The Superman Power That George Reeves Regrets Portraying

Throughout The Adventures of Superman, the titular do-gooder was depicted as having all of his signature powers and more. Flight, X-ray vision, super strength, among others, transferred over from the comics, alongside new additions such as the ability to walk through walls, invisibility, and being able to split in two. George Reeves' Superman also integrated the longstanding bulletproof element of the character — a seemingly inconspicuous addition that went on to forever change the course of the actor's personal and professional lives.

As recalled by Cheat Sheet, George Reeves used to do public appearances in costume as a part of advertising campaigns. One in particular sponsored by Kellogg's saw a little boy approach him with a loaded gun, apparently curious about whether or not "Superman" was actually impervious to bullets. Understandably traumatized by the encounter, Reeves decided to hang up the cape for meet-and-greet events and realized that acting on TV as a man who could deflect live rounds off of his body was unwise and dangerous. He went on tour to rectify his mistake, teaching children that no one is bulletproof.

Nowadays, live-action and animated versions of Superman tout their durable nature against guns without a second thought. Look no further than the famous Superman Returns scene where a bullet speeds toward Brandon Routh's Kal-El only for it to crumple against his eye. Be that as it may, George Reeves certainly had the right idea — using his status to educate the youth on firearm safety by pulling back the curtain on their favorite television show.