From his invulnerability to his flight to his heat vision,Superman’s superpowers are known the world over. However, in 1985, a single word from the Man of Steel changed his powers forever, making a change so fundamental that most fans forget the Man of Steel was ever any other way.
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' ‘For the Man Who Has Everything’ is remembered as one ofSuperman’s best and most iconic stories, originally published inSuperman Annual #11. The story sees Batman, Wonder Woman and Robin journey to the Fortress of Solitude to celebrate Superman’s birthday. Sadly, they’re beaten there by the hero’s tyrannical enemy Mongul, who attacks him with an alien plant called the Black Mercy.
The Black Mercy traps its victims in a fantasy of their ideal world. For Superman, that means a world where Krypton was never destroyed and he got to raise a son among his birth family. However, as Batman and Robin remove the Black Mercy, Superman’s fantasy unravels, culminating in his horrifying realization that his son isn’t real. Angrier than he’s ever been, Superman utters a word that redefines a famous power.
This Iconic Superman Story Weaponized His Heat Vision
Superman’s Rage Unlocked His Defining Offensive Power
Realizing what Mongul has done to him,Superman’s eyes flare with heat and he utters,“Burn,“raking his enemy with his heat vision. From this point on, creators portrayed Superman’s heat vision as a weapon he was willing to use directly against his enemies, burning them with the heat he emits from his eyes. Indeed, it’s become one of his go-to moves against villains who can take the heat without immediately being burned to a crisp.
Before this, Superman used his heat vision as a tool to influence the world, rather than attack his enemies directly. He might destroy weapons or melt the ground so a villain became trapped, but violently blasting them with super-heated beams was a step too far for the Man of Steel. Indeed,Superman didn’t even originally have heat vision- it started out as a side effect of his X-ray vision that got more pronounced over time.
From this point on, creators portrayed Superman’s heat vision as a weapon he was willing to use directly against his enemies…
Technically, ‘For the Man Who Has Everything’ wasn’t the first time Superman used his heat vision against an enemy directly. Issues like 1961’sSuperman #148(from Edmond Hamilton and Curt Swan) see Superman trying to give Mr. Mxyzptlk"a super-hot foot.“However, these instances were few and far between, and in the couple of appearances where Superman did use the power offensively, it didn’t do any direct harm (for example, passing through Braniac when he turns intangible.)
In contrast, the image of Superman’s rageful attack on Mongul immediately made its mark, and future creators quickly took to depicting Superman blasting General Zod, Brainiac, Doomsday and Darkseid with his heat vision. After"Burn”, Superman’s heat vision irrevocably became a weapon.
Alan Moore Transformed DC Lore in So Many Ways
Moore’s Small Touches Became the Foundation of Modern Stories
This is far from the only time an Alan Moore story permanently transformed DC lore.Moore gave Green Lantern loresome of its most iconic characters in his short stories about the corps, and redefined DC’s supernatural world with characters like John Constantine and his character-defining tenure onSwamp Thing.Batman: The Killing Joke(with Brian Bolland) cemented Joker’s origin, despite the story itself dropping hints that Joker is faking elements of his backstory.
While Moore has retired from the comics industry today, there’s a reason he’s seen as one of the art form’s defining talents. In a one-shot story aboutSuperman’s birthday, Alan Moore essentially changed his powers forever, unlocking the violent potential of heat vision in a way that redefined the iconic ability.
