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I came a across a Reddit comment that asked whether or not Superman is ticklish. One commenter replied with this image, but that doesn't really answer the question.

Although it sounded like a stupid question at first, tickling someone could certainly be used to bring their guard down and make them easier to incapacitate.

I am not at all familiar with Superman lore, but is there anything to suggest that he is immune to tickle attacks or is he ticklish like normal people would be?

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    Can't believe no-one has suggested yet he might be super-ticklish. Commented Jan 14, 2018 at 14:54

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No. The original continuity Superman doesn't appear to be ticklish. You basically need to hit him with bullets or lightning bolts before he can even feel it but generally when he says that he's ticklish, he's usually showing off or trying to denigrate an opponent.

Mocking an opponent
Superman says "it tickles!"

Showing off.
Superman says he's tickled by 20,000 volts

Mocking an opponent
"that only tickled, Kil-lor"

Mocking opponents
Superman says bullets tickle him

In this internal dialogue he explicitly states that he's not ticklish.
Superman says "good thing I'm not ticklish!"


All bets are off in the New 52 continuity. Superboy appears in Superman Rebirth #6 being tickled by his mummy.

Superboy's mother tickles him

Superboy Prime basically has the same powers as Superman and he's also not above mocking his opponents
Superboy Prime says he's tickled

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    Superboy's mom looks like she's trying to tear him apart! Commented Dec 10, 2017 at 18:39
  • @Thunderforge - And instill a life-long hatred of bats.
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 10, 2017 at 19:12
  • I'm unconvinced regarding your first part regarding the original continuity. Except for the final image, most of the quotes do seem to be him denigrating his opponents, which doesn't mean he's not ticklish, just that he's dissing his opponents. I'm wondering more whether or not someone tickling him, like in the first panel in your second part, would actually make him ticklish.
    – Rob Rose
    Commented Jan 15, 2018 at 17:10
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    @RobRose - Is "Good thing I'm not ticklish!" insufficiently clear?
    – Valorum
    Commented Jan 15, 2018 at 18:59

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