In
comic books this is the phrase referring to the
super power of an individual
costumed vigilante or
superhero being able to run, fly, jump, or otherwise travel
faster than the speed of something. Many characters in the 20th century have had
super speed. Such characters are usually known as
speedsters. Some examples include
Jay Garrick,
Barry Allen,
Wally West,
Johnny Quick, his daughter
Jesse Quick, and
Superman among others. In comparison to these "on foot" super speedsters,
Speed Racer had nothing. He needed a car, and even then couldn't top speeds of a couple few hundred.
The first super being ever to have super speed according to mythology was the greek god Hermes who was later stolen by the romans and called Mercury. He had wings on his feet and was really super fast: the messenger of the gods. He hung out on Mount Olympus when he wasn't chasing after people or running away from stuff.
Most true (admittedly fictional) individuals possessing super speed can travel at least the speed of sound if not the speed of light with just a pair of tennis shoes. It is believed that Santa Claus and his reindeer also have super speed, since it would be the only way to accomplish the task of visiting every home on the planet in a twenty-four hour time period. Granted, according to hard cold physics, matter cannot reach the speed of light but that's where speculative fiction comes in. They used to say we'd never fly too, but tell that to American Airlines. For the record, technically we're all travelling at a super speed, and are therefore speedsters. Think about it. As you read these words you are travelling at the speed of time. One second per second! Now that's mighty fast!