Categories: ComicsThe Latest

Super Power Uses 2.0

Scifiblogger Andrew Russo gave an insightful discussion of unique uses for superpowers in the real world. For those who missed it, you can find it here:

I applaud Andrew’s article and offer a tip of the hat as he beat me to the punch on an article I had been wanting to write for a while. But there is one thing that I think bears discussion about the topic: rarely are super-powered beings endowed with only one power. With the exception of the Flash, nearly every hero or villain can o more than one thing. Aquaman has both Super Strength and Telepathy. Superman can fly and look into the girl’s locker room. Wolverine can heal and give you a colectomy. The key to being a super powered being is not having a power that you use uniquely but having a power set, a combination that makes you distinct.

It is no good if you can turn invisible alone. Think about Andrew’s suggested use of invisibility: to spy. If you are really checking out that girl in the locker room, do you really think you are going to maintain enough focus to stay invisible? I thought not. That’s why invisibilty needs to be coupled with super speed. If the primary power fails, you can still get away clean even if you can’t make a clean getaway (you know what I mean, you sinners).

Just being able to regenerate from any injury guarantees that you will be back in the fight in no time (even if you did just jump from a plane without a chute). But we can do better. Add a little superior intelligence to the equation and you’re set. not only will you be able to get back into the fight, but you could even go into the fight anticipating the damage you will receive and plan on what parts you can sacrifice while staying in the fray. You can even plot your own death so that your enemy takes your dead-but-healing carcass back to their hidden base as a trophy.

Remember that no power should be the only tool you rely on in any situation. A true miscreant hero uses every tool in the box to make a name for himself. I’m not advocating that you look for irradiated spiders to try and change your genetics, but if you do suddenly find yourself able to teleport, hold out ant try to see what else emerges before you start planning your uninvited campout on the top of the Empire State Building.


Possibly Related Posts:

Comments

kitsune-san

Kitsune-san first fell in love with comics when he realized how much they upset his mother. He was ten at the time. Since then, she has come to accept his fondness for all things comic. Now Kitsune-san is working on bringing his wife over to the team. He has already successfully indoctrinated his five-year-old son into the comics fold. Kitsune-san received his Master's Degree in American Studies from USU in 2011.

Share
Published by
kitsune-san

Recent Posts

Friday Fiction: Snowfall In The Living Room

The holiday season is so strong in the air now. I feel it. And, apparently,… Read More

2 days ago

“It Came From The Archives” Doctor Who Special Reviews: The Church on Ruby Road

The Church on Ruby Road marks the beginning of Ncuti Gatwa’s tenure as the Doctor,… Read More

4 days ago

Review: Lucky Girl, How I Became A Horror Writer by M. Rickert

Lucky Girl, How I Became A Horror Writer (I’m shortening that to Lucky Girl) is… Read More

6 days ago

Friday Fiction: Frozen Army

It’s the future. But not a nice one. An army of indestructible machines simply called… Read More

1 week ago

Foundations: The 5 Best Artifact Cards

In most sets, most of the artifacts aren’t usually that impressive—but Foundations is different. There… Read More

2 weeks ago

Foundations: The 5 Best Multicolored Cards

Foundations actually has a lot of multicolored cards—including some legendary creature reprints that I think… Read More

2 weeks ago