of Gridiron Hero is that Big Blue purposely paralysed an innocent young fella.

If there was some semblance of a silver lining for Tommy Burke, it's that the bunch of touchdowns scored by the disguised Superman during this time led to Burke's ex-girlfriend getting back with him. Although in hindsight, she does sound awfully fickle the more you think about it...