If you were a superHERO, what kind of power would you have?

[Bruin Fisher]

I've had a idea, Cole... why don't you post that in Flash Fiction? It's very good!

(What? someone's already suggested that? Who? I didn't notice...)

Bruin with apologies and hugs to Des

[DesDownunder]

I've had a idea, Cole... why don't you post that in Flash Fiction? It's very good!

(What? someone's already suggested that? Who? I didn't notice...)

Bruin with apologies and hugs to Des

Good one Bruin, very funny.

[Cole Parker]

Yes, post it in the Flash Fiction Topic, that is what I said ten posts ago, but no one even noticed that I said it.

Actually, I did notice. I just didn't act. It wasn't through disrespect for your idea. It was more due to inner lassitude.

Okay, okay. If you guys want that there, I'll put it there. And I'll touch up the beginning to make it work, ala Colin's suggestion but probably different because, well, just because.

But I need a cup of coffee first. No coffee, no inspiration. Some people's muse works on scented scarves or moonlit vistas; mine works on coffee.

C

[JamesSavik]

TR-

Where's super-strength?

Many superheroes actually have two or morel powers. Like the X-man Storm: weather control, flight. Wolverine had enhanced senses, super agility, all the advantages of his adamantium skeleton plus super-healing.

Superman had super-strength, invulnerability, x-ray vision and flight (Not to mention that dreadful allergy to green kryptonite).

As for me, super-strength is appealing. Once long ago when I was a young geek-ling playing D&D, I had a monk who found a Ring of Titan Strength. He was a little guy that followed a high level preist around and protected him-- very well actually. The monk when facing multiple enemies would rip an oak tree out of the ground and beat platoons of Orcs to death with it.

[Trab]

"would rip an oak tree out of the ground and beat platoons of Orcs to death with it"

What fun.

[R.J.]

]

Yeah, I figured my definition of Intuitive Aptitude might not be the correct one. But defining it like I did allowed me to create some whimsy, and that was fun, so I went with it.

When I was young, my favorite super hero was a nerdy sort of radio station boy news reporter named Billy Batson who screamed Shazam every time he got in trouble with the evil, and bald, Dr. Savannah, and was struck by a lightening bolt. I think they do these things with a little bit more sophistication today.

C

Believe it or not, I remember watching Shazzam when I was a kid. Didn't know he's been around for decades. I thought he was a variation of Aladin's genie.

Rad

[colinian]

Yes, post it in the Flash Fiction Topic, that is what I said ten posts ago, but no one even noticed that I said it.

Oh no, no one takes any notice of the stupid ape, he's just here to make the other animals look and feel good.

Not that I mind, I am used to being ignored. My friends always ignore me too, unless they want to feel good and even then it's just, "ugh, ugh oog, ugh, ugh, sorry I can't stay, got to get home before I am missed," leaving me with the remains of a beautiful friendship to clean up.

Of course, if two of my friends should turn up at the same time, then they talk about me as if I wasn't in the room. That always makes me feel loved, especially if they start ughing and ooging without even asking me if I mind, let alone if want to ugh and oog too. No, they just go straight ahead and peel their bananas and nibble on their peanuts while I wait for the first one to finish his oogging and leave, so I can get the opportunity to console the remaining friend. Then when he has gone I get to put the banana skins in the trash and vacuum up the peanut shells. At least I have done my duty and made them feel good.

So you see there is no need to worry about me.

I am not upset about being overlooked when I suggested the Flash Fiction.

After all I am used to my friends leaving me to flush their affection

.

So, Cole, as I was saying, Des has it all wrong. We don't ignore him, we don't talk about him as if he wasn't right here in the room with us... uh... oh, hi, Des... uh... how long you been here?...

You know that we don't ignore you Des! I was simply adding to your post by including a starting sentence for the story you so aptly recommended be posted in Flash Fiction. Thanks for the suggestion! And see, you and I convinced Cole to actually post it.

Oh, sorry about eating all of your bananas. Cole's the one who ate all of your peanuts, though.

Colin

[Tragic Rabbit]

TR-

Where's super-strength?

Well, like you (or someone) said, it was just a short-list. I love Superman but might love his humility more than his super-strength. I know, I know: he's the Big Blue Boyscout. Does he never get into Lois Lane's pants? How about Jimmy Olsen's?

Batman is very cool but has no superpowers, you know, unless being rich is a superpower.

I think the only ones I'd choose would be optional invisibility, for all the sneaky perving I could do, or, more seriously, the ability to heal. Healing seems like the only really and truly beneficial 'power', no matter what all the various five-color superheroes can do.

I remember Shazzam from comic books but only vaguely. My dad was a fan of all kinds of superheroes, with him I joined the Superman Fan Club, which he'd belonged to since he was about ten years old. My dad still knows the entire secret formula of Johnny Quick! Anyone else even know who that is? Dad's in his 70s.

If time-traveling were an option, I'd really want that one, though.

Flying and such, I do that in dreams and it's not always so nice...is it only me who falls sometimes? Maybe I need more practice...

Kisses....

TR, (sometimes) fearful of flying

[Cole Parker]

People! People! He wasn't Shazzam! He was Captain Marvel. Shazam was the word Billy Batson cried to alert the gods above that he needed to be changed to his alter-ego, Captain Marvel. The gods, the seven of them that gave him his powers, had the initials of their names spell out the word Shazam.

Billy Batson was mortal, and had to cry Shazam to become powerful and impregnable. Therefore, these were much more exciting tales than the Superman ones, because Billy was vulnerable. Clark never was, unless someone waved some strange green rock at him. That vulnerablity was a huge plot point, because he could be put in mortal danger, a simple gag preveting his shout for his enabling lightning bolt. These were also tales an 8 or 10 year old boy could be enthralled by, as the comics seemed to be written for that age group, vs. Superman, which seemed to be written for adults.

But get they guy's name right, people! Captain Marvel.

C

[DesDownunder]

Cole is right. I remember shouting Shazam as a youngster playing with the cat who would miraculously turn into my best friend.

There were several super heroes in the Captain Marvel comics. If I remember rightly one of them did not have to shout Shazam, but instead had to say "Captain Marvel" before he changed to the superhero.

I also agree the stories were for a younger age group.

The Superman and Batman stories developed into true comic book novellas, often serialised over many months.

These were rather cleverly done as each month was a story unto itself that led into the continuation of a general theme.

My favourite was a joint - Batman-Superman story. Robin had gone off to do his own thing as he had become an older teenager. This left Batman and Superman arguing over Justice versus Law and Order.

The argument surfaced as a sub-plot over 12 - 18 months until it became the main theme of the final episodes. Batman arguing for Justice, while Superman maintained Law and Order was more important.

The authors did not shy away from the philosophical implications of such a discussion. Indeed they actually had Batman and Superman openly and heatedly disagreeing with each other's point of view.

I remember eagerly waiting each month for a new slant on this discussion.

Eventually Batman and Superman decided to agree to disagree, while also agreeing they were both on the side of trying to do the right thing. In the course of the monthly episodes many sides of this topic were aired and gave a nuance of insight into such things as, vengeance, criminal psychosis and upholding the law no matter what the cost. Batman's intellectual prowess was certainly equal to Superman's brawn.

Yet Batman was the product of his witnessing his parent's murder. Superman was raised by simple farm folk with an innocent but ethical desire to do good. Their experiences led them to different views of the world, even though they both stood against evil.

Bringing these two forces together in a serious discussion in a comic book, was unheard of until this novella was published.

I wish I had kept the series.

[Cole Parker]

Des, you've eloquently made my point. Not many 11 year olds want to read a philosophical treatise on the various shades of righteousness you just expressed. They do, however, like to be indulged by battles with giant octopi or armies of mutant troglodytes, with evil scientists vying for world domination, or demented rapscallions out to hold a city in their grasp.

You've brought back memories. The character who shouted 'Captian Marvel' instead of 'Shazam' was, in his superhero personna, Captain Marvel Jr. The trick is remembering his mortal name. I think, only think, it was Freddy Freeman, a cripled street corner newspaper peddler. There was also a girl, Mary Marvel, but I wasn't interested in girls and I don't remember much about her. I don't think she was Captain Marvel's mate, but don't really remember. I never paid much attention to her.

Good versus evil was much more enjoyable that good versus another flavor of good.

C

[DesDownunder]

Des, you've eloquently made my point. Not many 11 year olds want to read a philosophical treatise on the various shades of righteousness you just expressed. They do, however, like to be indulged by battles with giant octopi or armies of mutant troglodytes, with evil scientists vying for world domination, or demented rapscallions out to hold a city in their grasp.

You've brought back memories. The character who shouted 'Captian Marvel' instead of 'Shazam' was, in his superhero personna, Captain Marvel Jr. The trick is remembering his mortal name. I think, only think, it was Freddy Freeman, a cripled street corner newspaper peddler. There was also a girl, Mary Marvel, but I wasn't interested in girls and I don't remember much about her. I don't think was Captain Marvel's mate, but don't really remember. I never paid much attention to her.

Good versus evil was much more enjoyable that good versus another flavor of good.

C

Captain Marvel Jr, Yes that is right. And I think Freddy Freeman is too, as well as Mary but who cares about her. Girls are yucky to 9 year old boys. In many ways The Marvel Family paved the way for the next generation of super-heros.

I think the good versus evil stories certainly appeals to the pre-teen, but the remarkable thing about that Superman-Batman novella was that it managed to show that there is ironically, an evil side to Justice, and law and order. That was new.

Suddenly both Batman and Superman were subject to the depth of their emotions.

The only other comic book character I can think of that had Batman's sense of Justice was The Phantom, the ghost who walks. Although strictly speaking I think one should say that Batman has the Phantom's sense of Justice.

There have of course been many others since.

[Cole Parker]

Well, there was another superhero who had a strong sense of morality and fair play.

Mighty Mouse.

Okay, maybe you're sensing my intellectual grasp of good vs. evil was a bit shallower than yours.

At least the egg on my face at that admission is two toned, not just yellow.

C

[DesDownunder]

Yes but Mighty Mouse sang grand opera.

I think we both agree about the good versus evil.

Glad to see you have got to the yolk of the matter.

Just so you don't think I am a purist or anything, I will admit to liking Uncle Scrooge comics too.

But Daffy Duck is my hero. What an attitude!

[Cole Parker]

Somehow, Daffy never did much for me. But yeah, Scrooge, Donald, his three nephews, all great stuff.

And to show I was at an equal opportunity enjoyer, I love Little Lulu.

C

[EleCivil]

Something about this thread makes me want to recommend the book "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" by Michael Chabon. It's about two cousins (one is a Jewish refuge from Nazi Germany, the other is a gay New Yorker) who write/draw a series of comic books during the Golden Age of Comics.

[JamesSavik]

Somehow, Daffy never did much for me.

C

I am a big fan of Babylon 5.

Once Mr. Garibaldi disapeered and his friends Zack Allen(acting Security Cheif) and G'Kar (Narn ambassador) over-road the security lock out to look into Garibaldi's quarters for clues to his whereabouts.

Inside they found a big poster of Daffy Duck on the wall.

G'Kar asks, "Is that one of Garibaldi's household Gods?"

Zack responds, "Yeah, it's the Egyptian God of sexual frustration."

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

Deleted

[DesDownunder]

Ugg...this subject is so beyond me. I started out wondering which power I wanted and I couldn't decide on one. First of all, I had no idea what most of them were. Second, I'm greedy, I want them all.

Then everyone started talking about things I don't know anything about it just got out of control.

So, my choice is perfection. Couldn't that, like, include everything? And then I wouldn't have to choose? And I would know everything about all of the powers? Yes, there should be a power called perfection. And I should have it.

Go me being perfect!

Aha. But you see if you had perfection, you would not want it, because as well as such a power stopping you from being perfect, you would realise that to be perfect is to accept yourself as you are, or were, before you acquired the power to be perfect. So you are already perfect, just like the rest of us.

The secret to being perfect is to never think that you are (perfect.)

[Cole Parker]

my choice is perfection

There are problems with perfection. It would be boring. But that's not all.

We all know, writers that we are, that a story, to be interesting at all, needs conflict and then crisis. Where's the conflict or the crisis with perfection? There is none. So you'd have no drama, and your life would be way too prosaic.

But worse, you'd be all alone, because no one wants to have to live with the perfect person. It would be beyone their ability to cope, because they'd be human, and you'd be perfect. They'd be aware of their deficiencies, and that you had none. They could never rise to your level, and the pressure to do so would never end. It would be unbearable.

I think maybe you should wish perfection on your enemies. Let them try to live with it.

C

[Trab]

...no one wants to have to live with the perfect person. It would be beyone their ability to cope, because they'd be human, and you'd be perfect. They'd be aware of their deficiencies, and that you had none. They could never rise to your level, and the pressure to do so would never end. It would be unbearable.

C

And therein you see the reason for so many bullies. They cannot raise themselves, so tearing down is the only alternative they can see.

[colinian]

But worse, you'd be all alone, because no one wants to have to live with the perfect person. It would be beyone their ability to cope, because they'd be human, and you'd be perfect. They'd be aware of their deficiencies, and that you had none. They could never rise to your level, and the pressure to do so would never end. It would be unbearable.

I think maybe you should wish perfection on your enemies. Let them try to live with it.

C

And therein you see the reason for so many bullies. They cannot raise themselves, so tearing down is the only alternative they can see.

Wow! That is so right-on! And it's something that I don't remember thinking about before. I just assumed that they were just geing a**holes or mean f***s. It give me a different perspective about bullies.

Thanks, Trab.

Colin

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

Deleted

[Tragic Rabbit]

In the same way a perfect person wouldn't remind others of their deficiencies or even possibly know of their own perfection. Cause then they wouldn't be perfect.

Yes, I've always found that to be true.

TR

[Trab]

Oh, TR, do tell us when you met that perfect person who put you at ease like that.