About Super Powers

Many children dream of being a superhero and saving lives on a daily basis, but in order to be a true superhero, you must have superpowers. It is the superpower that define a superhero, and throughout history, heroes like Superman, Spider-Man, Wolverine and the Daredevil have used their powers to take down evil forces and entertain fans.

Features

One of the most common superpowers is the ability to fly. Superman is the most iconic hero and along with flying he has X-ray vision, super speed, heat vision, ice vision and nothing harms him except a substance known as kryptonite. The collection of X-men are mutants that use their different powers and work together. Some can walk through walls, manipulate weather, control metal, read minds and Rouge can steal all of those powers with just a touch.

A lot of superpowers focus on strength, like those of the Incredible Hulk, Mr. Incredible, Hancock and the Thing. Other superheroes have an above average strength along with their other powers and can tolerate a lot of pain.

Function

Superpowers are used mainly to stop crime and super villains. For example, Spider-Man can quickly get across a city by using his web and that web can also be used to stop villains wrecking havoc. A lot of superheroes use their powers by emitting things from their eyes. For example, Superman and Cyclops both emit heat rays from their eyes. A lot of superpowers involve body manipulation. Some super heroes transform their body, make it disappear or even set it on fire. Specialized suits must be created in order to withstand these powers.

History

Superpowers usually are not given to you when you are born unless you are a member of the X-Men; it usually takes some type of accident or experiment to create these powers. Spider-Man was bit by an advanced spider to gain his powers, The Fantastic Four were in an outer space accident, and the Incredible Hulk was a part of a nuclear experiment that caused his creation. Many of the characters in the Superman comics and adaptations receive powers from side effects of meteor rocks that crashed into Earth when Superman arrived.

Warning

Superpowers are also used for evil. Throughout superhero history, the heroes have come across villains with powers of their own. The Green Goblin was created due to a bad experiment, as was Doc Ock, both of whom are part of the Spider-Man universe. X-Men spend a lot of their time battling other mutants who want to use their powers for evil instead of good. Darth Vader uses the superpowers of the "Force" to control the "Dark Side" in the Star Wars saga.

Considerations

Superpowers have commonly been used to do everyday skills. In the TV series "Smallville," Clark Kent uses his powers to finish everyday chores, speed to school when he is late, and to move heavy objects. Spider-Man uses his web to travel across the city and deliver pizzas. His "Spidey-Sense" helps him avoid everyday occurrences like bumping into people or tripping. The Incredible's Elastigirl uses her stretch powers to reach hard places when doing daily tasks. But despite how useful superpowers are when it comes to completing everyday activities, they are generally expected to be used for the greater good.

Resources

• History of Comic Books