Greetings nerdy list aficionados and welcome back to top 10 nerd today we’re looking
at superhero origins but with a twist.
There are lots of iconic ways to get powers, born with them, accident, radiation bitten
by something most likely full of radiation.
Mystic energy you name it but some of these heroes were given there powers like here you
go.
Some however are given their powers be it as a gift or intentionally or out of necessity
but these powers come with a bit of a different weight because of that and the way their wielders
process them varies as well.
Number 10 - Silver Surfer – The silver surfer was the herald of galactus sent ahead to announce
the devourer of worlds arrival the way he became a herald was part of his tragic backstory.
The silver surfer had been Norrin Radd he first appeared in Fantastic Four #48 in 1966.
He was from the planet Zenn La when Galactus came to Norrin’s planet he pled with him
to save his lover and world and in the process pledged allegiance to Galactus and would help
him find more worlds to eat which is pretty awful he has a change of heart when he comes
to earth and is convinced of the error of his ways and actually turns on galactus becoming
a hero.
This was a tale that actually evolved as a surprise because Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had
been writing using the marvel method which means that Lee would add dialogue after and
the plot details and things were kept vague it evolved as written basically so the silver
surfer was a bit of a surprise in how much he evolved from first appearance as guy literally
surfing the galaxy.
Number 9 - She Hulk- The she hulk was created in 1980 as a way for marvel to secure the
copyright and trademark she was introduced as Bruce Banner’s cousin a criminal lawyer.
She was Jennifer Walters and when bruce met up with her she ended up being shot by criminals
trying to shut her up so he had only one option to save her life an emergency blood transfusion.
So he tourniqueted himself and got to work the thing is his blood was infused with gamma
radiation so in the process he transferred some of his hulkness to her.
When angry or stressed she would become the she hulk and she loved it viewing it as a
gift it was a way for to have a physical strength to match her mental ones.
She got her powers and ran with it lawyer by day and superhero by day and night woo!
Taking names.
Number 8 - Donna Troy – Donna Troy has had many origins and retcons and that has altered
her origins.
So she was created by accident when a writer got confused after looking at wonder woman
covers and seeing a teen wonder girl and assuming it was another character when really it was
deaged version of wonder girl who wonder woman fought crime alongside to prove to the comics
code authority that she wasn’t a lesbian.
So when donna troy got an origin as a solo character which would happen years after her
debut in the teen titans she would be an orphan that wonder woman saved from a fire and her
powers were given to her by the amazons who shot her with a purple ray that they had on
paradise island which was usually used for healing.
Wonder woman’s home was called paradise island before the name was changed to themyscira.
Donna troy would then go through a series of reboots and retcons which would leave fans
confused she currently has a bit of a fusion origin good times.
Number 7 – Wolverine – Wolverine is one of those people where the powers given were
not voluntary and also cruel as you could argue she hulks wasn’t voluntary either.
Wolverine was part of the weapon x program where adamantium was forcibly bonded to his
skeleton which took hold firmly as Logan formerly James Howlett had a latent mutant healing
ability.
He would also have his mind messed with and his memories largely erased, Wolverine had
a long journey towards curbing his anger and becoming a hero but his adamantium claws would
prove to be an asset you know except for that time Magneto ripped them from his body which
fair play he’s just not doing it again out of courtesy and because Charles wiped his
mind after and then that created Onslaught yikes.
Number 6 – Drax – Drax the destroyer was Arthur douglas the crash kills his wife but
his daughter survives and is adopted by thanos and later becomes moondragon.
His spirit is captured by Mentor and the Titan god Kronos to combat thanos and he is given
a new name and purpose drax the destroyer.
After Drax recovers his memories he spends years searching for purpose a quest that for
a time palced him on a more villainous bend but he would eventually embrace his mission
to destroy thanos and work amongst heroes to do so, it helped when he was reunited with
his daughter moon dragon as well.
The family that fights thanos together stays together.
Drax has been added to the guardians of the galaxy modern runs in order to align with
the mcu and create horizontal brand synergy in the hops that fans will move from film
to comics a move that happens more in reverse and with kevin feige head of all marvel including
comics at the time of this recording get ready for a lot more decisions just like that.
Number 5 - Kon el – aka Superboy aka connor kent so he is a clone created from superman’s
dna and le luthor’s for awhile it was some humans and then lois’s but lex makes the
most sense and is the only canon I want to live in.
He was given his kryptonian powers because of the process and for a while wouild struggle
with whether he was good or not.
In the teen titans arc where he went evil he went bald like lex it was a time.
Connor has had a few iterations and the 90s version with his side belt and 90s glasses
has returned with a vengeance he occupies an interesting space since clark had a son
who was hyper aged in space and returned as a 17 year old who is now superboy.
This was so dan didio could ensure that superman didn’t have a together domestic family unit
cause that’s boring why would you want your heroes to be happy there can be no conflict
there.
That was a thing that us adults call sarcasm.
Number 4 - Captain America – Steve Rogers was part of the super soldier program he volunteered
aqnd was given his powers to serve America empowered by the super soldier serum he has
super strength increased reflexes and muscles that never need maintaining cause even when
he loses the serum which happens periodically he still has them.
What steve serum will allow him to do varies such as can he get drunk or not you decide
if he snorts drugs will he stay high for a week yes, but he can still turn into a werewolf.
It’s an interesting life being Captain America.
Steve would be the only person initially to get the perfected super soldier serum as the
scientist responsible would be assassinated moments later.
Cap actually had a pretty good transition from Capsicle to silver age not all propaganda
pieces can be molded as he has been though mileage varies how do you feel about Cap let
me know down below.
Number 3 – Deku – That’s right my hero academia the entire premise between Deku’s
character arc is him being chosen by his hero all might to have his trait one for all even
though he himself was one of the rare children born quirkless meaning without powers.
He is gifted the powers because all might sees that he has a heroic heart and will value
the power in a way that those born with quirks couldn’t.
It’s really heart warming this shonen has depth people.
It also set up intense rivalries between him and other students as they wonder just what
did he do to be worthy of all might's praise cause they don’t know about the power transfer
so they have all these theories like is he his son?
My hero is such a good manga and show yes I watch anime and read manga too.
Number 2 - Green Lantern – Hal Jordan – Hal Jordan was a test pilot when his life changed
he was selected by the green lantern ring of dying alien abin sur who sends his ring
out to seek his successor it seeks a man with the ability to overcome great fear or in early
days has no fear which is actually a condition but it’s fine and so hal Jordan is selected
and thrust into a world he had no idea existed.
The thing with green lantern is that the lore has grown a lot as it has gone on things that
will be commonplace now but were added over time like the corps itself all the different
races, other earth lanterns.
Hal having traits, that wasn’t salty he just developed a bit more overtime.
Still the ring was just given to him and that’s a lot to be given such responsibility and
to embrace it pretty heroic.
HalJordan is the silver age green lantern the golden age green lantern alan scott found
a mystic green lantern hence the name the silver age lantern would have a lantern to
charge his ring.
But way more focus on the alien space angle and no purple in the costume.
Number 1 – Shazam/Captain Marvel no I won’t let it die.
Billy Batson has a pretty iconic origin, he was selling newspapers when he saw a person
who looked shady going into the subway.
So he followed him and that subway takes him to a magic cave where he meets a wizard who
embues him with the power Shazam that was also the wizard’s name back in the day it
fills him with Grecian powers the wisdom of Solomon the strength of Hercules etc and the
cool ability to turn into an adult superhero by yelling his name Shazam.
Which is now his superhero name because of a convoluted history involving being sued
by DC folding as a company being bought by them and then having to deal with a battle
with Marvel who at that point had their own captain marvel character also that story is
one that people like to use for cred so if they feel that you missed something they will
all like omg what a fake nerd I can’t believe you wouldn’t explain this for a whole half
hour allow me to add another stone to the bottom of me pedestal.
All ima say is hot air rises.
Wow I’m a human salt lick today and while talking about billy of all people sweet billy.
He deserves more than my salt he has the best given powers tho just like here you go you’re
magic and not murdered hooray.