Superman impersonator hit by bus while pretending to use his powers to stop it

Superman is known as the Man of Steel – endowed with X-ray vision and unfathomable strength.

That strength, however, does not apply to any of us mere mortals who attempt to imitate the comic book icon, as one Brazilian comedian was reminded.

Luiz Ribeiro de Andrade, 35, was filming himself as he mimicked halting an ongoing bus – a feat that would be all in a day’s work for his fictional idol.

Unfortunately for Andrade the stunt didn’t quite go as planned and the vehicle hurtled straight into him.

Still, for someone who’d almost been run over, the 35-year-old emerged looking unscathed and remarkably calm, instantly joking: “Now I’ve seen I really am made of steel.”

He then added dryly: “I’ll make a complaint about this vehicle’s brakes. They’re not working.”

The following day, Ribeiro clarified to local network F5 News that neither the driver nor the brakes were to blame for the crash, he had just miscalculated his distance from the oncoming bus.

“I take responsibility for everything,” Ribeiro announced, according to an English translation shared by The Mind Unleashed.

“I went to the bus company so that the driver would not be penalised. There was no problem with the brakes.”

Explaining that he often carried out the stunt (albeit not with the same outcome), he said: “I didn’t feel anything with the knock.

“It was hit through my own fault and a miracle of God took place there. God acted at that time and protected me.”

Hopefully he’ll just stick to walking around in the tights and cape – away from any traffic – from now on.