Warning: contains spoilers for Superman: Son of Kal-El #3!

While Superman has historically had a huge range of superpowers - some seen only once - his abilities have more or less settled in modern comics, including superspeed, inhuman durability, heat vision, freezing breath, flight, and enhanced senses. Of course, that doesn't mean the Man of Tomorrow can't have a few surprises up his sleeve in how he uses them.

During the Silver and Bronze Ages of comic books (around 1955-1980), writers experimented with Superman's powers so much that he could sneeze away galaxies and shoot miniature versions of himself out of his palms. Nowadays, writers tend to opt for finding new ways for Kryptonian heroes to use their powers rather than giving them endless abilities - for example, Jon Kent recently learned how to detonate his heat vision midair. Of course, Jon will need all his powers and more, since Clark Kent is passing on the Superman mantle as he leaves Earth to free Mongul's slaves on Warworld (a mission that it's been hinted will take a significant amount of time.) Thankfully, one of the pair's final moments together reveals a smart use of their powers that will be useful as Jon teams up with fellow Kryptonian heroes like Supergirl and Conner Kent in the weeks and months to come.

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In Superman: Son of Kal-El #3, by Tom Taylor and John Timms, Clark has a conversation with his son in a low-frequency tone while carrying a new character called Faultline, who has seismic abilities. On their way to STAR Labs, they are able to have the sort of private conversation that usually relies on telepathy. Superhearing allows them to pick up on each other's voices so that humans can't hear them. This form of voice alteration is incredibly beneficial for Kryptonian heroes, like Jon and Clark, when they're teaming up on a mission, especially a covert one. If Jon is going to take up the mantle of Superman, utilizing an overlooked Kryptonian power only demonstrates Clark has taught his son well.

Although superhearing is one of Superman's secondary or tertiary powers, it has been around since the beginning. Kryptonian superhearing first appears in Action Comics #8, written and drawn by Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. While sitting in a courtroom in one of his earliest appearances, mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent uses his "sensitive hearing" to pick up a conversation regarding a gang meeting. Even if it doesn't cover a great distance, it's interesting to note that Clark's superhearing existed before his most iconic power of flight.

On the other hand, Superman's Kryptonian vocal alteration abilities appear in the Silver Age comic of Action Comics #276 by Robert Bernstein, Curt Swan, and Wayne Boring. Superman uses his low-frequency voice, originally called super-ventriloquism, to communicate with Supergirl identically to how he used it in Son of Kal-El. Superman can change his voice too. In the Superman: The Animated Series episode 'Knight Time,' Superman dresses up as Batman and speaks in the exact tone of Kevin Conroy's Bruce Wayne. Tim Drake is shocked at how good Superman's impression is, and Clark explains the power as "precise muscle control."

It's important to note how Superman has taught Jon everything about being Superman, even his less-used powers. As Jon truly takes up the mantle, becoming the Superman of Earth, it will be impossible for him to escape his father's legacy, and that will be true in more ways than one. Jon is becoming Superman in a world used to his father's strengths and limitations, and he'll even be going up against villains who have a long history taking on Kryptonians. Thankfully, Superman has schooled his son in creative uses of their powers, and Jon may yet be able to show the world's villains that while he's taking on a familiar name, he's anything but predictable.

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