WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Batman / Superman: World's Finest #35!

Superman’s civilian career as a journalist at the Daily Planet is undeniably a core part of his character. However, a recent display of his powers reveals that he may have missed his true calling—one in a career field he could have dominated, potentially leaving an even greater mark than his work as a journalist.

...there’s still a chance we might see Superman explore a different civilian career, outside of journalism...

Mark Waid and Adrián Gutiérrez’s Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #35 takes the Man of Steel and the Dynamic Duo—Batman and Robin—on an action-packed aquatic adventure. When a violence-inducing plague begins infecting the people of Tritonis, causing the mermaid-like inhabitants to wreak havoc across the underwater kingdom, the trio rushes to Aquaman’s aid. .

Together, they work to uncover the source of the plague and search for a cure. It’s during their investigation that one of Clark’s often-overlooked powers highlights a surprising truth: he may have missed his true calling as a pathologist.

Journalism Is Cool, But Superman Missed His Calling as a Pathologist (& This One Power Proves It)

Comes From Batman / Superman: World’s Finest #35 (2025) – Art by Adrián Gutiérrez

After containing some of the plague’s victims, Superman uses his microscopic vision and x-ray vision to examine their blood at a microscopic level, hoping to identify the source of the infection. While he its he can’t fully make out the specifics of the disease, he determines that it is fungal in nature. At Batman’s prompting, Clark takes it a step further, analyzing the chemical composition of the fungus and then using his heat vision to carve the chemical formula into a rock. This allows Batman to send the information to Alfred, who can run it through the Batcomputer in hopes of identifying the exact nature of the infection and working toward a cure.

Clark’s ability to non-invasively examine blood, determine the fungal nature of the disease, and break down its chemical composition in seconds is a pathologist’s dream come true. To clarify, pathologists are medical doctors who study diseases—their causes, effects, and nature—while also guiding treatment strategies. Typically, they rely on laboratory techniques and advanced technology to perform their critical work. However, with his microscopic vision, Clark could be a pathologist unlike any other, capable of performing these tasks in the field, without the need for a lab, and with unmatched speed.

Could Clark Kent Have Made a Greater Impact With a Different Civilian Job?

Main Cover by Gary Frank & Brad Anderson for Superman: Secret Origin #3 (2009)

While Clark’s work as a journalist has undoubtedly allowed him to make a positive impact on society, it’s hard not to wonder if his powers could have enabled him to make an even greater contribution in another field. For instance, one could argue that the work of a pathologist often saves more lives than that of a journalist. While there are exceptions, pathologists play a crucial role in diagnosing diseases, advancing medical knowledge, and ing public health, ultimately improving both individual lives and society as a whole.

This raises a compelling argument: Clark may not be fully utilizing his potential in the career he chose as a journalist, as his powers could have enabled him to make an even greater impact in a field like pathology or another profession that leverages his unique abilities. However, careers aren’t always about maximizing societal impact. Clark is, after all, Superman—a hero whose contributions to the DC Universe are unparalleled. Ultimately, while Clark would have made an extraordinary pathologist, his true ion lies in journalism, and the Man of Steel more than deserves to pursue a career that he genuinely enjoys.

Earth-Prime Superman May Be a Journalist, But That Doesn’t Mean Absolute Superman Will

2nd Printing Cover by Rafa Sandoval for Absolute Superman #1 (2024)

While few would argue that Clark Kent should abandon his role as an investigative journalist—given how central it is to his character—there’s still a chance we might see Superman explore a different civilian career. However, this wouldn’t be the Superman of Earth-Prime. With DC’s recent launch of the Absolute Universe, which reimagines iconic characters like Clark, it’s entirely possible that this new universe’s Kal-El could pursue a path outside of journalism, especially considering his vastly different background. It will be interesting to see if Absolute Superman chooses to pursue a civilian career and what field he ultimately settles into.

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #35 is available now from DC Comics!