If you had a choice of superpowers, which one would you choose? Given superheroes don’t have that choice, and they don whatever superpower they come to acquire, I’m sure those of us who have thought about this would pick a superpower that would compliment who we are.
The question for Monday Mayhem is which superpower would you choose?
I’ve thought about this a lot. The common superpower that comes to mind is super-strength. To me though, I find that power as a prerequisite to being a superhero. Take for instance Spider-Man, Wolverine and Superman, they all have super-strength as part of their superhero makeup. Yet, they also possess something intrinsically different that makes them who they are. Spider-Man can climb walls. Wolverine can regenerate from an injury, including a bullet to the head. And Superman can fly.
Aside from their super-strength, superheroes have powers that make them unique in the comic book world.
The other side of the coin are the superheroes who possess none of the superpowers inherent with their natural counterparts, but make up for it with their ability to utilize equipment and their incredible willpower to defeat their archenemies. Batman and Iron Man fall into this category. Although Batman doesn’t possess any natural superpower, he rises to the occasion with all his cool toys. Same goes for Iron Man, who has a vast arsenal at his disposal that he can deploy at will. What makes these characters unique is even stripping the equipment from them, they will still stand for justice.
With that in mind, which superpower would you choose?
From my perspective, I once thought being invisible was the most awesome of powers. Think about it, you can sneak into a building where the bad guys make it their headquarters and take them down without much of a fight. Knocking them out from behind would simply do the job. But then I thought being invisible wouldn’t guarantee your clothes would be invisible too. If anything, I’d have to become like Mystique and shed my clothing in order to get anything done. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather maintain my sense of decency once I slip from invisibility mode.
I also thought having the ability to fly would be something cool to have. Yet, the logistics behind the superpower left me wanting something else. For instance, when flying, I’d have to carry a comb everywhere I go to ensure no one suspects me of flying. Try to explain a windy day when outside was the calmest day of the year, weather-wise. Then there’s the whole cape thing. I’m not into capes. They look great on Superman and Thor, but I find them distracting. I’d rather have my own style. Which brings us back to clothing. Imagine how many shoes I’d have to through when landing from a thousand foot plummet. The soles of my shoes would be paper-thin in no time.
No. What I’d choose for my superpower has nothing to do with physical ability, even if it means I wouldn’t ever be able to outrun a locomotive. I’d rather choose a superpower that would defy my archenemies in a way they wouldn’t suspect.
I’d choose a high IQ as my superpower.
A high IQ would grant me the ability to defeat naysayers at their own game. A high IQ would afford me the strength to repel an attack by stemming the threat from the very beginning. A high IQ would permit me to argue my way out of a mess rather than use muscles to make a point.
Yeah, a high IQ is boring, but it’s the one superpower that I wouldn’t need to worry about taking my clothes off.
Which superpower would you choose?
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.
Which comic book hero do you relate to the most? What superpower does your comic book hero have that you wouldn’t mind possessing yourself?
Looking to God 
hello jack flacco its dennis the vizsla dog hay with a hi iq yoo kan invent yore own power soot and wunderful toyz so that seems like a gud choyse!!! i wood invent myself sum noo stuffeez and posibly also a ninja hedjhog detector!!! ok bye
Ah it simply has to be Morphing. To morph into any animal or person would be ridiculously useful. Also flying would be covered so that’s an added bonus!
I love the flying comment. You are so right! How could you explain your hair or why looked a certain way on such a nice calm day 🙂
Hm. Maybe shapeshifting…
I might be off topic here, but I wish I had the power to show people the tremendous power that starts from within, and makes any strength demonstration to the outside world unnecessary, with only a gaze or a simple hand gesture.
The power of the subtle smile does more in a tense situation than ten words uttered at full volume.
True! 🙂
To turn opponents arguments into gibberish as they leave their mouths.
I was going to say super intellect, too. Not so much for making powered armor, but for global change. Saving the environment, halting disease, etc. Of course, the implementation of any of that would encounter cultural, political, and economic impediments.
I would definitely be invisible. I wouldn’t have to get dressed until I got back home, as long as I could stay invisible. My second choice would be the ability to teleport. It’d be useful during for my day job and I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about flying or driving anywhere.
High IQ is a great superpower. It’s a power that I would love to see given to more villains in stories/movies. Someone the hero can’t outsmart and is always a step ahead. Deviousness and High IQ also make for a deadly combo. Of course, I’m sure you’d use your superior intellect for the greater good. 🙂
I would love telekinesis. Maybe I could use it to even make myself fly. It could be a fun power too on those lazy days you just want to grab something from the fridge without leaving your bed haha.
Good thoughts. You should revisit The Incredibles about the cape issue. Not necessary for flight. As for invisibility, it seems all a mind issue on what you can make invisible with you – or special clothing ala Invisible Woman from Fantastic 4 (comics – none of the movies). Shapeshifiting like Mystique is no problem – as she creates her own clothing as she wishes.
Now, for my own preference – I would have to go Professor X or Jean Grey style. Jean could make herself fly or do whatever she wanted. Would go whole Pheonix, but it seems a bit uncontrollable. Who knows?
I love your commentary on the “taking off clothes” issue! I always thought shape-shifting was a fun power, but it’s getting around that whole clothing issue.
Also, high IQ might be practical, but you’re right, it can be boring. It’s a superpower I tend to advise against for actually writing a character, because it’s difficult to show in fiction. However, in Real Life? Very practical.
I’m with Drew. I have lots of friends all over the place, and I’d love to teleport to be able to see them more often.
I’d like to become raw data, raw energy & travel like a satellite or cable signal to anywhere…..
I’ve thought about this many, many times. If I had a choice of a super power, it would be to have the ability to safely teleport anywhere. I could vacation wherever and whenever I wanted, I would save on transportation costs wherever I was going, I would be able to work in one place and live in another without worrying about commute time, and many other benefits. If I had powers, I’m pretty sure I would be selfish and use them to make my life easier. Not necessarily for good or bad but just for me.
My superpower would be the ability to exist at the quantum level. I’d have the characteristics of sub-atomic matter allowing me to pass through solid objects, exist in two places simultaneously, move via higher dimensions which effectively negates distance, and by hiding in the fourth dimension I’d be invisible without the need to take my clothes off.
You could defeat an enemy by turning them inside out, help a friend by picking them up and lifting them into the same unseen fourth dimension. (See Edwin Abbott’s thought experiment on Flatland…)
I’d call myself Quantum Man and have a Unified Field Day making mischief.
There are a heckuva lot of possibilities. I’d like to slow down time for everybody else, whilst I sped up. Or walking into a person to use their bodies as a ” disguise “. Whole heap o’ people be waking up with hangovers & awkward situations. 🙂
I still think Time Lord regeneration would be great, though. Or even Jack Harkness’ potential immortality in Doctor Who & Torchwood.
You would meet Einstein, since he believed time is relative and you’d far surpass time in every respect!
I think we’re at the point where Batman might as well have the power of foresight or extreme intelligence. He’s become a bit too unbeatable. Though there’s a great video somewhere of the character Archer talking about Superman vs Batman. Anyway, the questions.
I always wanted Spider-Man’s power set. Though I don’t have the scientific knowledge to make the webshooters, so I might need to add the dreaded natural ones from the movies. I haven’t read his comics for a while, but I’ve heard enough that I don’t relate as much to him as I used to. Mostly that ‘deal with the Devil to negate his marriage to Mary Jane and now he’s Tony Stark with webbing’ transformation. Still the powers are cool and rather low key.
Without that, I’d go for high level telekinetic. You could use that to copy a few other powers like super strength, super durability (shields), short range flight, and maybe a few others.
Not many people come up with such wonderful posts. I enjoyed reading you.
And if I were to choose, I’d choose the power to read minds. However, a high IQ sounds like a plan too. 😉
Thank you!
Such a difficult question !
I have :
Telekinesis & or telepathy,
Morphing from 1 shape or 1 image of a person or creature,
OR – Teleportation by mental power alone. This ability played an important part in Alfred Bester’s novel, ” The Stars My Destination “, where just about anyone ( except perhaps severely visually impaired people ) could ” Jaunt ” by envisioning he destination in their minds. Airlines, bus lines, subways, etc., would become outdated relics if humans had this power. & in the novel, Earth was basically a world government, so invasions by foreign armies teleporting across international boundaries wasn’t an issue.
Oh, & self – healing or Time Lord regeneration would be interesting. 🙂
With a high IQ you would be smart enough to create the toys to give you the power. Good choice.