Many fans might think that Superman is the perfect example of the full power of the Kryptonian race. This belief is understandable considering just how many powers Superman has, but surprisingly, there are tons of powers that Superman has yet to unlock - such as the black light energy that the Kryptonian Preus mastered.

This surprising new Kryptonian power debuts in Action Comics #824 by J.D. Finn and Ivan Reis when the villainous Preus escapes the city of Kandor, intending to enslave Earth and make a new Krypton. What would already be a difficult fight for Superman is made even worse by how Superman is aging faster than usual, and Preus has powers unlike anything Superman has seen, as teased on the issue's cover by Ian Churchill.

Preus shows off all the typical powers of a Kryptonian but with a few concerning mutations. Instead of simply having heat vision, Preus' vision power acts as a concussive force as well as burning things. This "black light energy" is a new power that Superman has never had.

Preus' Powers Prove Superman Has A Lot More To Learn

Action Comics #824 by J.D. Finn, Ivan Reis, Marc Campos, Guy Major, and Comicraft

Usually, when a Kryptonian is put under a yellow sun, they gain incredible powers, including super speed, flight, heat vision, super strength, and more. But Preus proves that these basic powers are just that - basic. Preus demonstrates that Kryptonians can get a lot more from solar radiation than was first thought, as Preus gains abilities that Superman has never had. Not only does his heat vision become stronger and gain concussive properties, but he can also fire black light energy out of his hands as well, which calls into question just how many abilities Superman is missing.

These differing powers open up a whole new way to look at Kryptonian lore, as it seems that the powers Kryptonians get might be randomized to a small degree.

Superman has been under dozens of different suns over the years, including yellow, red, blue, white, and even violet. While he's never manifested the same powers as Preus, he has gained others. These differing powers open up a whole new way to look at Kryptonian lore, as it seems that the powers Kryptonians get might be randomized to a small degree by their genetics. If Preus gained these black light powers under a yellow sun, one can only imagine what he could gain under a white, violet, or blue one. It's a fascinating question that could allow DC to introduce increasingly dangerous Kryptonians who would truly challenge Superman.

Superman's Powers Are Just the Start for Kryptonians

Anything Is Possible in DC Lore

There's no denying that Superman is one of the most powerful Kryptonians around, but everything Clark is capable of seems to just be the default for Kryptonians. Characters like Preus demonstrate that there's a lot more that Kryptonians can be capable of. The powers Superman has are just the default, the bare minimum. This one detail means DC could get infinitely creative with newly introduced Kryptonians, and Superman might not be able to keep up with the new powers that these Kryptonians will have.

Action Comics #824 is available now from DC Comics!