Power 08 · Superman, explained

Super-hearing.

A whole city, one voice at a time.

Read in depth All powers

First seen: Disputed: 1938 or 1939
Range: Across a city, or further
Picks out: One voice or heartbeat
Too much noise: Can overwhelm him

Rings rippling outward across the lights of a city at night, seen from high above

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Everything. Everyone. One voice.

A whole city at once, then one cry for help picked out of the noise.

The short answer

Superman's super-hearing lets him hear sounds across a city or further and pick out a single voice or heartbeat. Its first appearance is Disputed: it's usually dated to Action Comics #11 (1939), alongside his X-ray vision, but Action Comics #8 (1938) is also claimed. Too much noise can overwhelm him, as Man of Steel (2013) shows in a scene of young Clark in a classroom.

Updated 7 November 2026 · 4 sources

In depth

The full story.

Superman’s super-hearing is one of his quietest powers and one of his most useful: it’s how he knows someone needs help before anyone calls.

How does Superman’s super-hearing work?

Superman can hear across a city or further and pick out a single voice or heartbeat from the noise. Listening out for one person, such as Lois, is a common idea in Superman stories and films.

When did it first appear?

Super-hearing appears in Superman’s very first year, but exactly when is Disputed. It’s usually dated to Action Comics #11 (April 1939), in the same issue as his X-ray vision. Coded Read points to Action Comics #8 (December 1938), while Comics Archeology argues the #11 scene could be ordinary hearing and finds a clearer example in Superman #2 (1939). Early stories call it his “sensitive ears”, and Kleefeld on Comics finds the term “super-hearing” in a Fall 1939 issue.

What are its limits?

Too much sound can overload him, and like all his powers it fades under a red sun or near kryptonite. Some lists claim sonic attacks are a major weakness. No reliable source treats sound as a general weakness, but some foes exploit it: Silver Banshee, who first appeared in Action Comics #595 (December 1987), has a scream that nearly kills him. See Superman’s weaknesses.

Super-hearing on screen

In Man of Steel (2013), young Clark is overwhelmed by his senses in a classroom, a reminder that the power had to be learned. For every power, see the full list of Superman’s powers.

Era by era.

The same Superman, rewritten for every generation.

Golden Age (1938–1956)

Super-hearing is usually dated to Action Comics #11 (1939), with X-ray vision, though Action Comics #8 (1938) and Superman #2 (1939) are also suggested (Disputed).

Film: Man of Steel (2013)

Young Clark is overwhelmed by his senses in a classroom, a picture of super-hearing before he learns to control it.

Questions.

Can Superman hear everything?

Not everything at once. Superman can hear across a city or further and pick out one voice or heartbeat, but he has to focus. Too much noise can overwhelm him, as Man of Steel (2013) shows when young Clark is swamped by sound in a classroom.