14 Weirdest Comic Book Weaknesses

8. Superman - Magic

Red Hulk Fire
Warner Bros.

We all know Supes can be immobilised when exposed to Kryptonite but that, as a storytelling tool, isn't always the best. Superman is either godlike or as weak as a kitten. For the longest time, there was no in-between.

As a result, DC Comics devised a new weakness for the Man of Steel - magic. Because magic is a nebulous and fictional concept, it's never clear how it affects Superman. How long does it affect him for? Does it impair his powers or neutralise them? How does it affect him when he fights a sorcerer or a wizard? And the answer is... it depends.

Introducing this new weakness feels like a cop-out explanation to justify why Superman can't beat supervillains that he could normally wipe the floor with.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows