Super-speed.

Faster than a speeding bullet.

Superman's super-speed lets him run, fly, react and think far faster than any human, powered by yellow-sun energy stored in his cells. It dates from Action Comics #1 (1938), where he outruns an express train. His first race against the Flash, in Superman #199 (August 1967), ended in a tie, and most later comics give the Flash the edge.

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Updated 6 November 2026 · 5 sources

Blue and pink light streaks racing down a wet city street at night

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Quick. Quicker. Gone.

Faster than a speeding bullet. Whether he beats the Flash depends on who's writing.

Get the highlights.

First seen

Action Comics #1.

1938

In depth

The full story.

“Faster than a speeding bullet” is half the legend, but how fast Superman really is depends on who is writing him. This page covers how his speed works, where it began, and the long-running race with the Flash.

How does Superman’s super-speed work?

Superman’s super-speed comes from the yellow-sun energy stored in his cells, which powers his muscles and reflexes. His perception speeds up too, so he can think and react at the same pace he moves.

Superman’s speed at a glance

Fact	Detail
First appearance	Action Comics #1 (1938): faster than an express train
How it works	Solar-powered muscles, reflexes and perception
Limits	Fades under red sun, near kryptonite and with solar depletion
Famous race	Superman #199 (August 1967), a tie with the Flash
On screen	Flying round the Earth in Superman: The Movie (1978)

Is Superman faster than the Flash?

The Flash usually wins. Superman and the Flash first raced in Superman #199 (August 1967), and the race ended in a tie. They raced again in The Flash #175 (December 1967). In later comics, especially after 1986, DC has generally treated the Flash as the faster of the two, though writers still disagree. Later races mostly go to the Flash: Barry Allen in World’s Finest #198–199 (1970), Wally West in 1990 and 2004, and Jay Garrick in 2002. Every race is listed on Superman’s greatest feats.

What are the limits of Superman’s speed?

Superman’s speed shares the limits of all his powers: it fades under a red sun, near green kryptonite and when his stored sunlight runs low. There’s no fixed canon top speed, so we don’t repeat the numbers quoted on other websites.

Super-speed on screen

The most famous speed moment on film is in Superman: The Movie (1978), where Superman flies round the Earth so fast that time appears to turn back. Fans still argue about what the scene really shows. For more on his flight, see can Superman fly?, and for every other power, the full list of Superman’s powers. Our guide to Superman’s powers and weaknesses has a quick overview.

Era by era.

The same Superman, rewritten for every generation.

Golden Age (1938–1956)

Superman is faster than an express train in Action Comics #1 (1938), part of the 'superhuman speed and leaping' he starts with.

Silver Age (1956–1970)

Speed becomes almost unlimited. Superman #199 (August 1967) stages the first Superman–Flash race, which ends in a tie, and The Flash #175 (December 1967) is the rematch.

Post-Crisis (1986–2011)

Superman is still extremely fast, but post-Crisis comics usually treat the Flash as the faster of the two.

Rebirth and today (2016–)

Very high, varying by writer, and still explained by the solar battery idea.

Film: Superman: The Movie (1978)

Superman flies round the Earth so fast that time appears to turn back. Fans still argue about what the scene really shows.

Questions.

Is Superman faster than the Flash?

Usually not in a straight race. Their first race, in Superman #199 (August 1967), ended in a tie, and a rematch followed in The Flash #175. Later comics, especially after 1985, generally make the Flash faster, but results vary and writers often call it a draw.

How fast is Superman?

There's no fixed canon top speed. In Action Comics #1 (1938) Superman was faster than an express train. Silver Age stories made his speed almost limitless, and modern comics keep it extremely high but vary from writer to writer. Speed figures quoted on other websites don't come from a comic we can cite.

Did Superman really turn back time?

Only on film. In Superman: The Movie (1978) he flies round the Earth at enormous speed and time seems to run backwards. It's a film-only moment, not a comics power, and fans still argue about what the scene really shows.

Where does Superman's speed come from?

Like his other powers, Superman's speed comes from Earth's yellow sun. His Kryptonian cells store solar energy, which drives his muscles and speeds up his reflexes and perception, so the world seems to slow down when he moves fast.