Superman may be DC’s most powerful superhero. At minimum, he can lift cars and buildings, and objects that transcend human ability.
Superman’s lifting strength is a remarkable aspect of this character, but what he can lift depends on movie and comic depictions.
How much can Superman lift in the movies and comics? While his strength changed over the years, he has lifted planets and beyond.
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Why is Superman so Strong?
Superman came from the planet Krypton, which explains how he is so strong.
As a Kryptonian, Superman had powers that were “millions of years” more advanced than those of humans, including speed, X-Ray vision, durability, and strength. But it was not the physiology of Superman that explains his strength.
Because of the planet’s size, Krypton had a larger gravitational force than Earth, about 4 to 10 times larger. After this planet’s destruction and Superman’s arrival here, he gained superhuman strength because the Earth’s gravity was weaker.
Since gravity on Earth does not affect Superman as much as on his home planet, he became stronger than humans. In the early comics, Superman lifted trains, cars, and ships.
One estimate is that Superman was initially 1,000 times stronger because of this gravity difference. That gave him the strength to move large objects beyond human capabilities.
From the 1940s to the mid-1980s, Superman’s strength developed and a second reason for why he was so strong was provided–the Sun.
Superman is also so strong because of how he absorbs power from the Sun. His cells take in energy from the Sun and fuel his super strength and ability to fly.
Recently, greater emphasis has been placed on yellow sun energy, or the Photonucleic Effect, as the source of Superman’s powers. The longer Superman was on Earth, the more his powers grew because his body absorbed more sunlight.
By being an alien and living on Earth, Superman’s strength became legendary on screen and in the comics.
How Much Can Superman Lift in the Movies?
In the 2006 movie Superman Returns, the Man of Steel lifts an island out of the ocean. He holds it on his shoulders and arms and shows strain, but not more than a weightlifter doing squats.
In this same film, Superman also lifts half of an ocean liner ship clear out of the water. These Herculean feats provide us with a sense of what Superman can lift in the movies.
In each of the eight films Superman appeared in since the 1970s, he lifted enormous objects. In the first Superman movie, for example, he lifted and threw a nuclear missile, before lifting the state of California.
By the time of Superman Returns, Superman lifted Lex Luthor’s Kryptonian crystal island/small continent, as shown in the above video, and an airplane.
With actor Henry Cavill as Superman, audiences saw additional feats of strength. In the 2013 Man of Steel, he saved oil rig workers from being crushed by lifting a gigantic steel structure.
Cavill’s workout regime also boosted Superman’s lifting ability, at least in appearance. This actor’s 2.5-hour workouts helped shape modern conceptions of Superman’s lifting potential.
We could say Superman’s lifting limits are enormous in the movies, including islands, states, and oil rigs. How does this lifting compare with the comics?
How Much Can Superman Lift in the Comics?
Superman is strong in the movies but even stronger in the comics.
Superman is the top superhero in the Class-100 strength category. That means he can lift more than 100 tons. He lifts cars, buildings, and even Egyptian pyramids in the comics.
Science World stated Superman can lift about 2 billion tons in the comics and provides a comparison of the Empire State Building at 365,000 tons. Superman is a multiple-building lifter then.
Yet, other sources press the limits higher. With increased energy from the Sun in All-Star Superman comics, Superman lifts about 200 quintillion tons with one arm.
Superman can lift planets too, including the Earth. In the 2012 Superman comic, he bench-pressed our planet multiple times, at a weight of almost 6 sextillion tons. Thus, we move Superman into a planet-lifting category.
He may have unlimited strength. Fans weighed in to confirm this upper limit or lack thereof. Once Superman lifts in the sextillions, he could press into the unknown.
The comic Final Crisis: Superman Beyond, Vol. 1, #1 bears testimony to this extent of lifting power. In this issue, Superman lifted the Book of Eternity, which has infinite weight. Yet, he did get help from Shazam.
Superman’s strength is perplexing, lifting buildings to planets, and possibly beyond measurable levels.
Superman’s Lifting
Because of Earth’s weaker gravity and energy from the Sun, Superman can lift cars, trains, and planets. In the movies and comics, he lifted even more.
With feats such as lifting islands, Superman in the MCU is incredible. Yet, his comic appearances show Superman lifting billions to sextillions of tons. By this measure, Superman may have unlimited lifting power.
Todd Wahlstrom is a creative and analytical freelance writer and life-long Star Wars fan who has expanded into writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has written about recent shows such as The Mandalorian and Andor and classic topics like Darth Vader, the Jedi, and Boba Fett. His recent articles include the MCU’s Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor. Todd is the author of a non-fiction book, holds a Ph.D. in history, and enjoys hiking, running, and reading about science.