If I was...

If I Was affected by the Storm Part 3

2013-05-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

Background

The Storm was an event that occurred in the Misfits series in Wertham a section of an unnamed British city. The Storm bestowed “super powers” on individuals who were near the storms lightning strikes. Nothing else is ever stated about the Storm after it occurs.

Description

The Storm consisted of sinister dark clouds, giant hail instead of rain and simultaneous lightning strikes.
Powers

As stated above the Storm gives a subject who is either struck by it's lightning or are near the lightning when it strikes some kind of “super power” based on the based on the characters personalities, deepest desires or what they were thinking at the time of the Storm.

If I was affected by the Storm

For this third part I'm going to write about what would happen if I was affected by the Storm based on my personality. I saved this one for last because it took the most thought. I looked at what I think I'm like and what I'm like according to other people.

Of all the things that can be said about me (and there are many things) it is agreed that I am a person to seek insight and help from. I am insightful and helpful because I learn from other people's experiences and then I use that as my source of inspiration to help people and to have the understanding necessary to be of use. Based on that I would say that the Storm would give me the ability to mimic a subject's powers. I say “subject” because aside from human beings animals were also affected by the Storm. Their may also come a time in the show where they reveal plants were also affected so I'm just trying to encompass it all by saying “subject”. I chose power mimicking instead of something like copying a subject's memories or experiences because on the show Seth wanted to be the “ultimate dealer” and he developed the ability to “deal in Storm based powers”. So I would assume my desire to understand and help people would result in the ability to mimic a person's powers so I can be familiar with what they are going through with them and therefore help them use or at least come to terms with having powers.

Being me I would think the mechanism that permits mimicking would be that I'd have to observe a subject to the extent that I would be familiar with them. Most likely I would have to sit down with someone and have a conversation with them to permit me to mimic them. However I would say watching a person on television every day would also accomplish the same thing or at least watching or listening to an in-depth interview of some kind would. Something where I would get a sense of the person. Once I had my sense of the person I would have a “mini-Storm” event inside me where I would see in my mind what factor caused the person to have the power they developed and consequently I would develop that power. That would be how I know they have a Storm power without having observed them using one.

The power would fade once I lost interest in it. To be clear on this, if the subject needed help, I would retain interest in the power at least as long as it was necessary to have it to help the subject. Should a subject not need help my interest would depend on how well I found the power worked with my personality. The further it deviates form my personality the shorter I would retain it. Should the power match with my personality I would retain it permanently as others did during the Storm. As examples in terms of the “Misfits” themselves I would have retained Alisha's power to see through other people's eyes, Kelly's telepathy, Simon's “foresight”, Nathan's “magician” power, Jess' “X-ray vision” and Finn's telekinesis. I wouldn't have retained Alisha's ability to cause extreme sexual arousal by touch, Kelly's “rocket scientist” power (or maybe I would. I'm not sure), Simon's invisibilty/“ability to be ignored”, Nathan's immortality, Curtis' rewind time (when he regrets something he's done) power or his gender switching (make himself male or female) power (but I would have kept it for awhile), Rudy's “emotional duplication” (ability to split into 3 versions of himself with different degrees of emotions) power or Abby's memory wipe.

The nature of the “powers” in the Misfits universe makes having a power mimicry ability like I described I would have a potentially dangerous ability. Since I would acquire the power before knowing what the power is I could get in trouble. As with Abby I would lose my memory, with the actress Debby I would have thought I was the character “Lola”, with Jeremy (Nathan's mother's boyfriend) I would think I was his childhood dog at night or like Micheal everyone around me would want to kill me for the case of money he stole from his partner in crime. It wouldn't really be something I could control. I would just be lucky that the power would fade once I lost interest in it or no longer needed it to help someone. That doesn't mean that I couldn't get into a lot of trouble or even be killed before I lost one of these types of powers.

Having said that I doubt I would have been in Wertham long enough to know I even have a Storm based power. I would need a subject with Storm based powers to cause me to have a mini-Storm event to show me. It could potentially be years before I even encounter someone else with a power unless although unspecified on the show that other storms occurred elsewhere. Then maybe I might encounter some.

Once I discovered that I had this power, meaning that I encountered another subject with a power I would hold onto that power “for dear life” until I encountered another subject, unless of course the power actually suited me then I wouldn't have to force myself to hold onto it.. After I understood my power I would start many social network site pages under the profile name of the “Power Guru”. I would offer my services to help someone learn how to use and accept their powers. Whether or not I charged for my services would depend on the subject I'm helping. Usually this would depend on two things: whether or not I develop a permanent power from the experience and whether or not the subject could actually pay. As for others who could afford to pay I would just decide a price based on what they could afford.

Aside from wanting to help people, I would also love to build a collection of powers and a database of who had what powers in case I needed to reacquire a power I couldn't keep. I would know where to look. I would probably try and get money at a place like startup.org and open a business finding people with powers...hmm. Maybe I would start a “Superhuman Resource” company. I could build up my power repertoire, help people with powers as originally intended and make money. Maybe make a break away society through the use of people's powers.

That or just keep collecting powers until I achieve a degree of self-sufficiency that I can function as a free agent in the world something like Doctor Who does traveling through time.

Thanks for reading.

If I Was affected by the Storm Part 2

2013-05-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

If I Was affected by the Storm Part 1

2013-04-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

I've now watched all the episodes of the first three seasons on the British television series “Misfits” including the “mini episode” “Vegas Baby”. The series is interesting as the characters and their not necessarily orthodox “powers” are based on the characters personalities or deepest desires or what they were thinking at the time of the storm. So I've decided to do a three part version of how I would have been affected by the storm.

Background

The Storm was an event that occurred in the Misfits series in Wertham a section of an unnamed British city. The Storm bestowed “super powers” on individuals who were near the storms lightning strikes. Nothing else is ever stated about the Storm after it occurs.

Description

The Storm consisted of sinister dark clouds, giant hail instead of rain and simultaneous lightning strikes.

Powers

As stated above the Storm gives a subject who is either struck by it's lightning or are near the lightning when it strikes some kind of “super power” based on the based on the characters' personalities, deepest desires or what they were thinking at the time of the Storm.

If I was affected by the Storm

For this first part I'm going to write about what would happen if I suffered the fate of the “proper adults” affected by the storm. These adults usually suffer some form of negative change based on their emotional preoccupation at the time of the storm. The “Misfits” first case worker developed a psychotic rage that led him to kill one of his “charges” and to attempt to kill the others. The father of the girl Simon lost his virginity to would undergo murderous rages if he thought someone was “wronging” his daughter. Nathan's Mother's boyfriend would act like his childhood pet at night. He was thinking of him while the Storm was going on. Every night he would strip naked and explore the city like a dog does.

For me I like to help people and see them achieve their full potential. I usually do that by using what I know about the person to get them to learn and grow. However the darker side of it is that I can be “too amused” by using what I know about a person to manipulate them to see just how much power I can have over them. This usually takes the form of trading insults and other forms of “wit to wit combat” but not always. So if I was affected by the Storm as a “proper” adult (which I am a far cry from being) the likelihood would be that I would become a compulsive mind game player to the point of criminal actions. Getting people to commit crimes or ruin their own lives via my “well meaning advice” that they don't know I would also be giving to others that would counter the advice I gave them. You know sort of like in every tale of the “Devil”. He “doesn't do”. He gets you to do it. That would be me. When I saw someone worth manipulating my eyes would momentarily glow red and I would go about my work.

My most common “hustle” would be to get people to get me money. When I feel I've gotten all I can get I would turn the people against each other. Because information gathering is a big part of how I operate, I would be using the money I've been getting people to acquire for me to buy more information gathering powers. Then I would set myself up as an “oracle” expanding my hustle to a higher level. Possibly becoming a corporate “seer” or even using my influence on politicians. I'd be an actual “Bondsian” super villain.

The end game of my manipulations would be similar to the Marvel Comics' villain Apocalypse. I would engage in my manipulations until I believed the species had proved itself strong enough to survive without them. After (just in case I do better than I expect) that I would just manipulate people for my own benefit until I died or was killed. Given that it's Misfits I would probably end up getting killed because I tried to get them to kill one of their own in case they got too close to figuring out that I was using them.

Thanks for reading

If I was Elliot

2013-04-04T11:54:00.000-07:00

Background

In the Misfits television series Elliot was a disgruntled preacher who uses what money he has to buy super powers from the “power dealer” Seth. He uses these new powers to make people believe he is Jesus Christ “reborn”. He soon becomes corrupt with power and uses his followers especially a “repentant hood” to acquire more money and his purchased powers to rape women. Eventually he gets his comeuppance when he accidentally kills himself using his telekinetic power to get his money filled locker back from the “Misfits”. It slams into him, knocking him against a wall, cracking his skull open. A wreath falls on his head resembling a crown of thorns.

Description

Elliot is a relatively tall and thin man with sharp features. He has brown hair and eyes.

Powers

Elliot has several powers he purchased from Seth: telekinesis, water walking, instant sexual arousal and teleportation.

His telekinesis is strong enough to pull a locker full of money at great speed towards himself after ripping it from the hands of five (possibly six) people who were actively resisting his efforts. It should be noted that it took him some effort to do that.

Not much is shown about his ability to walk on water other than to show he could actually walk on water.

His instant sexual arousal power permits him to cause a person he has skin to skin contact with to be consumed with a powerful lust for him. The victim of the power doesn't remember what they did when under the influence of the power but they do know that they did do something. The power does have a few limits. Once the victim is “sexually spent” the power no longer affects them at least until they are “arousable” again. The power cannot be turned on and off. Consequently, unintended skin to skin contact can lead to rape.

His teleportation power permits him to teleport to a place or person (even without knowing where they are) he wants to go to. This version of teleportation seems to be a sideways “shunt”. When Nikki had the power she once found herself knocked sideways against a wall after teleporting. On the other hand she has teleported “blindly” without ever appearing in a solid object. So their would seem to be a sort of intuitive “teleportation navigation” ability that prevents that from happening similar to the Vanisher in Marvel Comics.

If I was Elliot

Well, if I've learned nothing else from watching the episode he appears in. I've learned it is a good idea to practise using these powers rigorously. After all it was his lack of practise that got him killed by the locker.
Since the telekinesis power isn't as strong as the others I've covered in other entries I would handle it differently. Yes it would be an extension of my martial arts skills but I wouldn't practise using it for water walking or flying. However I would practise using it to break my fall as well as slow it. I would also follow the example of the ninja skills from the Naruto anime and use it to permit me to climb objects by anchoring my hands and feet to the surface I'm climbing or at least use it to fortify my grip when climbing. I would also make sure I could use it to throw people off of me who are accidentally under the influence of the sexual arousal power. No point in having that power come back and haunt me when it doesn't have to. Along that line I would use it as replacement for my hands when it comes to situations when I would otherwise have to have physical contact with someone without being properly prepared. Like when someone needs first aid. No point in having tragedies when I could fix things telekinetically.

Water walking would be for my personal enjoyment. There is a lot of water and a lot of swampland where I live so water walking is very useful. It is also useful for snow walking. Snow is as hard to walk on as water sometimes and water can sometimes be hiding under snow. So falling into freezing water unexpectedly is a very real danger. I'd probably use it to help people stranded in the water or to help them put their docks in the water during spring and take them out in the fall. The teleportation power of course becomes my primary mode of transportation. Think of where I want to be or who I want to see and poof I'm there. That is very handy when someone calls you for help. Given that you are shunted sideways when you use it you can prepare to deliver an attack for when you appear. Unfortunately this particular teleportation power doesn't permit you to carry more than what you're wearing with you as you teleport. Or at least it seems that way. Nikki could have just used it to save the Misfits from Tim when he had them tied up but she didn't but then she was new to her power at the time. However even when she got used to her power she never brought any one with her so I will assume she couldn't.

Instant sexual arousal. Now I know you're probably thinking, “What can you do with the power other than rape people?” Well my “inner ninja” says that is short sighted of you. Think a kinky version of “ninja vanish”. I touch the target, they get all lusty and I teleport. Since the power causes memory loss during the time of arousal, the target never knew I could teleport. Remember that although I never mentioned it under the power description, this power affects both sexes even if they are not attracted to your sex. Alisha used it to arouse a group of dancers both male and female. Also quick “taps” in succession would serve to disorient a target without getting them to try and have sex with you. This power could also be used to cure someone with sexual inhibition issues. Regular stimulation over time could be used to break down the barriers. It could also be used to build up contacts and people willing to help you. Make people feel good and they will like having you around.

My primary use of this power set would be to use the power to find missing people. As long as I have pictures or videos to see the people I could teleport to them and then bring them home. Of course I couldn't teleport them home but I could call and get the missing person picked up. Also I could use the other three powers to help subdue any possible captors or at least escape and report the situation to the authorities.
As for not being able to touch people without causing them sexual arousal well there are ways around it. Just be dressed up from head to toe and make sure not to touch skin. So you could still give warm hugs to people. In fact, where I come from, half the year you wouldn't even notice I was doing anything unusual. You would be dressed from head to toe just to deal with the weather. Of course in terms of sexual relationships you just wear a PVC suit. It's a kink for some people and of course wearing a condom is just a good practice. There are other forms of protection for performing cunnilingus which could also be used for kissing. So it's not impossible.

Thanks for reading

If I had the Makluan Rings

2013-04-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

Background
The Makluan rings were create by the Makluans, a race of dragon-like extra-terrestrials. A Makluan ship crashed on Earth thousands of years ago and gave rise to the legends of asian dragons. Most notable of those who crashed is Fin Fang Foom. These Makluan were rebels among their species who renounced their peoples peaceful ways. The Mandarin later found the rings while searching the “Valley of Spirits” where their ship crashed and used them to embark on a career of super villainy that ranked him right up there with the likes of Doctor Doom and MODOK.

The rings are some of the most powerful devices on the planet. The way the rings were described in an earlier depictions one might make the assumption that the rings powered the ship the Makulans came to Earth in.

Description
The ten Makluan rings are gold bands with their own unique facets on them. Various artists have depicted them in various ways so I won't go into a full description of each various design they have chosen to draw them with.

Powers
All the rings are a source of very powerful energy and with some kind of mental interface with their wearers (they are controlled by their wearers thoughts). It would seem the rings are designed in such a way as not to harm their wearers when they are in use. Also the rings can emit their power from any point on the ring. Generally that's the front of the ring, meaning projected outward perpendicular to the facet but that has not always been the case. The rings have been depicted projecting their energies parallel with the finger it is on while the Mandarin was pointing with it.

The full range and power of the rings are never actually stated (except where stated below) but by guessing based on at least one confrontation the Mandarin had with Iron Man and the Makluan at the same time, the range of the rings seem to be in hundreds of feet.

Ring 1
The “ice blast” ring emits waves of cold at intensities determined by the wearer's will. It can drop temperatures down to as low as near absolute zero. The air ices up as the wave passes through it.

Ring 2
The “mento-intensifier” ring amplifies the wearers “psionic energy”. This allows its wearer to mentally dominate a subject essentially given them mind control/super hypnotism powers including the ability to send their thoughts to the targets mind. This ring effects one person at a time and only within a range of 10 feet.

Ring 3
The “elctro-blast” ring permit its wearer to project “electric blasts” at intensities determined by the wearer's will.

Ring 4
The “flame blast” ring emits infrared rays at intensities determined by the wearer's will. The air in the path of the beam will often ignite depending on the intensity of the heat.

Ring 5
The “white light” ring emits energy from the electromagnetic spectrum at intensities determined by the wearer's will. Aside from just emitting visible light the ring can also create blinding flashes and “holograms”.

Ring 6
The “black light” ring creates areas of darkness that absorb light.

Ring 7
The “disintegration beam” ring emits a beam of energy that dissolves the connections between atoms and molecules of objects causing them to disintegrate. It takes 20 minutes to recharge between uses. It doesn't cause nuclear explosions when it dissolves atomic bonds.

Ring 8
The “vortex beam” ring causes the air to form into high speed vortexes (essentially tornadoes and other conical air phenomena like dust devils) that can be controlled by the wearer's will. The vortexes can be used as weapons, as a means of levitating objects or even to achieve flight. The ring seems to have the ability to prevent its wearer from spinning while in an air vortex and also keeps it's wearer from being buffeted by debris. I would suspect that flight by air vortex may actually be an intended use of the ring.

Ring 9
The “impact beam” ring emits concussive, sonic/vibratory and magnetic forces at intensities determined by the wearer's will. The magnetic force can be used to attract or repel objects.

Ring 10
The “matter rearranger” ring can be used to alter matter for feats such as transmutation (has turned air into poisonous gas) as well as to alter it's state (made gasses solid and turned water into vapor) and to force chemical reactions or even arrest them. If for nothing else the Mandarin used it to change his clothes into his costume.

If I had the Makluan Rings

I think that with these rings I would become a vagabond. I would travel the world earning my keep using the rings to repair things or essentially solve any problem I can help with. I would be “The man who dropped out of the tornado”. Here one day, gone tomorrow. Moving on to new adventures. Never looking back. Yep life on the road.

The mento-intensifier ring would be my hypno therapy tool. I would provide people with help with their mental states. Phobias, bad habits, memory recovery and so forth. If nothing else I would “implant” aversions in the minds of people who are victimizing others. Maybe use it to keep them still long enough to see the world from their victims perspective.

The vortex ring would be my primary defence ring. A small tornado sweeping people up and throwing them aside works or even creating a wind barrier type “force field”. Other than that I would use it for moving large amounts of debris and cleaning up things like mud slides, avalanches and floods.

The white light ring would be my multifunction utility ring. If nothing else it's a flashlight. I could even use it to generate ultraviolet light to see things that are only illuminated by such light. Filtering lenses like the kind used by forensics labs could be used to make even more use of the properties of ultraviolet light to detect and find things. Even if the ring doesn't generate lasers it is equipped with any number of potentially dangerous wavelengths of light to use: radio waves (microwave ovens use radio waves to cook), gamma rays, microwaves and so on.

I would suspect that the ring can function as a one way communication device. If it can generate holograms based on its wearer's will then it can at least theoretically also be able to broadcast audio radio wave messages maybe even a full audio/visual broadcasts. These broadcasts would be analog signals I would expect. Digital receivers wouldn't be able to display them unless I used something to convert them into digital signals. Once I had my conversion method I would have my own inexpensive way to create broadcast that I can put on the net, maybe for money, maybe even create full length movies.

I would try to find a way to use this as a two-way communication device. Possibly have a device that can read the rings emissions permitting me to use it as scanner or even radar. I would also cook with it.

The matter rearranger ring is another very functional ring. It could mend clothes, dry clean them and alter them as needed. It could also do the same for your home and vehicles. Some times super villains just waste their powers. I would use it to transform scrap materials into an awesome and creative houses for people who were homeless. In disaster areas I would use it to purify water especially after floods where water becomes polluted from sewage and other contaminants.

The impact beam ring would be my personal “side arm”. It would also be my “work horse” ring. In terms of personal protection force beams are of course awesome defaults attacks especially against inanimate objects. Sonic and vibratory waves are useful for shaking objects apart and causing them to explode from shaking. Their also good for negating those vibrations when they are caused by someone else. Sonic waves are also a good way of subduing a subject by hitting them with painful noise. The magnetic attraction/repulsion capacity would be my “vehicle stopper”. I would either stop a vehicle by holding it is place by using the attraction effect or crushing it on impact with the repulsion effect. I would also use it as a “rail gun” projecting metal projectiles at targets.

In terms of non-combat use, the impact ring could be used to move objects around or holding things in place when needed. Vibrations, sonic or otherwise could be used therapeutically. Heck they can be used to removes the knots from necklace chains.

The black light ring is my hiding ring. Surround an area in darkness and let people pass you by. Remember it absorbs light and energy so active night-vision devices and radar won't be able to find you. Nor will passive night-vision. Sonar should still work as well as other vibration based detection methods. I would mostly use it forgiving me a good and dark place to meditate or to just think of things.

The disintegration beam ring would be my ring of last resort. If something is so difficult to deal with or so dangerous that it needs to be completely destroyed then I would deploy it. I'm not sure what would fall under that category.

The ice blast ring is very useful for flash freezing food and freezing patients to make surgery easier to survive. In fact it would be good for keeping harvested organs cool while being transported. I's also use to make ice rinks and solidify bodies of water so they can be crossed without sinking. This is especially important for transporting goods in trucks on “ice roads”.

The fire blast ring would be used primarily for heat. I'd make my own sauna for relaxation or to break up ice flows that would otherwise cause floods.

I would use the electro-blast ring as a source of electricity. Charge up some batteries, power the shelters I would create for myself or vehicles I might also make. I mean it generates electricity. It just makes sense. Of course it's also the world's greatest joy buzzer. I'm not sure how I would use it as a power source but I did take a year of electrical engineering (I say “year” loosely) and of course my dad and my brother are electricians so I'm sure we could come up with something.

Thanks for reading

If I was Captain Ultra

2013-03-27T17:45:00.000-07:00

Background

Griffin Gogol was a simple plumber who underwent hypnosis by an elderly psychiatrist who couldn't afford to pay him for the work he did for him. Little did Gogol know the psychiatrist was actually an alien from an other planet. While he was using his hypnosis to help Griffin quit smoking he also unlocked his innate superhuman powers otherwise known as his “Ultra Potential”. Unfortunately while removing his smoking habit, the alien either accidentally or purposely instilled in him a phobia of fire. Gogol would now faint in its presence. Fortunately Doc Samson helped him get over his fear of fire.

After failing as a super villain he decided to become a superhero first by trying to become a member of the Defenders but like a number of other heroes present at the time he decided not to be a member. He has know some success as a solo hero, as a member of the Initiative and other team ups with the likes of Thor.

Description

Although it's hard to tell by some of the ways he has been drawn sometimes. he is roughly the size of most male superheroes. He has short, brown hair and brown eyes. Captain Ultra wears a very odd costume that seems to be armoured to a degree or somehow “technologically enhanced”. The legs and belt are a gold color as well as....forget it. Look it up for yourself. The costume is just so full of colour and features that describing it properly taxes my patience.

Powers

Gogol's Ultra potential has been unlocked granting him super powers. Among them includes basically an over all physical enhancement including super human strength, endurance, durability, speed, agility and reflexes. He can lift at arms length over his head 9 tons. According to one of the versions of “The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe” as far as his endurance and durability they should be on par with Spider Man, so he can probably function at peak ability for several hours and is at least bullet resistant if not bullet proof and can survive falls from great heights and blows from super humanly strong opponents.

As far as his agility goes, he is capable of feats of agility greater than a human can possibly do but still not to the point of someone like Spider Man. In terms of speed once again following the Handbook he should be able to move at peak speeds of up to 110 mph and have reflexes capable of permitting him to react at those speeds or if nothing else they should be faster than what is possible for what any human could have but still not on par with the likes of Spider Man or the mutant and former Avenger Quicksilver. I have read a Marvel Age issue where he is depicted creating balloon animals at super speed as well as crawling along the ground at super speed in order to sneak up on a subject while he was out of costume.

His uncommon physical enhancements include the ability to see though opaque items. It is said that he can see through opaque objects as thick as 18 inches up to 60 feet away. His other unconventional physical power includes his “Ultra Breath” that can produce “great concussive force”. It's limits are unknown.

He is also capable of flight of at least up to 60 mph hour. His handbook entry puts him in a category that tops out at 170 miles per hour, the maximum known speed for any flying bird not counting power diving like a falcon does. Also he (and the clothes he wears) can become intangible permitting him to pass through solid objects and permitting solid object to pass through him.

Although I'm not familiar with them he apparently has super human resistance to mind control and an “Ultra Voice”. I can't say what they mean by ultra voice but I would assume it means he can use his voice in super human ways like making it louder like he was using a megaphone or maybe even being able to speak in frequencies of sounds that humans can't hear. Who knows. It could also mean that he can mimic voices and other sounds. He apparently has the power to tell “Ultra Jokes” and now has a career as a stand up comedian so maybe he can imitate different voices and sounds.

Theoretically he has more powers than those mentioned thanks to his ultra potential but they are the only ones he has displayed so far. He is essentially a comedic rip off of Superman so he could theoretically exhibit all of his powers even if only at a far lower power level.

If I was Captain Ultra

I had to give this some thought. This power set would make me powerful but not so powerful that a well organized and armed group couldn't defeat me. So for that reason anything I would do I would do in disguise. Okay it's true that I wouldn't completely stick to that. I would walk in and out of my house using the intangibility without using the door without thinking about it. Of course at some point I would probably remember to fly out underground and pop out when I'm far enough away. I'd use the “X-Ray” vision power to navigate while underground. In fact I just might “Bugs Bunny” it everywhere. Maybe adopt a “Mole Man” identity. There would be a lot of moments of me wearing a fin on my head moving through the ground with my head just out of the ground a little saying “Nuh-nuh, nuh-nuh, nuh-nuh,” chasing someone along.

Ultra-Breath would be my favorite use of the power set. A lot of “I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down!” I live in the cold, cold north so it would be a great for “snow blowing”. Yep the joke makes itself. It would be great for “crowd control”. I'd use it to knock back multiple attackers if it came down to it. It would also be good for single attackers as well. Punch, punch, woosh! Sending my attacker flying back. It would also be good for distractions. Blow at the ground and dust and debris would swirl up and distract people from my movements permitting me to make an escape.

I would adopt an identity that wasn't to outrageous as in having a colorful costume and cape. Instead I would wear dark clothes along the lines that Simon did as “Super Hoodie” in the television show “Misfits”. He wore black clothes including a hoodie and black cycling pads/armor including a visor and mask face protection. I would play down my super human attributes as best as I could. No point in “letting the cat out of the bag” if I don't have to.

I wouldn't go out of my way to “fight crime” but if the situation presented itself I couldn't see myself looking the other way without at least investigating it. Then I'd most likely detain the perpetrators until the proper authorities showed up.

Thinking about it this is one of those power sets where I would think I would be careful but then having the power and using it would make me less cautious. Thinking about having powers and having powers are two different things. Having super human physical attributes and being able to become intangible would go a long way towards making me feel invincible. After a few times of effortlessly “incidentally” taking out a number of “criminals”, I would probably end up feeling more confident and would become a local “guardian” patrolling my neighborhood on a daily basis. Running off gangs and other organizations trying to move into my “protectorate”.

The possibilities for fighting crimes are of course numerous with this power set. Carrying off get away cars. Provoking armed assailants to waste their bullets as they passed harmlessly through me maybe even striking each other making it safer for the police to apprehend them. Looking into potentially hidden rooms to see if kidnap victims are there. Catching victims thrown off of high perches. Blowing out fires set by arsonists before they get too big. I would be able to do all those things.

I can't forget the possibility of Ultra Jokes and Ultra Voice. This would be awesome. Getting a bunch of criminals laughing as a distraction. Maybe do a whole routine. Maybe use a number of “cutting jibes” to demoralize the criminals getting them to give up on themselves and turn themselves in or even prevent the crime in the first place. The ultra voice would enable me to make sure my words would make it to their audience.

Hmm...Maybe public speaking would be an idea...

Thanks for reading

If I Was A Composite Super Being New Mutants Version - part 2

2013-03-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

Once again I wasn't completely thrilled with my entry. So I'm deciding to expand the entry.
I think I would go with the faking being a wolf demon. I'd find some kids who think it's cool to worship demons. I'd crash among them using Cannonballs powers and when the smoke clears I'd make sure to use Wolfsbane's powers to be in transitional wolf form acting injured. I'd tell them I'd need to feed and use Karma's possession power to zone them out and tell them that meant that I had fed. I would tell them that if they wanted to have my services that they would have to show their fear and then I would use Mirage's power to show it

Of course there would be a demand of tribute in return for services. I think the most common service I would offer is the “high” of experiencing your greatest desire even if only temporarily. The next most common service would of course be giving rides via flight or some kind of wagon/dog sled conveyance. Next would be intimidation. Either as a wolf-man, wolf, using Mirage's fear power or even just taking over a subject making them seem to pass out when “my master” wanted to show their strength over them.

I would establish a set of “taboos” that would dictate the terms of my services. “Divine interference” comes with conditions. Any “malevolent request” requires an “equal act of benevolence” to balance the karmic debt. Killing would be forbidden since the only act to balance to taking someone’s life would be sacrificing one's own life. Also it would go against divine law for a divine being to take a non-divine life.

If nothing else my excuse if I couldn't do something would be that being cast from Heaven reduced my power and invincibility. Of course I would also say, “Do I look like a genie to you?”

Basically my demon ways would of course be a scam to make me money and get me stuff but ultimately it would teach my masters to be better people or if nothing else learn to balance their behavior.

Thanks for reading

If I was an Original New Mutants Powered Composite Super Being

2013-03-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

To reiterate

I distinguish composite super beings from "power mimics" like the Super Adaptoid or Amazo who gain their powers from being exposed to other super beings because they only have the specific power sets of a specific group of super beings and cannot just acquire more like the two androids mentioned can.

For me the appeal of a composite super beings is similar to the appeal of power mimics. When you have the combined powers of a super team you can use it in ways that individual team members can't no matter how cooperative they are. Like the Super Skrull combining Mr. Fantastic's stretching with the Thing's superhuman strength to use the super strength in places where it's difficult to reach. Something the two can't do as individuals. Mr. Fantastic can reach but he lacks the super strength. The Thing has the strength but lacks the reach.

As a composite super being you can mix and match the powers of the composing super beings or use only individual's power sets at a time or none at all.

Background

The original New Mutants were a team of adolescent mutants brought together by Charles Xavier (Professor X) who was under control of the Brood Queen at the time. However before his possession he had contemplated creating a new team of young mutants not for combat purposes like the X-Men but strictly as just students learning to use their powers. His choice of recruits were Sam Guthrie (Cannonball), Danielle Moonstar (Mirage all though originally Psyche), Roberto da Costa (Sunspot), Xi'an Coy Mahn (Karma), Rahne Sinclair (Wolfsbane). They were primarily chosen because they were being targeted by the White King of the Hellfire Club Donald Pierce who actually had Sam Guthrie already working for him.

They went on a number of adventures before Charles Xavier was freed of the control of the Brood Queen. After his release he decided to keep the team together and forbidding them to go on missions and into combat until they graduated. Of course that never stopped them from going on adventures.

Description

The New Mutants originally wore the standard X-Men uniform. A black body suit with a broad yellow vertical stripe on the chest and yellow trunks. It was accessorized with yellow gauntlets, yellow boots with folded cuffs and a red belt with the X-Men symbol for a buckle consisting of a red circle with a large black “X” in it against a yellow back ground.

Cannonball

As described in If I Was Cannonball Sam Guthrie is a tall, thin, blond haired, blue eyed, male. They went out of there way to play up that he was a hillbilly there fore they originally drew him as awkward and not quite handsome as super beings are usually drawn..

Mirage

Danielle Moonstar is originally drawn as a coltish, tallish, native-american girl (Cheyenne I believe) with long dark hair and dark eyes. She personalized her uniform with hide boots and a headdress with feathers. She eventually evolved into the teams “Hot Girl”.

Sunspot

Roberto is a short, although athletic, Brazilian boy with dark skin, hair and eyes. His hair is naturally curly/wavy and he keeps short but not severely short so you can see the natural wave or curl to it.

Karma

Xi'an Coy Mahn is an averaged height (for a North American anyway) Vietnamese female with short dark hair and dark eyes. She was often portrayed as severe looking. Of course given the troubles that dogged her, her whole early life it makes sense to portray her that way.

Wolfsbane

Rahne Sinclair is a short, petite (5'2”, 110lbs) Scottish girl with red hair and green eyes. Her hair is originally portrayed as very short, almost fuzzy, similar to the length of wolf fur. This apparently a consequence of her mutant power. She has often complained that it wouldn't grow any longer than that. In her lupin and transitional form her fur was a reddish-brown color. Her costume was made of “unstable molecules” and would transform into a collar when she transformed into her “beastly” forms.

Powers

I am going with their powers as they were originally, before they underwent various modifications by either further forced mutation, magical enchantment or plain old had to be made more powerful to carry a comic book.

Cannonball

Cannonball possesses the power to project himself in flight via a “thermal chemical” propulsion method leaving behind him a “contrail” similar to a rocket. His max speed (at this time anyway) was 150 miles per hour and could generate enough thrust to carry at least over a ton of weight in flight. He flew with Sunspot who was carrying a small van or covered truck. I would say he could fly with greater weights since he didn't seem to stressed by it and frankly a vehicle that size would way more than a ton but then when a weight is bothered to be stated in a story it is because they are implying that it is the actual weight of the object. It's not specified how long he can fly for but it does quickly become his primary mode of transportation permitting him to fly across a city the size of Brazil while carrying a small truck or van.

When he activates his thrust and for up to possibly a minute after his thrust is turned off he generates a “blast field” that protects him and whomever he is carrying if he so chooses from the damage of a collision or the general damage that would normally be incurred in flight. It protected him from such things as a collision that destroyed a full grown tree, blasting through stone to free trapped minors and multiple shots from energy based weapons used by Hellfire Club security. Not to mention the strain of carrying over a ton of weight with him in flight using only one arm.

Mirage

Mirage's primary power is to draw the image of a subjects worse fear or greatest desire from their mind and manifest them as animated three dimensional holograms. She doesn't know what the images are going to be before they appear. She can't just probe a mind. These images are clearly holograms to those that they aren't drawn from but for those they are drawn from they are very, very real. The full range of the power isn't know but she can at least do it within line of site and has used it to draw her flying horse to her.

She possesses a secondary power that permits her to telepathically communicate with animals and understand them. She uses this most often to communicate with her teammate Wolfsbane while in her wolf forms. Once again the full range of the power isn't know but it does function as a handy communication device when they are separated on missions in large compounds so I'm going go with it is at least possible within line of sight. I will say that it does not extend into the hundreds of miles since she couldn't find Rahne when they were separated in different parts of the Asgardian continent.

Sunspot

Sunspot has the power to grant himself super human strength by drawing power from solar energy. In his earliest appearances he is strong enough to split a large boulder in two with one blow and is capable of toppling a sentinel (a giant mutant hunting robot). He is said to be able to lift 25 tons at arms length over his head at this period in his career. However his strength level is dependent on the amount of solar energy he is exposed to. Under normal conditions on Earth he has the above listed strength but in a setting with a greater sun or more suns he would be stronger.

A consequence of his elevation in strength is an equal elevation in his resistance to injury if for nothing else but to permit him to function with superhuman strength without damaging himself. He has of course survived blows from super strong opponents and falls from great heights and even being hit by an eighteen wheeler at one hundred miles per hour. He was even trampled by horse without suffering harm. However this does not necessarily translate into a greater resistance to temperature extremes, diseases or toxins. He would still require aid to survive in hostile environments such as a scuba tank for breathing while underwater and a spacesuit for surviving outside of the atmosphere.

There is no specific information on how long he can manifest his solar powered strength. It is of course based on how much solar energy he has stored. I'd wager initially he could store enough energy to function in super strength mode for as long as he could function in normal strength mode. Of course when he runs out of solar energy he has to be exposed to sunlight to recharge his strength. Instead of just resting and letting his strength rebuild by his body processing more “food based fuel”. This would basically mean that after a few minutes of full exertion he would run out of stored energy. However this soon grew into at least tens of minutes of full exertion giving him something resembling superhuman stamina.

He is constantly absorbing solar energy even at night without it being apparent. However when he activates his super strength this process accelerates and his skin and hair no longer reflects light making him appear to be completely black except his eyes and the inside of his mouth which seem to become luminescent. Dust particles that pass close to his body also become darkened making him seem to be surrounded by a corona of black spots from which he derives his name Sunspot. His exact rate of absorption isn't really specified but it doesn't really seem to take him long to recharge his strength in day light. In fact in day light one could assume he could remain in super strength mode for extended periods of time.

Karma

Karma has the ability to take over one or more subjects' bodies (usually people) by psionic means. Sort of how you control a video game character or a puppet. More a remote control capacity then an actual possession. She isn't left defenceless as she would be if she actually left her body and took over her target's body. She can however see through the subjects eyes as well as experience their other sensory input. This permits her control a subject she has caused to leave her sight.

The consciousness of the subjects themselves are repressed while controlled. They enter a dreamlike sleep and have no memory of being controlled. If she retains control of a subject for too long their personality begins to overwhelm hers. The time is not specified but I would imagine it is long enough for her to be useful. She is still in control but she starts to act according to their personality instead of hers. The more subjects she controls at once the harder it is to keep them all under control.

Because of how her power works the subject of her control can function clumsily at first as she gets accustomed to how their body works. Also given that there is no specifications about the range of the power one can assume it is at least as far as visual range.

Wolfsbane

Simply put Wolfsbane can transform into a wolf. The wolf form itself is not super wolfish (it will be eventually due to forced mutation). It has the same abilities and limits of a similar sized wolf except for two exception. The first is that as a wolf she retains her human intelligence and self awareness. She does however act more “wolfish” in wolf form. I would assume because although she has human intelligence the wolf form has wolf instincts instead of human ones. The second exception is that her wolf form can see into the ultraviolet and infrared spectrum even though real wolves cannot.

A second element of her wolf transformation power is that she can adopt a “transitional” form where she possesses both the advantages of her human and wolf forms. As an example she can use human speech in transitional form even though she can't in wolf form. Her wolf form is larger than her human and consequently she is also larger in her transitional form. She is ten inches taller in this form. This has the advantage of giving her more muscle mass making her stronger and more durable although not super humanly so.
How long she can remain in each form isn't stated but one would assume the longer she is in wolf form the more she will act like a wolf because she will grow more accustom to functioning with wolf instincts.

If I was an original New Mutants powered composite super being

With Cannonball's powers

Once again for this power set I'd become a sky writer and play “Rocket Man”. However there's a different thing I would do. Thrust being a big component of the power set I'd build myself a “flying shell” that I could use as a cargo carrier or even a passenger carrier. I'd supply the thrust and the shell would provide the lift. Even if it wasn't perfectly secure the blast field should theoretically protect the shell while I'm flying it.

With Mirage's powers
It's funny that I would get more out of her secondary power than her primary power. I would become an animal trainer or at least a pet psychiatrist. I would use the primary power as a reward/punishment tool. Also I would get a pet and between the pet and this power set I would have my own personal security system.

With Sunspot's powers

I think with this power set you go into the entertainment industry. Most likely entertaining at kids parties. Lifting the parents cars and tying metal things into knots. Doing all this combined with the appearance the power set provides will make you a lot of money I'm sure.

With Karma's powers

In a lot of ways this power set isn't my cup of tea. I don't like to force people to do things against their will. Then on the other hand it's right up my alley as well. The ability to stop someone without hurting them does appeal to me and the dark side of me would love to be able to order people around like puppets. Of course being me I would use this power set for “non-violent” conflict resolution. “Stop punching yourself” of course would have a whole new appeal to me as I make someone hit themselves to subdue them.
Then it dawns on me. Synchronized sports or at least personal training. Get certified as a personal trainer and offer people a work out while they zone out. I would make the body go through the work out and their minds would be free. This would build their “muscle memory” even if not their conscious memory. They could acquire some new skills without even knowing it. I would definitely do that. My slogan would be “Do you find exercise too tedious? Let me do it for you while you relax.”

With Wolfsbane's powers

This is my “take back the night” power set. I spend a lot of time at night in wolf form running around exploring. Using my transitional form to get me into places I couldn't because of the limitations of the wolf form. I'm not saying I'd go running out into the forest but rather in urban settings. It would be my excuse to exercise more. Running through the darkened cityscape, able to see into the shadows, the cool breeze blowing through my fur. I would love that. I'd do much like a real wolf would. I'd get to know the town I live in by smell as well as the cities I regularly visit. If nothing else it would be my excuse to find new places to visit during the day with friends.

In Combination

Combining all of the powers I might even play at being a “demon” werewolf. I'd live in an old abandoned building and use Mirage and Karma's powers to show I have power over souls. Wolfsbane's powers would govern my wolfish appearance. Cannonball's powers would show I have power over “hellfire” and Sunspot's powers would show that my true power lies in darkness.

Combining Wolfsbane, Mirage and Sunspot's powers I would do as I would as Ursa Major. I would accompany people hunting. Probably track down the prey and carry it out if it got stuck in otherwise inaccessible areas. Of course it would be easier to track then with Ursa Major since aside from enhanced senses the “animal telepathy” also helps. This would also help me steer those hunting towards the old and sick deer rather than the healthy ones. Of course given that I could sense the animals thoughts I would have those asking me to help them hunt take the time and give thanks to their potential prey before letting them actually hunt them.

Combining Sunspot and Cannonball's powers I would use them haul freight in short hauls. As long as it didn't exceed my ability to carry it, I would be a great delivery service.

Combining Karma and Mirage's powers I would hire myself out to help people get over their greatest fears. Mirage's main power would of course permit me to determine what there fear is Karma's power would let me “sedate” the person if they couldn't deal with what was happening in the therapy. I would take them over and send their consciousness into a dream like state while I kept them from hurting anyone accidentally should they panic and become dangerous.

Thanks for reading

If I was the original Spider Woman

2013-03-14T22:32:00.002-07:00

Background

At a year old Jessica Drew and family moved from England to Wundagore Mountain. Her father worked there with fellow geneticist Herbert Wyndham who would later become the High Evolutionary. Several years after their arrival Jessica developed radiation poisoning from exposure to uranium. Her father injected her with a formula based on the recuperative powers of spiders to grant her immunity to the radiation. Wyndham then put her in a genetic accelerator of his own design to help speed up the process. Unfortunately the process was still very slow so the accelerator slowed down her ageing process. She woke up decades later alone for some mysterious reason with no memory of her past. Her power manifested a short time later. Upon first manifesting she accidentally unleashed a “venom blast” killing her boyfriend. From then on she led a complicated life becoming a member of several clandestine organizations including Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D.
After her stint with Hydra she developed the superhuman persona of Spider Woman and became a superhero. She is the one who fished Carol Danvers out of the river after Rogue dumped her there when she permanently stole her powers and memories.

Description

She is a tall, athletic woman with green eyes who dies her long auburn hair black. She wears a red body suit including a mask and cowl with eye lenses similar to Spiderman. The suit is trimmed in black and has various yellow accenting pieces including gloves and boots.

Powers

Her basic physical attributes are on par with Spiderman's including her flexibility, agility and speed including reflexes. However where as he can lift 10 tons at arms length over his head, she can only lift 7 tons. Of course given that the serum was designed to impart her a spider's immunity to toxins, drugs and radiation her immunity to these things far exceeds his. Also like Spiderman, she can cling to walls using electrostatic attraction with similar capacity.
Unlike Spiderman she has superhuman hearing instead of his precognitive “spider sense”. Aside from just greater acuity, she also has a greater range of frequencies she can hear. Also unlike Spiderman she produces pheromones that can cause fear or cause attraction or repulsion depending on the targets gender and mood.
She can also generates bio-electricity that she can project as “venom blasts” which manifest as green burst of electricity that generally effects a target's nervous system. She generally only projects them with enough “charge” to stun a target but when fully charged she can project a full blast equal to 1/10th of a lightning bolt. After that she would be depleted of venom blasts and would have to wait for her stores to build up again.
She also posses the very unspider-like ability to glide on wind currents. Or at least tiny spiders do this by catching breezes with “spider lines”. To be honest she can fully fly now and not just glide but I prefer the gliding idea so I'm going to stick with that version of the power.

If I was the original Spider Woman

The first order of business for me would be parcour. Wall crawling and gliding with the addition of super agility and super strength enhanced mobility and even super stamina and durability. You can bring the sport to whole new levels. Sky scrapers and monuments become new places to play. I guess that I'd be combining parcour with base jumping. Mind you I could also go flight suit jumping without the flight suit or parachute.
Okay so I would start a web show. “The All New Adventures of Darth Hunter” I would prowl the city dressed like a “Sith” doing “Force Gymnastics” (the “super parcour” mentioned above). I'd blast people with the venom blasts as though they were “Force Lightning” but it would be people who would be willing or if I came across people who needed a good shocking. Then I would do things like move people's cars around or even stack them using my super strength. I would use the pheromones to manipulate people as though it were some “Jedi Mind Trick”. Of course the pheromones are about the attraction and repulsion based on the gender that finds you attractive or feels you are competition. So essentially women would enjoy my presence but men would experience fear in it. Not sure how that would really work out. Spiderfan.org claims that she controls her pheromone emissions so I guess I could use it like a Jedi mind trick. All this would be filmed by someone of course. Not sure who I'd get. Maybe someone with a R/C helicopter mounted camera so they could catch up with my roof hopping.

Aside from that I would participate in a lot of marathons and shows like Ninja Warrior and Wipeout. That's probably how I would make a living. I'd keep the winnings for these competitions and use at least part of it to film more videos.

Ultimately this is a power set that either turns you into a hero or a villain. Like I said with my Wonder Woman entry the temptation to follow racing police cars or to intervene when I see something dangerous going on is too great for me. I'd use “The All New Adventures of Darth Hunter” as a cover for my super heroing. Also spiders are predators so I would probably “prey on evil”. Especially using the pheromone power to extract information or to intimidate a possible adversary.

Thanks for reading

If I had Doctor Spectrum's Power Prism

2013-03-03T21:28:00.001-08:00

Background

The Power Prism is an alien crystal artifact used by Joseph “Joe” Ledger an American astronaut from an alternate reality in Marvel Comics. While in space he encountered and rescued a version one of that reality's “super skrulls”. In gratitude the skrull now known as Skymax gave it to him. Joe would adopt the costumed identity of Doctor Spectrum and become a member of the superhero the Squadron Supreme along with Skymax. The prism was eventually shattered by the Black Archer and became embedded in Joe's body. For purposes of this blog we will be dealing with the power prism pre-shattering.

Description

The Power Prism resembles a palm sized, cut, clear gem.

Powers

The power prism is essentially Marvel Comics answer to Green Lantern's power ring but nowhere near as powerful and it is accompanied by fluctuating color light instead of just green. However like the power ring the user's will power and imagination does effect the over all use and effectiveness of the prism (or at least marveldirectory.com would have you believe that). Also like a power ring the prism can be commanded at a distance and seems to only obey one wielder at a time.

The prism seems to have been created if for nothing else to manipulate gravity and electromagnetic energy (including light of course). Its possessor can use it to fly even in excess of the speed of sound in and out of atmosphere as well as providing appropriate protection to its wielder at the same time so the flight would not adversely affect them. They can use it to project energy blasts of heat, light and/or concussive force and possibly other forms. It can be used to create “solid light” constructs that respond to its wielder's will and defy gravity. Doctor Spectrum has created a construct similar to a barge large enough to carry stacks of hundreds of food crates to various cities in the United States in the course of a day without showing any difficulty in doing it. With some effort the constructs were strong enough to contain the nuclear powers of Doctor Spectrum's deceased teammate Nuke. The constructs can be made into objects as complex as a luxurious bed including blankets, sheets and pillows comfortable enough to sleep on for an extended period of time.

Aside from the uses in the first paragraph the prism can be used as a communication tool including communicating along conventional radio frequencies but he has also used it to “summon” the rest of the Squadron to their satellite base by what seems to be telepathy.
The prism has also been used to perform non-energy manipulating feats such as erasing the memories and removing the powers of the super intelligent mutant known as Brain Child. It has been used to permit its possessor to pass through solid barriers as though they were intangible and has been used to control mechanical devices.

I haven't seen all the ways that Doctor Spectrum has used the prism I would imagine given the above listed uses of it and the fact that it is meant to be a power ring equivalent I would guess that the prism is capable of doing almost anything it can generate the power to do and that its wielder understands how to accomplish.

If I had the Power Prism

I'd practise with the prism daily to make sure I cement my control over it. Part of my practise would be carving myself a home/H.Q. in a mountain with its power. It would also include using it to mount itself in a wand, similar to how a Jedi makes his or her light sabre through use of ingenuity and force related discipline. Maybe make it my own “sonic screw driver” or maybe an imitation of the original Starman's (Ted Knight) Cosmic Control Rod. Regardless it would be a wand-like device. I would also use the same technique to create a mock suit of “power armor” should I be required to engage in serious combat. I mean the Earth-31916 power prism was a propulsion device tied into the ship that brought that reality's Hyperion to Earth. So why can't it power a suit of armor?

One of the reasons for building a home/headquarters in a mountain is that it would help me prepare for my plan to use the prism primarily in the mining industry. I would use it more often for searching for mineral deposits but I would also use it for actual mining. Cutting out rock faces and moving the materials up to the processing machines doing it in a way far less dangerous than using explosives and if there was a problem I could get myself out of there. If nothing else I would just make myself intangible and fly out. I mean I could pull other people out the same way à la Alan Scott Green Lantern. Just get them in a “power bubble” and float up them through the ground.

An other way I would use it is to move supplies and equipment that is often shipped by truck often on dangerous routes like ice roads and unstable cliff sides. I would be careful to at least not tip my hand by acting like I could only use the prism as a sensor device and have a vehicle shell that I would move around using “light constructs” hidden inside them. Maybe I would just make vehicle shaped light constructs to transport the supplies.

When I think of it I might just build myself a “ship” that I can “attune” the prism to. This way I could cover my use of the prism by saying they are features built into the ship. Then I could hire the ship out for exploration and research and of course transport.

Also I couldn't deny it. I would be very tempted to play superhero. I'd have more than enough power to do it. I'd probably wear the fore mentioned “power armor” and use that as my cover. Not sure where I'd spend most of my time patrolling though. The world is a big place and there is always something going on somewhere.

Thanks for reading

If I was Invisible Woman

2013-02-27T13:42:00.003-08:00

Background

Susan Storm Richards is a founding member of the Fantastic Four. She like the other founding members acquired her powers by flying into outer space with her later husband Reed Richards. Their ship was insufficiently shielded and the quartet was bombarded by cosmic rays. Upon crashing back on Earth their powers manifested immediately.

The Invisible Woman's career has involved space travel, dimensional travel even time travel. She is one of if not the most experienced human female super heroes (She was even a super villain for a short time). She has been not only a member of the Fantastic Four but a member of the Avengers as well. She has gone from being essentially a damsel in distress with the power to turn invisible to being leader of the Fantastic Four who could not only turn invisible but thanks to her force field powers, could engage in combat with beings as powerful as the Hulk (depending who's writing and who's comic book it is she is in).

I could write paragraph upon paragraph of her history but I won't. That's not what this blog is about.

Description

Susan Storm is a beautiful woman with blue eyes and blond hair. She often wears some variation of the typical blue and white costume with the Fantastic Four logo on it. Her hairstyles frequently vary.

Powers

The Invisible Woman can render herself or parts of herself invisible (invisible to ultraviolet and infrared as well) at will. She can also render other people or objects invisible up to a forty thousand cubic feet volume (a little under half the volume of an Olympic size pool). She does this by mentally bending light around herself and/or wants to make invisible. There are a number of explanations for how she and others see while she makes them invisible. One explanation is that she directs enough undistorted light to their eyes to retain her full range of vision while at least in one issue of Fantastic Four Reed notices that when she renders herself and others invisible they see by using cosmic rays in place of visible light.

A variation of this ability is her power to render artificially made invisible targets visible again provided the target wasn't rendered invisible by magical or psionic means. This power also permitted her to render invisible energies visible as when she rendered the energy field Terrax the Tamer used to levitate Manhattan into outer space visible so as not to panic the inhabitants. It should be noted that she's only done this once so it may not be something she can routinely do. Also it should be noted that this seems to demonstrate that her power to render things visible surpasses her power to render things invisible. This could also be the means by which she makes it possible to see cosmic rays while they are invisible.

She can also mentally create psionic fields of invisible force. These are drawn from hyperspace (as suggested by Marvel Universe Wiki). She manipulates these fields for a variety of effects. Usually she generates incredibly durable (can absorb repeated attacks from super beings like the Hulk, Gladiator and Blastaar) invisible force fields around herself or other targets. She can vary the texture and strength of the fields from hard and unyielding to as soft and yielding as foam rubber. She uses “softer” fields to cushion impacts which has the benefit of reducing the psionic backlash she experiences from powerful attacks on the psionic fields which can cause her mental or physical pain. She can shape the force fields into invisible constructs like simple geometric shapes like cones, spheres, cubes or variations of them like barriers, columns, domes, ramps and pointed projectiles. She can create constructs as small as a marble to as large as 100 feet in diameter. Her hollow constructs such as domes can extend up to several miles in area.

She can generate and manipulate multiple psionic force fields simultaneously.

She can weaponize the force fields by generating force behind them and shaping them into weapons like battering rams, cannon balls or darts or even as shock waves. By creating a force field within an object and expanding it she can cause her target to explode. In combat with the proper use of her force fields she is a match for most super strong characters of “class 100” strength.

She can also use her force fields as a method of travel. She can create animated constructs such as ramps, stairs, slides and columns enabling her to simulate levitation and flight. She has used an invisible force column to get to the top of the Baxter Building when the power was out and she couldn't access the teams private elevator.

Although she often gesticulates while using her powers, she can use them while holding perfectly still.

If I was Invisible Woman

If I was the Invisible Woman I would do a number of things before even deciding how I would use her power set. I would develop a fighting style similar to that of “earth bending” from Avatar the Last Air Bender/Legend Of Korra (of course substituting the force fields for actual “earth”). That would include figuring out how to use the psionic feed back feature of the force fields as a sensory capacity. I would also learn some basic engineering to be able to reinforce the force field constructs beyond their natural capacity. I would also get in the habit of rendering visible ambient infrared and/or ultraviolet light in case I find myself without light. One of the biggest things I would learn to do is to shape a force field into an invisible glider so I can have an alternative method of travel.

Now with this power set I would become a “Super Laborer/Jack of All Trades”. I would hire myself out to anyone/s who could make use of my powers. As much as possible I would avoid combat jobs. I would concentrate on the prevention of destruction and the building of things.

The power to render things invisible becomes easily a method of finding broken pipes, mold and electrical faults without having to rip walls and floors open. It also provides a non-invasive way of diagnosing illnesses and breaks in a body, human or otherwise without unnecessary X-rays or CT-scans. I would even go so far as help the police when they are on a raid. Finding where things are hidden or people are waiting to ambush them. It would also be good for archaeology.

I won't lie. I would spend a lot of time in various states of invisibility. For the first few months of having the power my most common use of it would be to pretend I teleported away when I leave a room or building. Once out of a building I would make an invisible bridge to walk up so there would be no trace of me walking away. Of course as often as not I'd only pretend to leave or at least only when there was information to be learned. But still mostly I would walk around appearing to be missing parts. One day headless, another day no limbs and another only a floating head.

The invisible psionic force field power would be the power I would use the most. I would use it for protection purposes of course. Providing cover for those in physical jeopardy and creating pathways for them to evacuate from. For myself personally I would most often use it for “air bridges” making it look like I can walk on air or even on water. “Work wise” I would more often use it to put out fires and to reinforce buildings before they collapse in a fire or a landslide or cave in. In instances where I couldn't prevent a cave in or if people where trapped underwater I would make a snorkel with it making sure the trapped people would be getting fresh air.

Thanks for reading

If I was Count Vertigo Part II

2013-02-13T20:00:00.001-08:00

I decided to add another part to the Count Vertigo entry because it frankly left me flat and was uncreative. So I contemplated what the powers were good for some more and came up with something better to do with this power set.

If I was Count Vertigo I would become a hunting and fishing guide. It's a natural. At will you have the lay of the land by just flying up and seeing where you need to go. If predators threaten the vertigo effect drives them off. Also it can be used to make prey easier to catch. With the flight power you can bring clients to "fly in" spots without needing a plane or helicopter. Consequently this makes you less expensive as a guide and while you charge less you can still charge a good amount.

Of course I would need to acquire a lot of woodland survival skills. Aside from some wood craft picked up as a child I'm really not an outdoors man. Not that I would immediately die if left to my own devices but frankly it would be a painful experience.

I'd also like to expand on the neighborhood watch idea. I'd would go full ninja. Dressed up from head to toe in dark clothing to hide my identity and "strike from the shadows". It's easier to sneak around people if they're busy trying not to fall over or vomit. And of course it easy to delay someone while waiting for the police to show up for the same reason.

If I was Count Vertigo

2013-02-09T23:14:00.000-08:00

Background

Werner Vertigo is a member of the former Vlatavan royal family turned super villain who inherited his families inner ear defect that was corrected with an electronic implant. He was able to modify the device to be able to cause vertigo in others. With the modified implant he embarked on a career of crime often coming into conflict with Green Arrow and Black Canary.

At some point his vertigo powers became internalized and his own inner ear problem became fixed. Also some how he gained the power of flight. At one point he was a member of the the Secret Society of Super Villains and the Injustice Society. He was even a member of the Suicide Squad and a White Knight in Checkmate.

Description

Werner is a tallish, blond haired, blue eyed man of regal bearing. He typically wears a green and black body suit with a cowl that hides about half of his face. On the costume's chest is what appears to either be rings or a stylized eye. He wears a large, green cloak to add to his "regal" appearance.

Powers

Count Vertigo's primary power is to cause vertigo in a target(s). This means he obstructs the target(s)' ability to reconcile their sensory input in relationship to themselves and to the world around them causing them to become nauseous, lose their balance or be unable to aim properly. This power also affects technological items like infrared sensors, targeting systems, motion detectors, etc...

The exact range of the power isn't listed but he can affect multiple fighter jets flying in formation as well as small tank battalions. He has even affected people watching him over video monitors. The power is even strong enough to effect the likes of Superman and Aquaman. That being said a well trained mind can learn to deal with the vertigo effect or at least one person had managed to do it.

He also has the power of flight. Once again the full extent of this power isn't stated so I would have assumed that he could probably fly between 40 and 60 mph but from examples I've found he can fly fast enough to intercept incoming fighter jets and can keep pace with a crashing jet so I would put his flight powers at somewhere closer to between 150 to 200 mph (I could be wrong of course). I'd say his flight powers may be equal to Angel's powers of flight minus the ability to carry 500lbs at arms in flight with him.

If I was Count Vertigo

This power set is of course awesome for military and police use. Take out incoming military vehicles, mess up snipers, set off sophisticated bombs systems and alarms, disable crowds, riot control, disarm terrorist, et cetera and so on. Now I'm not much of a joiner and I'm not the best at following orders so although I've mentioned that with certain power sets I might join the military or be a police officer. This power set lacks the protections provided by those sets. This is what I would call a support power set, meaning that it's great for helping others but not necessarily a power set that you would venture out alone with. You could if you were braver than me but I'm not into unnecessary risk taking.

I think I would run a neighborhood watch. It would be my way of training, getting used to how the powers works, its limits and an excuse to get my sorry carcass in shape. After that it's working in a private security firm. The going rate for someone who can neutralize targets en mass without touching them and can reach any place quickly no matter the terrain is very high, I'm sure.

Thanks for reading

If I was Angel

2013-01-28T18:11:00.002-08:00

Background

Warren Worthington III is a mutant with feathery wings born into a wealthy family. In his teens he was invited to attend Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters as part of the first group of X-Men. Unlike the others Warren had already began a career as a superhero when at an other he boarding school. He wore a nightshirt as a costume and named himself the Avenging Angel. He has since had a long and illustrious superhero career with various groups like the Champions of Los Angeles, the Defenders and of course many incarnations of the various "X" groups.

Up until he lost his wings to amputation his powers remained stable but since then his powers have gone through a number of variations all based on his angelic theme. He was Death where he had techno organic wings with launchable poisoned feathers; (eventually) as Archangel he would maintain his usual powers but would transform back into Death again when enraged; finally he now possesses "angelic" powers from the "Celestial Seed of Life".

Powers

For this posting I'm going to stick with "classic Angel". Therefore his body is adapted for flight meaning his strength to weight ratio is higher than a normal human due to his body being more lean than average. His stamina and vision are also superior to normal although to what degree is not documented but one would assume not super humanly so but then they are geared toward high speed, long distance flight so still greater than the general population maybe even greater than an elite athlete. One would expect that his vision is naturally polarized to protect it from the harsh sun light at high altitudes and that like a bird he could see over further distances to permit navigation despite the heights he's flying at.

His wings are flexible and can be tied down so as to be concealed. His top flight speed is 150 mph (240kph) and his cruising speed is 70 mph (112kph). He can fly at his top speed for for up to half an hour and fly overall for 12 hours. He can perform a power dive for up to 180 mph (290 kph).

His maximum altitude is 29,000 feet (8840meters) and he can only maintain that height for several minutes. He routinely flies at 6,500 feet (1981 meters) but he could fly at 10,000ft (3,000 meters) just as easily.

He's capable of flying with up to 500lbs of cargo with him in flight. He's flown around carrying Colossus in his metal form. How much it affects his stamina has never been stated. It should noted that his arms are strong enough to carry a 500 lbs person so his overall general strength is fairly high.

I should note that Angel can get airborne from a standing position with just one wing beat. Also he is ridiculously agile in flight frankly beyond what feathered wings seem to permit.

If I was Angel

I would say that I wouldn't go out of my way to be a superhero. I mean if I could give a hand I would. I'm not a monster but I don't see having feathery wings as a real superhero power. If nothing else the wings would make you an excellent target. This is another one of those power sets that I think is more suited to enhancing your daily life.
This is of course an excellent travel power set. Seventy miles per hour in the air is better than seventy miles per hour following a road. However I'm more thinking of the wind through my feathers and hair. The ability to feel the flight, being dependent on air currants and rising up on thermals.

Having said that last sentence I would probably go into business with someone who wanted to open a hang gliding or sky diving business. If nothing else I could provide an extra security if shoots or hang gliders fail. I could also provide the ice breaker for getting people into the air for the first time. Hell if I really wanted to I could offer tandem flying runs. A whole new sport altogether. Heck maybe have clients wear the flight suits then carry them and drop them and pick them up again when they need to gain height again.

Yes that is what I would do if I was Angel. I would open a tandem flight business mixed with hang gliding and skydiving.

Thanks for reading.

If I was Banshee

2011-06-12T19:09:00.000-07:00

Background

Sean Cassidy (yeah I'm sure he was named after the singer but I can't say for sure) is a mutant who is the cousin of Black Tom (who I made an entry about previously) and father of Siryn (who now also goes by the name Banshee). He is most famous for being a X-Men and a number of the derivative groups there of but he started his career as an Interpol officer and later reluctantly as a criminal. His worst crimes were committed when he was kidnapped by the mutant group Factor Three who put a bomb device on his head and forced him to do his bidding. That brought him into contact with the X-Men who eventually freed him.

Description

Sean is what you would call a tall, "handsome devil" with blue eyes and strawberry blond hair. I believe he was created as some kind of Sean Connery clone but I couldn't say for sure. He was created before my time.

As an X-Man he has worn a number of costume variants of the X-Men uniforms as well a green and yellow version of his own individual costume. Regardless of the costume he wore they all had the one same feature, a pair of "wings' similar to the flap of skin of a flying squirrel that permits aids him control his flight.

Powers

Banshee has a combination of superhuman vocal cords and "psionic" abilities making him a master of sound. He is capable of generating a "sonic scream" that can be used to do things like generate concussive force, shattering/disintegrate objects (referred to as his sonic lance) or even counter other sources of vibrations like when he prevented Moses Magnum from unleashing earthquakes powerful enough to destroy japan. He can also use his voice in non-violent ways like putting people in trances, causing disorientation or even knocking them unconscious.

His psionic powers let him use his powers for things other than just yelling. He can use them to direct sound below and behind him, propelling him through the air in controllable flight at speeds apparently up to the speed of sound. He can also warp sound around him creating a sonic force field although I have no idea how effective of a shield it is as I have no comic books with him using his powers like that. His psionic abilities also protect him from being harmed by sound and sonic attacks.

Whether he has a specialized hearing mechanism or it's actually part of his psionic repertoire he is capable of using his voice for sonar. He has used it to scan a large underground compound from the outside with enough clarity for him to point out a safe place for Nightcrawler to teleport to even though neither of them had been inside the compound before.

As Black Tom is immune to his powers, he is immune to Black Tom's in return.

If I was Banshee

Well I'd learn to sing for one thing if only to give myself more vocal versatility. I haven't seen Sean portrayed as being a singer of any type other than after he's had a pint or two not unlike myself. I'd like to sing well and use my superhuman vocal powers to bring some joy to people and even bring some "spiritual up lifting". Singing does more than entertain people. When done right it moves people and inspires them in fact as mentioned above sound affects the human mind in many ways that have nothing to do with actually interpreting the sound.

With the discovery of directed sound I would have another skill to learn. Using directed sound you can talk to one person in a direct line from you and only they could hear you. I watched a documentary on it. It's really wild to see some one react to a sound while every one else around them is oblivious. It's not only an effective way of stealth communication, it's also an effective way of directing your sonic attack directly at the target you want to hit.

Mostly I would be a signer. The rest of the powers would be for my personal amusement. I would get around using the flight power. I would flirt at a distance using directed sound or maybe even learn to use a sound or two to make people "feel good".

Despite this power set's potential for destruction I can't see myself using it that way. Yes I would help if I saw someone was in trouble but I would use it to help people feel better. Actually if I'm to believe some medical claims, sound can be used to help harmonize the body back into health. The claims are controversial but if they were true I would learn how to use the powers that way. Maybe open my own "Healing and Harmony Center".

Thanks for reading

If I Was Iron Munro

2011-05-05T19:29:00.000-07:00

Background

Arn (Arnold) Munro is the child of Hugo Danner (the DC Universe version). For those of you that don't know it is believed that Superman is "derived" from Hugo Danner from the novel Gladiator. Hugo had one last fling with a former lover before disappearing to South America. Arn was the result of that fling.

His powers developed at ten years old. His mother swore him to secrecy about them. When he was a senior in high school he rescued the superheroes TNT and Dan the Dyna-Mite members of the All-Star Squadron from a car accident. This led to him becoming a superhero as a member of the Young All-Stars.

As he grew older he became a member of the Freedom Force and even later became a secret agent under the code name Gladiator 1.

Iron Munro was added to the DC universe as a replacement for the Golden Age Superman that existed during World War 2 in the Pre-Crisis of Infinite Earths continuity. In the current continuity there was no Superman during World War 2.

Description

Iron Munro is a tall (6' 3"), handsome "superman" with black hair with a white "crest" and blue eyes. He looked a lot like Superman including the curl on the forehead. He tends not to wear a costume, preferring a tight t-shirt and slacks instead.

Powers

Iron Munro essentially has the powers of the golden age Superman: super strength, speed, leaping and a degree of invulnerability. In his adolescence he was said to be able to leap an eighth of a mile (660 feet) , run at 70 mph and that his skin could only be penetrated by a bursting shell. What he could lift was never defined but as an adult (at least according to his DC Wiki entry) he can lift 50 tons over his head at arms length. I assume as an adult he is even more powerful than described in his teen years. I'll assume he also has superhuman stamina as he has proven able to run along side a jeep for an extend period of time without needing a break.

If I was Iron Munro

I would become the unofficial protector of a city. It wouldn't go out of my way but I know if I saw something "going down" in front of me I would stop it. I would even go so far as to follow the police when I saw them flash their lights and blaring their sirens. I would have no problem keeping up with them and if there was something I could do you know I would do it. In fact I might actually train as a fireman then as a cop to give me a perspective on what is needed to help them and not make a nuisance of myself.

Another thing I would do is start a charity and raise money by doing shows of displaying my "powers". I would have people spreading rumors about how it's all fixed and that I have no actual powers. What I would raise money for I'm not sure so I might just start a foundation and use the foundation to donate to whatever charities I want.

This is another "pitch in" power set. You're basically useful in just about all situations when all your physical attributes are enhanced to a super human degree. "This kidney needs to get to the hospital in the next city and all the roads leading out of the city are closed." No problem super speed and jumping ability gets you past things like that. "There's a fifty car pile up and we need to separates the vehicles to get to the people trapped inside." No problem super strength covers it. "Oh my God! Someone opened fire in the local mall. We need someone to stop the gunman." No problem bulletproof skin.

Overall I would love this power set.

Thanks for reading.

If I Was A Water Bender

2011-04-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

Background

Human beings in the World of Avatar learned the art of water bending from the Moon. How exactly that happened I'm not sure but that is how the legend goes.

Description

The northern and southern tribes and yes even the swamp tribe that produce the water benders are the World of Avatar's equivalent of our world's Inuit or Eskimo if you will but as a cultural note Inuit generally don't like being called Eskimos as it means "blubber eater" and is not the actual name of their people

Powers

Water benders use their chi to imitate the moon to push and pull on water. With training this becomes a complete art form that permits them to do all kinds of things far beyond just attracting and repelling water. All benders can do simple things like cause water to float up into the air or shape it into fluid forms like rings, whips and spheres. There is a long list of skills created to manipulate water in a variety of ways like creating water bullets or water running.

Aside from being able to simply move, shape and levitate water a water bender can alter its physical state by either freezing it or turning it into steam. Consequently they can also manipulate ice and steam as easily as they can manipulate water in its liquid state.

As with all bending techniques water bending requires the bender to be able to move in order to direct their chi to manipulate water. Although how much movement is needed is up for debate. Masters of great skill can actually manipulate their personal chi with very little need for movement. Although not a water bender King Bumi was able to use earth bending with just a simple head movement. He had no choice his body was restrained in an iron box. In a water bender's case the arms are the most important parts that needs to move.

A secondary skill with water bending that shows up from time to time is the ability to influence the chi in another living being's body causing accelerated healing when she (female water benders tend to be taught this skill or have a natural aptitude for it) covers the wound in water. This skill however can't cure birth defects or cause a subject's body to heal things that it couldn't naturally heal.

Water benders are strongest during the night of the full moon and powerless during a lunar eclipse. The new moon doesn't leave them powerless but they are definitely not at their most powerful then.

Other uniquely developed techniques include plant bending and blood bending. Plant bending works on bending the water inside a plant and blood bending is performed by bending the water found in blood. Unlike plant bending that can be used as long as water bending is possible blood bending can only be performed during a fool moon. Blood bending basically permits it's user to manipulate creatures with blood like puppets.

Water benders can draw water from virtually any source not just water that is obviously out in the open. A skilled water bender can draw water from the air (even when it's not raining or humid) and even from living beings. Katara used has used her own sweat.

How much water a bender can manipulate and how far away they can reach water from depends of their potential and training. Katara could manipulate enough water to separate the war ship she was standing on from another warship and even move it away from them.

If I Was A Water Bender

I live near a great lake and consequently a place with high precipitation. I wouldn't be at a loss for sources of water to manipulate. However I would still carry a water bottle with me or maybe a camel pack just to make sure I always have some.

Now if I were a water bender I would probably become a life guard. You know water bend the liquid out of the lungs of drowning victims, use water to lift people out of the water, or rescue people from undertow. You know let the water do the work that other life guards have to do manually.

I would also use water bending to cook. In more than one episode Katara has used it to stir and serve soup. You can do more than that however. With the power to alter the state of the water you could boil water without adding a fire or freeze it without using a freezer. Not only could you boil and steam food you can act as a living microwave over. Microwave ovens cook thing by heating up the water inside them. On top of that you can can also make frosty drinks and desserts. You could offer a full dinner. It might behoove me to expand my cooking repertoire and take up mixology so I could offer a complete restaurant service.

Since I live in the cold, cold north water bending offers me something else. One I don't need to buy snowshoes, skis or skates or even a snowmobile. I can use one of the many water bending techniques to travel along the snow and ice that covers the ground and water. Also I would never lack for anything to bend at that time. I think my winter would consist of doing two main things: shoveling driveways and roads; and ice sculpting. There would of course be other activities. I would make giant ice rinks for people to skate on during a winter festival but I'm sure I would be spending most of my winter making sure people weren't trapped in their homes and that emergency vehicles can get where they're needed.

Personally I'd use my bending to make sure that I always have a "sauna" or "hot spring" whenever the opportunity presents itself. I love how relaxing those are. I'd also buy myself a canoe that I can use to ride around in. Especially in the winter. I can see me sliding around on the snow doing my shopping. Then making my way to the river that divides the town in two and take off to my sister's cottage in a near by lake. For the first time in a while we would be able to keep it open year round.

I might also learn to build ice buildings like an ice hotel. If I did I know I would build myself an ice fortress during the winter and stay in there. Arm it with huge snow and ice balls. It would have many slides and doors only I could open.

Thanks for reading.

If I Had Freya's Cloak

2011-03-28T19:18:00.000-07:00

Background

Freya's cloak is a magical cloak. Who made it and where it comes from is unclear. It is never mentioned in the comic books nor in folklore who created it.

Description

The cloak is made of golden feathers and seems to be a full thick winter cloak.

Powers

Freya's cloak permits it's wearer to transform into a falcon while retaining their mental faculties such as their personality and memory and intelligence as long they choose.

If I had Freya's Cloak

Not that this will be the most exciting entry as far as what I would do but it is one of those where you just sit back and think of the possibility of things. Firstly one has to consider that the falcon is a bird of prey. So if you're starving you can go hunting and find food. Secondly falcon's are small creatures relative to humans so if you found yourself homeless it would be easier to find a place to bed down for the night by assuming your falcon form and sleeping in a small space in an abandoned building or mountain ledge.

Since falcons fly and can soar using the cloak on a daily basis is good for the environment. Instead of driving your car or taking mass transit you just put on the cloak and transform yourself and fly yourself where ever you are going: to work, visiting friends and families or just for a joy ride. As a falcon you can even carry small items under five pounds with you as long as you have the means to grasp it. So in theory you can do at least some of your groceries or other shopping traveling as a falcon. If you wanted to take a solo vacation you could travel as a falcon since they're migratory birds and usually migrate alone. You would have to have your luggage sent ahead of you but you could fly to your destination and then pick up your luggage and check in.

Thanks for reading

If I Was a Champion of Shazam

2011-02-26T23:08:00.000-08:00

Background

6,000 years ago the wizard Shazam decided that he needed someone who could succeed him as a champion of the Earth. The gods that empowered the wizard himself had long since been forgotten by humans so he petitioned more contemporary ones to give the new champion powers. He has done this at least three times. Once for Black Adam, a second time for Isis and a third time for Billy Batson. These "godly" powers sets have been shared with or used by others such as with the Marvel Family and Black Marvel Family. Black Adam has also used the powers of Isis after she died when he couldn't access his own powers.

Description

Anyone who is a champion of Shazam becomes more "heroic" looking versions of themselves. Generally in males it means being larger and more lean and muscular and in Billy Batson's case he assumed an adult version of himself. With women it's hard to say if they change at all since they're already drawn as attractive and idyllic in the first place but I should say that the most recent Isis seemed taller and had a more impressive physical presence and her brother noted that she looked prettier. I should note that Black Adam for some reason has pointed ears.

The males who become champions of Shazam all have essentially the same basic uniform. A body suit of one specific color: Billy Batson in red, Teth Adam in black and Freddy Freeman in blue. The body suit comes with golden "folded over cuff" boots, banded arm bracers and sash as well as having a large golden stylized lightning bolt on the chest. Osiris' costume is a slight variation on Black Adams having no sash, the lightning bolt on his chest is much broader and extends to going over his shoulders and his boots are banded like the arm bracers. Both Freddy and Billy have capes attached by golden "rope". The capes are white with golden trim and golden stitching.

Both Isis and Mary Marvel have different costumes. Isis dressed like Egyptian royalty including golden sandals and bracelets. Mary wore a costume similar in design to Captain Marvel but had a short dress instead of a body suit and lacked the banded arm bracers and wore "slippers" instead of boots. She later wore a white version of her costume to differentiate herself from her brother.

Powers

All the Champions of Shazam have the power to cast a spell that transforms them into a heroic looking version of themselves powered by a variety of gods (or godly immortals) or in Isis' case only one.

With the exception of Isis all the champions of Shazam had the following powers regardless of the Gods that empower them but their power levels very somewhat depending on the individual god or god-like being giving the particular power as example it would seem that Amon is stronger than Hercules since Black Adam seems stronger than Captain Marvel.

Super Wisdom: Essentially this amounts to super intelligence, super memory, intuitive clairvoyance making them more aware of their environment making it easier to make accurate guesses. It also includes access to vast amounts of knowledge among other things making them "omni-lingual" as well as aware of the magical nature of the world.

Super Strength: Super strength on par with Superman permitting them to move at least Earth size planets. The supernatural nature of the strength permits them to lift massive objects with out damaging them by the simple act of lifting and moving them.

Super Stamina: Essentially the raw ability to endure physical exertion for possibly an unlimited period of time. It also includes the ability to survive in outer space as well as other hostile environments. They do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe when transformed.

Power: This essentially grants them magical powers. Among them the ability to travel to the dimension that houses the Rock of Eternity where Shazam lives, the ability to use the magical lighting that transforms them for a number of uses such as healing themselves, powering magical spells, charging their fists for lighting punches and electrocuting an opponent by placing them between themselves and the lightning bolt when they call it. It also gives them their great resistance to magic and great magical potential should they pursue the study of sorcery.

Super Courage: Aside from giving them super human inner strength permitting them to persevere in the face of adversity and emotional strain. Somehow this also includes virtual physical invulnerability.

Super Speed: This permits them to move and fly at speeds greater than that of light as well as making them faster than Superman. They also have the appropriate reaction time to go with that speed. They are capable of interplanetary and interstellar travel under their own power.

The transformed state of the champions does not age making them virtually immortal if they remained in that form all the time. Black Adam is thousands of years old but only appears as an adult in his prime.

Although each champion with the exception of Isis all possess the same type of powers their power levels are not all necessarily equal. As an example Black Adam is physically stronger than Captain Marvel because in the DC Universe Amon is considered stronger than Hercules.

If I Was a Champion of Shazam

I guess the first thing would be to decide who would be my "godly" benefactors. I figure since I have Scandinavian heritage on my maternal grandfather's side I'll go with the Norse gods. If your familiar with Norse mythology you know I won't be able to spell out Shazam using the first letters of each gods name but since Isis had no such limitation I won't put that limit on myself either for this entry.

Odin (wisdom) He drank from Mimir's well of wisdom, hung himself from or had himself stuck to the Tree of Life by a spear so he could learn the secrets of the rune stones as well as using his two ravens to permit him to keep abreast of what is going on in the world at all times.

Magni (strength) he was stronger than his father Thor (who can beat mountains into valleys) even at 3 yrs old.

Ull (stamina) essentially the god whose life style requires more stamina then any other god since among other things he is the god of snow shoes, winter, hunting and the chase.

Thor (power) well for the obvious connection to lightning as the god of thunder and being among the the most powerful Norse gods but also because he is actually a fairly impressive spell caster. He kills the goats that pull his chariot so he has something to eat then the next day then he casts a spell that returns them to life.

Balder (courage) he is essentially the godly embodiment of hope and hope breeds courage even in the darkest times. Aside from that Balder can't be harmed by anything but mistletoe.

Zoran (speed) he is known not only for his own speed but for the ability to build vehicles that also travel at ridiculously incredible speeds.

I would imagine that I would end up with a green or indigo version of Black Adam's costume and that I would end up with gauntlets instead of just arm bracers.

With power to literally reshape the world I figure I would start off by watching it every day from orbit. Really learning to fall in love with it and those that inhabit it. You have to I think. If you can wipe out life on a planet by throwing a tantrum you have to have enough love in your heart for it so that you react to what happens in the world with care and understanding instead of anger and frustration.

At first I would maintain a secret identity and would lead a full "normal" life doing a variety of jobs to make sure I could see things from a variety of people's perspectives. I would probably even get married and raise a family before fully immersing myself in the role of champion. When they pass and if I hadn't shared my power with them for whatever reason then I would start dealing with world leaders and establishing my presence full time as the world's protector.

I would set up a world wide non-profit organization that people could volunteer at to keep me in touch with those I would be protecting. To help people you need to know what they need in the first place. It's not right to just assume you know. If you do that you become a tyrant not a helper when you wield so much power.

Thanks for reading.

If I Was Vanisher

2011-02-17T21:27:00.000-08:00

Background

Vanisher is one of the X-Men's oldest enemies. Over the years he has gone from major villain with his own henchmen to an X-team indentured transporter (since he can teleport other people as well as himself) until he was killed by a Sentinel.

Description

Vanisher is a bald man of average height and build with green eyes who now has tribal tattoos. By the end of his career he gave up wearing a costume.

Powers

The Vanisher can teleport himself and extra mass. Technically it seems he passes at an incredible speed through another dimension and reappears on Earth. So fast it seems that neither he nor the inhabitants of that dimension are aware of his passing through it.

His powers are "psionic" in nature and includes an instinctual spatial awareness ability that permits him to "teleport blind" to anywhere in his range. In other words he may want to teleport behind a closed door but if there is something that would prevent from him "materializing" there he will know not to teleport there even if he may not know what was in the way or any other detail of the area.

The maximum range of his teleportation powers is not yet been declared but he has teleported himself and seven other people from Southern California to an island north east of Madagascar. When he assembled the Fallen Angels (a group of young mutants runaways) he regularly teleported ten others including a 20 feet tall, 6000 lb. dinosaur.

If I Was Vanisher

I think I've talked enough about liking to explore and how I'd use various super powers to do it. Well the ability to teleport blind makes it even easier to explore places I haven't been. Also it makes taking vacations easier or even group vacations. The places that are opened up to you when you can get there almost instantaneously; a Maui beach in the afternoon and dinner by the Eiffel Tower at night. Imagine you're watching television and you're thinking the place you're watching seems like it would be a great place to visit so you just teleport there and check it out in real time. Then you come back and watch the rest of the show.

This is another one of those power sets that are life changing. The ability to move freely through the world in literally the blink of an eye makes it all different. I would have to do something life changing with it. I could do like Harry Keogh the Necroscope and use it to be the most kickass weapon delivery system ever. "Put the bomb where?" Poof. Poof again. "Okay It's there." But I'm thinking more about delivering medical supplies and even transporting patients and doctors quickly to the places they need to be in an emergency.

I might actually wear a costume that hides my identity. That way I can help the police and military out without being identified by those I've helped them against and that they themselves do not abuse my help. It's not that I think poorly of everyone in the police and military but I know that these are large organizations with authority over people's lives and not every one giving the orders is necessarily interested in everyone's best interests. Don't take my word for it read history books or pay attention to the news.

To indulge my "darkside" I would do a lot of breaking and entering minus the breaking part. My sense of exploration would eventually lead to me teleporting into businesses after hours just to see what they're like after hours. Like how a hacker breaks into a system just to see what's there but doesn't do anything with the data they've seen. I might also become a scourge to preservation lands teleporting into them most often unwittingly just to see what it's like where I'm not suppose to go. I can also see myself transporting into royal palaces and the homes of world leaders just to see how they live. I could really get myself into a lot of trouble.

If nothing else I would develop a combat style based around teleportation. A lot of dodging by teleporting and quick counter attacks by shifting my position to an exposed area on my opponent. Among the deadlier moves would be teleporting myself in such a way that when I materialize my weapon appears inside my opponent but then that might not be possible given the intuitive spatial awareness that prevents teleporting into solid objects. Regardless it should be an effective combat style especially since I would dedicate a room to housing various weapons that I would use in combat and teleport there to switch weapons as needed.

Thanks for reading.

If I Was Black Tom

2011-02-14T22:05:00.000-08:00

Background

Thomas Cassidy is an Irish born mutant with a knack from crime who is the cousin of the former X-Man Banshee. He is the long time partner in crime of the Juggernaut and the two have fought the X-Men on many occasions.

Description

Black Tom is a tall, well put together man (6' tall, 200 lbs) with black hair and brown eyes. Typically he wears a goatee.

His current costume is a black body suit with red ankle high "boots" with a black over coat with red trim on the sleeves and something like a large bat shaped "T" as its emblem.

Powers

Black Tom has the ability to project bolts of heat, concussive force or both simultaneously that he must project through a wooden medium such as his shillelagh which is unharmed by its use. There doesn't seem to be a specified limit to his powers but it is noted that he can melt metals with his heat blasts and can wreak "considerable havoc" with the concussive force.

He is immune to the powers of his cousins Banshee and Siryn.

If I Was Black Tom

One of the first things I would do is set up my house to have easily accessible pieces of wood in every room. With that done I would move to making myself a "side arm". Among my choices would be wands of various styles. There are tons of websites that sell ornately crafted wands. Some look pretty nice. I may keep a wand or two up my sleeve. I may make use of my own carving skills to make gun shaped carvings, maybe a variety of dragons or "laser guns". I even thought it might be cool to make wooden replicas of Iron Man's gauntlets. If nothing else I would wear a couple of rings carved from wood on each hand.

Another thing I would do is make sure all my bowls and plates were made of wood as well as my serving and baking utensils. That way I could use a low level heat blast to warm food in them. Possibly I could use the force aspect of the concussive blast to mix things or at least shake them up. Having said that I might make a number of hand tools out of wood that can make use of my blasts. Or I might just use chopsticks for wood burning and carving. With a lot of practice I may even develop laser-like precision in cutting using the powers.

I know that as with all energy blast powers I would like to see at how low of a level of output I could use the energy blasts. I would like to use the concussive element of the blast to push things with minimal damage to them and I would like to be able to use the heat element of it to warm a person or a room without burning them.

I might also find ways to use my powers for propulsion. A wooden paddle would be a great tool to push myself along in a canoe. I might use a wooden board to move along the water or on the snow by projecting force out the back of it. I might create a flying rig that lets me use the blast power that I can guide with my arms. Possibly a safety harness attached to some gauntlet-like arm rockets.

I might also take up kendo and become a swordsman. That way I could use the wooden practice swords in all kinds of cool martial arts way. That may lead me to playing local protector or at least trying to be useful.

Thanks for reading.

If I Was Jade

2011-02-12T23:45:00.000-08:00

Background

Jennifer-Lynn Hayden is the daughter of Allan Scott the original Green Lantern of Earth who derived his power from a Lantern created from the Star Heart rather than a Green Lantern Corps' Power Battery. For some reason that I don't know Jennifer-Lynn was born with a connection to the Star Heart that gives her Green Lantern-like powers.

She has had a long, distinguished career as a super heroine and was a member of many super groups and was even at one point the leader of the Outsiders. When her connection to the Star Heart was severed she lost her powers and became a member of the Green Lantern Corps serving as Earth's Green Lantern.

Description

Jade like virtually all super heroines is an attractive, athletic female. At one point she made a living modeling. Where she differs is that she is green. Not only does she have green eyes and hair, she has green skin as well.

She wears a green and white costume with what looks like a green stylized atom for its emblem.

Powers

As a conduit for the Star Heart she has extensive energy manipulation powers. Most notably she can create "constructs" out of the green energy of the Star Heart like shields, hands, swords, simple geometric shapes, force fields or whatever she can imagine. Although her power manifests itself with an accompanying green light phenomena, she can manipulate a variety of natural forces and energies like gravity, radiation, heat and light.

Aside from solid energy forms she can use her powers to make herself invisible, fly, pass through solid objects (although apparently she moves through the "4th Dimension" do do that). She can project beams of heat or force or blinding light and can hypnotize people. As some natural defense she can even when unconscious produce a protective aura that not only protects from harm from external attacks and hostile environments but can also sustain her when there is no oxygen or suitable atmosphere.

Being a conduit for the Star heart she possesses a number of super human sensory powers. She is essentially aware of and can perceive the entire electromagnetic spectrum and is also capable of sensing and perceiving magical and spiritual phenomena. Her sensory powers also give her the ability to "detect danger". The source of danger is "highlighted" in green.

She is capable of more feats than I've listed but those are the most common use of her powers. It is said that like with the Green Lanterns including her father the true limit of her powers is the strength of her will and the quality of her imagination. That being said due to the Star Heart's particular magical nature it is most effective against metals and least effective against plant life, wood being totally immune to it. Other forms of plant life can still be affected but to a lesser degree than things from the animal and mineral kingdoms.

If I Was Jade

Well...I'd be green but I wouldn't care. When I'm having a bad day I would sing "It's Not Easy Being Green" like Kermit the Frog does.

I'd train myself to have a number of attacks and defenses to the point that they are intuitive. I would also declare myself the "Supernatural Protector of the Planet". From there I would choose a country and make them a super power. I would do that because I don't specifically want to rule the world. It sounds cool at first but it's an incredible pain in the ass in the long run. You rule things because you want to be in charge. Being in charge means you're responsible for everyone you're in charge of. Way too much a pain in the ass. So instead I'd let others deal with that. If I like what they're doing I back them with my power. If I don't I let them do it on their own or take them down.

Another reason I don't want to be in charge is because with Jade's power level I'd prefer to be tackling natural disasters like tsunamies, land slides, earth quakes, ect... I'd also like to tackle cleaning up space debris, processing landfills, repelling asteroids, cleaning up pollution, that kind of thing.

Another thing I would do is explore the solar system for other forms of life or new elements and materials that don't exist on Earth and either bring them back for research or bring researchers to them. Once again I would increase humanity's knowledge of the universe.

Thanks for reading.

If I Was Beast Boy

2011-01-21T00:20:00.000-08:00

Background

Garfield Logan contracted Sakutia (a fictional illness in the DC Universe that turns people green and allows them to change shape up until it kills them within 48 hours). He was given a cure that made him green permanently and permitted him to retain his shape changing powers. He went on to be a member of the Doom Patrol and later the Teen Titans.

Description

Gar is slim, average height, short haired young man who is completely green including his hair and eyes not just his skin color. The green coloring follows him even in his animal forms.

Powers

Beast Boy can transform into any animal he is aware of (including species from other planets) while retaining his intelligence and personality as well as the ability to speak. He can maintain the forms indefinitely or even switch multiple times in a short period of time without suffering fatigue or strain. The transformation take only a few seconds to accomplish. His animal forms are always the same green as his human form. When transforming into tiny animals like insects or barnacles he can become only one or have multiple forms such as a swarm of bees. Under certain circumstances (that I have no clue about) he can transform into a hybrid creature with the abilities of all the animal he can turn into rolled into one.

If I Was Beast Boy

With the ability to become any animal there is the obvious choice of exploration. With potentially the whole animal kingdom to choose from and a little bit of courage almost nowhere in the world is off limits. Of course you have the ultimate inside track for animal research or husbandry. If you can walk a mile in any one's shoes you go a long way to understanding them. I may for a fee offer my services for hire. I might allow people to poke and prod me in the name of research but only so far. I would also help by imitating actual animals in their habitat and then report it back furthering the understanding of animals that way.

As for myself I might just go and live in the woods or up a mountain or on a remote island or something like that. I would just live off the land using my animal abilities to survive but I know that would only last so long then I'd have to return to see my fellow humans.

I know if nothing else I would revel in being able to take different forms with different strengths and weaknesses. I know I would then dispense "wisdom" based on what I learned spending time as those animals. I may do something like fly all day as a soaring bird and see where that takes me in terms of both geography and philosophy. I would develop a fighting style based on quickly changing from one animal to another. I would make sure that I had the scent of everyone I know memorized in case I had to track them.

I know that I would also use my ability to transform into animals to make people feel better. Who wouldn't want to ride on a horse that you can actually talk to or cuddle up to a grizzly bear? I think having an animal that can talk around would be therapeutic.

There are a number of animal forms that I would favor for various reasons:

Falcon and Mountain Lion: They're my "totem animals" so it would seem rude not to take their forms from time to time. Falcons especially peregrine falcons fly really fast and can kill and catch their prey in the same attack. Mountain lions are fierce predators with amazing mobility and ferocity. They can scare of a bear if they are fighting over the same carcass.

Grizzly Bear: Because their a huge land predators d'uh. Also chicks dig big furry animals but mostly because they're big and intimidating.

Dolphin: 'Cause I like to swim and they seem really agile in the water as well as when they jump out of the water. Plus offensive sonar. That kicks ass. Also water bubble rings. Dolphins like to make rings out of water bubbles as a game.

Bald Eagle: For soaring purposes. They aren't the record holders for soaring but they look cool and with their visual capacity I could enjoy a great birds eye view of my world while on a lazy sky cruise.

Monkey: Not sure what species of monkey but it would be great to have that kind of climbing ability.

Tyrannosaurus Rex: Because I would so love the size and scariness of it. Mind you I might transform into a similarly large allosaur that has longer arms.

Woolly Mammoth: Because it gets cold where I live and I think it would be cool to to be able to give walking tours of where I live while doing it as a very large land based creature. People could ride on my back as I tell them about the woods we're walking through.

I will say that as I'm writing this I realize I would go on a world tour familiarizing myself with more species of animals currently existing and extinct.

Thank you for reading

If I Was Yankee Poodle

2011-01-20T19:12:00.000-08:00

Background

Rova Barkitt was a famous "Follywood" (back when DC Comics had an Earth-C in it's multiverse) celebrity gossip columnist until one day she was struck by a fragment of a meteor that had been exposed to unusual radiation and Superman. This resulted in her acquiring super powers and taking on the costumed identity of Yankee Poodle. She quickly joined up with Captain Carrot and the other animals empowered by the other meteor fragments who along with Superman were trying to get down to the bottom of why there was a strange barrier around Earth-C and why animals all around the world were devolving into their primitive animal selves or in other words acting like regular animals instead of the anthropomorphic animals they were. After the adventure was over the meteor powered anthropomorphic animals joined together as Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew and put their lives on the line to save Earth-C from danger and injustice.

Description

Rova is a white furred anthropomorphic poodle who wears a legless american flag inspired super suit including gloves and a mask.

Powers

According to Rova herself she has the power of "animal magnetism". Animal Magnetism seems to be a quasi-magnetic force that attracts and repels all matter not just ferromagnetic materials. In her case her animal magnetism manifests as blue stars from her right hand that repels objects and red and white stripes from her left hand that attract objects. The stars and stripes are described as being "semi-solid". I would assume that this means that they are composed of particles that carry the force of animal magnetism much in the way that "gravitons" carry the force of gravity. The stars themselves have never been depicted as being used for anything except repelling objects or propulsion unlike the stripes that have been used as ramps, bindings and protective cocoons. I mean she's hasn't even used them to hold a door open or to wedge a lever in place. On more than one occasion enemies with exceptional super anthropomorphic animal strength have grabbed the stripes and used them to throw her while she was trying to wrap them up with them. The stars and stripes can be combined to form one devastating attack essentially violently pulling the target in two directions at once. The attack is called her "Magno-Blast".

I'm not sure what the maximum output or range of her power is since she is a character in a "Funny Animal" comic, consistency isn't as important as the laugh you get from each given situation. I have seen her portrayed as easily being able to move and lift objects like cars and vans and has used her power with some strain to lift a giant armed and armored "hamster wheel" vehicle the height of a two story house off of the ground. She has created stripes over one hundred feet long trying to subdue giant opponents like Frogzilla and Kongaroo.

Her main mode of personal transportation is to create "bridges" of stripes beneath her as she travels and use the stars to propel her along them instead of running running over it. She has once used the stars alone to propel herself in flight but has not done so again. Her top range and speed are unknown but I assume it's quicker and more convenient than just hopping into a car and driving.

If I Was Yankee Poodle

I would think that salvage and demolition would be the way to go with these powers. Stabilize the structure with the stripes then use the stars to undercut the structure and let it fall in on itself. Afterwards I could pull the pieces of the structure apart with the stripes making it easier to haul it away.

Since leverage doesn't seem to be needed to use her attraction and repulsion powers, demonstrated when she pulled a car that she had caught with her stripes back up on the freeway overpass it fell off of without being dragged over the edge by the car's weight or inertia, I think salvage would be another great option for uses of this power set. I could haul objects from the water up onto a waiting boat without the objects pulling me under. I could even use the stars to propel me through the water and even drag whatever I was hauling with me. When I think about it that would make me awesome for coastguard work. People are drowning in the ocean and we can't lower a line to them then I just have to catch them with my stripes and haul them up to the rescue helicopter or boat.

Now since the stripes don't need any leverage neither should the stars. I could use them to push heavy objects as I walk behind them. I can picture it. Just walking, being bored, pushing a huge crate or broken down vehicle. I could use them to clear snow, and chip away ice off of objects in the winter time.

I could start a business offering rides .

Thank you for reading.

My favorite "If I was..." of 2010

2010-12-29T15:48:00.000-08:00

My favorite "If I was..." for 2010 is Professor X.

I chose professor X because not only do I like the character but I've also recently discovered that he has the potential for telekinetic powers. He doesn't possess it right now but it is a component of his mutant power set that manifests itself from time to time. I've always believed it manifested itself because the writers kept forgetting that he wasn't a telekinetic or because some writers interpreted "psychic blast" to be that same as "telekinetic blast" instead of a "telepathic blast". I learned of it as an official power of his by coming across the Wikia entry for his "evil twin"/"spiritual clone" Cassandra Nova who has a copy of his mutant power imprint giving her his powers. I haven't read a comic book with her in it but by normal reality standards she is a powerful telekinetic who can not only levitate and manipulate herself and another person, she is powerful enough to repel missile attacks, assemble armor around herself from materials in the environment and even use her powers to "disintegrate" Wolverine's arm. On top of being a potential telekinetic, he apparently can potentially "phase" through solid objects as well. Cassadra Nova has used the power to save herself from Cyclops' optic blast. So now I have a new perspective on what I could do if I was Professor X.

So I'm going to take this opportunity to make an addendum to the entry of "If I was Professor X".

With the addition of phasing and telekinesis to the power set I would often play "guardian angel". I would use astral projection to go to a place invisibly and use the telepathy and telekinesis to manipulate the situation as necessary. As in my example of rescuing a missing child I would use the telekinesis to subdue the kidnapper's if there were any and then free the child from their bonds or "prison" and direct them home if possible. Of course I could have done something similar with telepathy and astral projection alone but then I wouldn't be able to protect the child directly from physical harm. If they were just missing because they ran away and say fell down a hole I could use the telekinesis to lift them out or remove the obstacles that would be in their way.

As for being the life of the party using my telepathy to enhance the merriment I would use telekinesis and phasing to put on one hell of a magic show. Levitating and moving objects and people would be hours of fun. Not to mention faking seances making people hear voices and making noises by moving objects. Passing through solid objects and having objects passing through you would also keep the party going for hours. Imagine taking a butcher knife and passing it through your chest or passing your arm through a door.

Otherwise I'd use telekinesis in the same way I would as Brian Davis. Using it for flight, martial arts enhancement, simulation of super strength and so on.

With that done I'd also like to list my top 5 favorite runner up "If I was".

1. Captain Dynamo

2. Jack O' Lantern's Lantern

3. Sasquatch

4. Cannonball

5. The Twelve Talisman's of Shendu

Thank you for reading.