by Marko Manev
If I had to pick, The Silver Surfer is probably the superhero whose powers I'd choose to have.
As a cosmic being with abilities far beyond most humanoid characters, the experience would be one that's hard to even imagine... I'd just want to avoid dealing with Galactus.
For the record, my runner-up choices would be to have Green Lantern & obviously Superman's powers. However, I'll stick with my choice to wield The Power Cosmic.
From the Marvel Wiki :
The Power Cosmic: The Silver Surfer possesses the Power Cosmic which is the core from which his other abilities manifest from. This power was granted to him by Galactus, making Norrin one of the absolute strongest and most powerful beings in the Universe.
- Matter Control/Manipulation and Reconfiguration / Energy Emission and Absorption: The Surfer has complete control of the four fundamental forces of the universe, reaching nearly any effect he desires. As a result, the Surfer can rearrange matter to create other configurations and can even transmute elements. The Surfer can channel beams of energy through his hands with sufficient destructive force to destroy planets [20][21], and pierce stars. Additional abilities include erecting force fields, phasing through solid matter[22], accelerating the evolution of lifeforms on a planet-wide scale [23], seeing the past by peeling back the layers of time, time travel [24], trans dimensional travel, manipulation and discharging of any form of energy or radiation, bestowing limited cosmic powers to others, reading minds [25], casting illusions [26], and influencing human emotion and sensation [22]. The Surfer also possesses the ability to suppress the powers of other mutants/beings making them temporarily or permanently out of use to them. He can heal living beings even if they are near-death[22]. He cannot, however, raise the dead.
- God-like Strength: The Surfer possesses almost limitless superhuman strength, though the exact magnitude remains vague. He can lift (press) far in excess of 100 tons effortlessly and can also use the Power Cosmic to increase his strength to incalculable levels[27].
- Invulnerability: The Silver Surfer's silvery "skin" was designed to easily withstand the rigors of deep-space travel, and thus far, it has proven to be virtually indestructible. In fact, his entire body was made highly resistant to injury and he is thus invulnerable to almost all types of physical harm. The Silver Surfer can easily withstand the crushing pressures of a black hole [28]. He is not bothered by the friction associated with atmospheric re-entry, and has withstood plunges into stars[29] and even supernovas unharmed. He also routinely weathers the stresses associated with high-speed travel through space and hyperspace.
- God-like Stamina: The Surfer's highly enhanced musculature generates no fatigue toxins, nor body stress, or even sweat, granting him inexhaustible physical stamina, which allows him to fight other beings for prolonged periods of time before tiring, that is if he even gets tired.
- Hyperspace Travel: By exceeding over 99% of the speed of light (186,272 miles per second), the Silver Surfer can shift himself into hyperspace, a dimension in which velocity is not limited by the speed of light[22].
- Cosmic Senses: The Silver Surfer has certain cosmic-energy enhanced perceptions which enable him through concentration to become aware of the patterns of energy anywhere in the world[30]. These abilities allow him far-ranging vision (in space he can see people clearly over a light year away), the ability to see sub-atomic particles, superhuman hearing, the ability to detect fields, traces, and concentrations of pure forms of energy and discern their natures[31].
- Cosmic Self-Sustenance: The Silver Surfer does not need to eat or breathe since he absorbs life-maintaining cosmic energy directly through his skin.
Here's a more lavishly detailed image of the "Sentinel of the Spaceways", by Joe Jusko:
