Mortal Superhero? Name some...

[C. Baize]

Wow! Thanks everyone! I never imagined the list was so long!

What about Cap and his Super Solider serum?! That's sort of a mutation or supernatural ability, right? I mean, he is immortal now - right?

Pulp characters such as Doc Savage... http://thepulp.net <-- a great source!

- Stratos!

Cap isn't really immortal... and technically, the Super Soldier Serum only made him "The pinnacle of human specimens" the perfect human. He has no super powers, he's just the picture of human performance, and advanced training.

And uh... doesn't Shang Chi have powers?

 

[takyris]

I dunno, I'd consider Cap stronger than humanly possible -- not much stronger, mind you, but a little bit. Of course, I could be way severely wrong.

What about Daredevil? Do sensory powers count? In some incarnations, he's really just a "pinnacle of human achievement" for the old idea that people who lose one sense get much better at using their other ones...

 

[takyris]

To answer your second question, I think that what makes them so great is the fact that the reader can empathize with them a lot more. For me at least, part of reading comic books was the thrill of imagining that someday, somehow, I could do that. I couldn't do that with Superman. I couldn't do that with Green Lantern unless somebody gave me a ring. But I could maybe do it with Batman if I trained for a long time and had some emotional angst and got in touch with my deep anger...

Okay, not really, but you know what I mean.

I was actually thinking of running a M&M campaign called "Rooftops" with the requirement that people be at the Batman/Daredevil level -- no energy blasts, no flying, just high training and devices.

 

[baileyrecords]

I dunno, I'd consider Cap stronger than humanly possible -- not much stronger, mind you, but a little bit. Of course, I could be way severely wrong.

What about Daredevil? Do sensory powers count? In some incarnations, he's really just a "pinnacle of human achievement" for the old idea that people who lose one sense get much better at using their other ones...

Even though Daredevil is my honest to God all time favorite Superhero... I'm lumping him into the "No, no" category because I consider his abilities to be a mutation. He wasn't born with it like the X-Men are... but it's something that happened and caused him to be super human. Closer to Spider-Man in a sense.

Cap is now officially in my "No, no" category since he's a mutation as well. A super soldier serum with radiation treatment... that sounds very similar to Weapon X treatments on Deadpool, etc. Plus, Cap is just a little "too powerful" and he's vurtually immortal... and that makes him superhuman and un-relatable to our "real world".

- Stratos

 

[baileyrecords]

To answer your second question, I think that what makes them so great is the fact that the reader can empathize with them a lot more. For me at least, part of reading comic books was the thrill of imagining that someday, somehow, I could do that. I couldn't do that with Superman. I couldn't do that with Green Lantern unless somebody gave me a ring. But I could maybe do it with Batman if I trained for a long time and had some emotional angst and got in touch with my deep anger...

Okay, not really, but you know what I mean.

I was actually thinking of running a M&M campaign called "Rooftops" with the requirement that people be at the Batman/Daredevil level -- no energy blasts, no flying, just high training and devices.

Great answers! Thanks!

I love your idea for Rooftops. It's sort of what I have in mind for some of my campaigns as well (leaving out Daredevil types... see other post).

- Stratos

 

[baileyrecords]

Dr. Strange (by a technicality... he has no super powers, he studied magic), Dr. Doom (by the same technicality) ...

The Doctors are on my "No, no" list because the use of magic won't be possible. Also Dr. Doom is into conceptual physics and extra-sensory powers like telekenesis... which aren't fully "real".

- Stratos

 

[Dalamar]

The Chameleon, from Spider-man, was originally just a guy who was really good at disguising himself, and later acquired a device which allowed him to change his shape. At least, that's how I remember it, I might be completely wrong.

Some others that are on the border from Spidey's world: Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Jackal, and Rhino.

And I just realised that Spidey has a lot of enemies with animal names.

 

[PJ-Mason]

Hmm, this is tricky because a lot of Pulp era heroes have been adapted to comic books at one time or another, Tarzan, John Carter, Doc Savage, etc.

Though I do remember a DC hero,Manhunter, who an skilled bounty hunter who used a mask and baton powered by the alien tech of the Manhunter robots.

Yep. Manhunter Mark Shaw. Once known as the Privateer and the Star Tzar. ER.....not that i followed the character much.......

 

[DarkSoldier]

And I just realised that Spidey has a lot of enemies with animal names.

How about the Walrus? He had the proportionate speed, strength, and agility of a walrus. He was a two-shot villain who made his second and last appearance with the White Rabbit.

There's two more.

Booster Gold has 25th-century technology, but otherwise he's just a football player. Blue Beetle is also a normal guy with high-tech.

 

[Tonguez]

None of you guys have mentioned the Ghost Who Walks - the Phantom is as human as they come, very fit and skilled but entirely normal and no gadgets (as per Batman) beyond his pistols and a ring

on that note does Lara Croft count?