Every Superman ranked from weakest to strongest

9. Kirk Alyn's Superman

The very first live-action version of Superman came along in 1948 when Kirk Alyn was tasked with playing him in a 15-part movie serial. With his dancer's body and perfect hair curl, Alyn looked the part as the Man of Steel and undoubtedly left audiences feeling like Superman himself had just soared off the pages of the comic books. It proved successful as Alyn returned for the next serial two years later.

It was a struggle to find the perfect placement for the original Superman on this list. While the classic serials never made Kal-El as vulnerable (or, for lack of a better term, human), they also didn't develop him or his powers in the way that a modern installment would have. And the Superman from the 1940s in the comics wasn't as powerful as his modern day counterpart.

There is no doubt about it; Alyn's Superman was all-powerful, awe-inspiring, and darn near-invulnerable. He was faster than a speeding bullet and stronger than a locomotive just like his comic book counterpart, but the Man of Steel's most powerful days were still ahead of him. And thus, while the original Superman was the perfect representation of the character at the time, it was only the beginning for Superman and his unbelievable strength.