If Super Man has x-ray vision wouldn't he see through everything and actually see nothing at all?

Question

or can he change the power of his x-ray vision. Just a thought to ponder.

Answer 1

If it were really x-ray vision, he wouldn't be able to see through a lot of the stuff he does in the comics. Obviously x-rays don't go through bone or x-ray pics of your skeleton wouldn't work. I know the airport security guys have x-ray (or something ray) scanners that they can tune to see the form of people's bodies under their clothing.

Answer 2

I would say that he doesn't actually have "x-ray" vision. He has the ability to see through whatever he wants to. The comic book creator simply needed a name of something that people knew existed but didn't really know much about.

So yes if it were actual "x-ray" vision it would only see through a limited number of materials. However I believe it is just a "super power" which allows him to do whatever he wants.

Answer 3

If his eyes were the source of the x-rays, and in turn somehow collected the scattered radiation that came back to him, (best analogy according to what I have seen in a comic), then he sees a lot like a bat would with sound-waves, only his would be with radiation.

If he could control the intensity and amount of x-rays that shot from his eyes, he could see through anything except a large chunk of lead. I say a large chunk because the lead aprons x-ray techs wear are designed for scatter radiation, not for the primary beam. That being said, the backscatter from his original beam, if this is what he uses to "see" with, would have to be of sufficient energy to also go through a lead vest and come back.

Anyway, he has the potential to see through walls, metal objects, (industrial strength x-rays), and even see you naked. Yes naked. (Think about the new scatter x-ray units used in airports).

The only problem with using this vision would be that he would be potentially causing cancer in the very people he was trying to save. He should just give Lex a lethal dose of radiation and have his hair fall out. That would be sweet.

Answer 4

Man, if he had X-Ray vision he'll be seeing the atoms of air in following walls and if he wanted to see through houses or vehicles radio Rays and mocrowave Rays chould have done better and they're currently avalable technologies for the mankind. Allthough X-Rays of high energy chould be used as a laser weapon as well to get at nearly anything and even at long range of about 3000m or he chould have seen though bit less complex human brains to know what htey think so he know who's the guy going to kick him in the booty.

Answer 5

I thought only superman had x-ray vision.

Uhm, anyways. I'm running on the assumption that he can somehow focus how far his vision wors by controlling the strength of the x rays.

Answer 6

It seems that he can see through what he wants to see through. Then again, maybe his x-rays aren't powerful enough to penetrate some things. X-rays were considered mysterious when cartoon writers "created" him...

Answer 7

Well he wouldn't be as popular as in the comics, he'll be considered a health hazard, irradiating everyone with high intensity x-rays.

Instead of the golden keys to the city, he'll probably get lead spectacles to wear.

Answer 8

Actually he would only be able to see x-ray sources like stars and quasars

Answer 9

I would think that he could definitely control when he was using it and what he was using it on. I mean, it is a super power, after all.

Answer 10

it will be like a normal x-ray, you see threw certain things.