Can superheroes ever exist??

[SpideyInATree]

the firefighters and police of 9/11 may have been heroes, but they werent superheroes. For that matter, neither are any of the ones you listed, except for Captain America, Blue Beetle, and Daredevil, because none of them have any SUPERpowers, which is what seperated heroes from SUPERheroes...In fact, the Punisher is just a serial killer who only gets any points in the hero category because of his chosen victims. He's a bad guy who just happens to kill other bad guys.

You obviously didn't watch Stan Lee's Who Wants to be a Superhero. You can be a Superhero without having enhanced powers. Men and women who go above and beyond what is asked of them could always be considered superheroes. Because what they do is SUPER and their selfless acts make them HEROES, thus SUPERHERO.

Having enhanced powers of skills would make someone a SUPERHUMAN, but you don't have to have "powers" to be a superhero. Everyday people can be superheroes.

 

[The Question]

I've had some thought about this, and thus I have a few ideas about the powers of various heroes. I'll go with The Avengers for the moment:

Captain America: Several months of training, surgury to alter the musculature and tendons, and taking the right combination of preformance enhancers could, in theory, make someone into a real life Captain America.

Iron Man: Hell, they've been working on strength enhancing exo-skelitons for years, and recently I saw a video of a working demonstartion of jet boots. All you really need to to is improve upon and combine the two, and you've got yourself an iron clad avenger.

Thor: The strength levels are possible if you use the Captain America method plus the instilation if high powered servo motors on the joints and metal reinforcement of the bones. This would make the subject much heavier, but he;s meant to be a tank anyway. The hammer is also theoretically possible. Manipulation of the weather could happen through a manipulation of electyromagnetic feilds, but the hammer would have to be quite large and it would only operate on a small scale. However, with the subject's strength, the size of the hammer wouldn't be an issue. I doubt flight through use of the hammer would be possible, but a specially designed cape with glyding capabilities and jet propulsion, like the flight harness recently created by the U.S. military, might be doable.

Hank Pym: There realy is no practical way of growing or shrinking someone like that. However, the manipulation of insects is somewhat plausible. If the person in question wore a helmet that emited the proper frequencies of EM radiation, or possibly emmited pheramones, then it stands to reason that he could control insects. Also, while he could not physically grow himself, the possibility of using a mech is not out of the question. However, such a device would be mighly expensive.

The Wasp: I'd say a suit with wings and taser like stingers like hers are possible, although I'd think the wings would require too much feul to be practically worn on someone's back.

Hawkeye: He's just a guy with arrows. The only difference between him and any professional archer in the world is that the professional archers don't fight crime.

Black Widow: Just a lady in black leather with guns. Not hard.

Quicksilver: A combination of the Thor and Captain America procedures, but concentraiting entirely on speed. Doubtful that he'd get to Quicksilver's level of speed, but he'd still be damned fast. However, it's quite likely that such a procedure would take too much of a toll on the subjects heart, resulting in his death.

To add to this:

Superman: While his powers, if at least on a less powerful scale, are possible, they would need to be bio engineered from birth to be exactly as they are in the comics. If we're enhancing a fully grown human, then we'd probably be able to pull of the strength, speed, senses, and flight (flying harness), but not heat vision. And none of the powers would be at the level they would be if they were engineered from birth. Basically, Thor without the hammer.

Aquaman: It would probably be a combination of the Superman/Thor procedure and an Iropn man type suit designed top work under water if we're working on a fully grown subject. A varient of the Ant Man device that allows him to communicate with sea mamals and slightly more inteligent fish is possible, but would probably be on a limited scale. If we're going engineered from birth, you'd probably get far better results. Assuming that telepathy is possible, that could be included in the engineering.

Martian Manhunter: Possible, but not in any human being. He'd have to be of a completely different speicese. His body would probably be a hive mind of single celled organisms, allowing him to shapeshift, and having telepathy as a natural form of communication.

The Fantastic Four: They'd all require engineering from birth, since the alterations on the human body, with our current technology, would just be impossible. Mr. Fantastic would have naturally more elastic tissues, and instead of bones, he'd probably have high elastic gell sacks that stiffen when necessairy but go limp when he's streaching. The Thing would simply be engineered to be really big and strong with a very tough hide. The Human Torch's skin would be covered in plates that can shift to one side, releasing a chemical that ignites on contact with hair. His skin, obviously, would be fire proof. It's possible that he would be able to shoot a stream of this chemical, causing the fire blasts. The main problem would be the flight. I'm not sure how the Invisible Woman's powers would work biuologically. I'm not even sure if they could.

 

[Cinemaman]

Honestly, don't think there will be any superhero in the future.

Mutants, who are escaped from the society, because of their X-genes sound like closer version.

But I also would mind about crime fighters like Batman or even Daredevil.

But for me, characters from The Watchmen are still the most possible variant of future heroes.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Can there ever be a real life superhero? Or, a person with what we consider to be super powers??

I remember a news story about some kid in Russia, or something, that has some form of gigantism. As far as I could remember, the young child was the size and had the strength of a much, much older child. Anyone know the story I'm talking about?

You're probably referring to a kid from Germany born without myostatin, which regulates protien intake and muscle growth. At age 1 or 2 the child could hold 7 pound dumbells with arms outstretched. And there was only one photograph I've seen thus far, but he looked like a mass of muscle. Unfortunately the kid will most likely die of a massive heart attack at a young age.

 

[Prodigy]

shadowboxing is correct about this

I read an article about the whole topic of myostatin, which was very informative since I had heard about the german boy a few years ago. they do it with cows now, if you search for "myostatin cow" on google you can see pictures of them. it's not superhuman by any means, it's just a genetic mutation. his genetic mutation happened to be he's missing something everyone other human has as a result of evolution... it keeps our bodies from burning through so many calories just to support the muscle. he doesn't have super strength. there has even been human testing, so someone out there knows what it feels like to get muscle and lose fat by having their myostatin inhibited, which is done through the vein. but having all that muscle can put lots of pressure on his heart, especially at such a young age. he very well may have a heart attack at a young age, and it will be a while before enough research is done that this is really beneficial for mankind.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

the firefighters and police of 9/11 may have been heroes, but they werent superheroes. For that matter, neither are any of the ones you listed, except for Captain America, Blue Beetle, and Daredevil, because none of them have any SUPERpowers, which is what seperated heroes from SUPERheroes...In fact, the Punisher is just a serial killer who only gets any points in the hero category because of his chosen victims. He's a bad guy who just happens to kill other bad guys.

Right. While it's possible to be like Batman, DareDevil and the Question their methods of fighting crime and monitoring crime are really ineffective in the real world. Running around dressed up as a feral creature or symbolic element actually already happens and most have been arrested rather quickly. Unless you are willing to kill your opponent with the same force they show you, you're pretty much dead.

The most realistic way to make a SUPERhero is the Ultimates. The idea that it would be a police force/military rather than a lone gunman.

 

[Joker]

You obviously didn't watch Stan Lee's Who Wants to be a Superhero. You can be a Superhero without having enhanced powers. Men and women who go above and beyond what is asked of them could always be considered superheroes. Because what they do is SUPER and their selfless acts make them HEROES, thus SUPERHERO.

Having enhanced powers of skills would make someone a SUPERHUMAN, but you don't have to have "powers" to be a superhero. Everyday people can be superheroes.

The fact that you're using Who Wants To Be A Superhero as your argument totally makes everything you say BS. And I don't care what they say, the SUPER in SUPERhero means you have to have som sort of superhuman power...that's why Superman is a Superhero, yet Batman is only a hero/vigalante.

 

[Joker]

NO!! YOU IDIOT

what a wonderfully rationed and well thought out argument

 

[Joker]

NO!! YOU IDIOT

what a wonderfully rationed and well thought out argument

 

[ShadowBoxing]

The fact that you're using Who Wants To Be A Superhero as your argument totally makes everything you say BS. And I don't care what they say, the SUPER in SUPERhero means you have to have som sort of superhuman power...that's why Superman is a Superhero, yet Batman is only a hero/vigalante.

Well in comics those characters (human ones like Batman) they are given superpowers that really only serve to further the story. Such as being able to find crime (or crime finding them), being able to avoid getting shot despite being under near constand fire, being able to take out crowds of opponents at a time and having colorful villains who make themselves known to everyone. The real world does not have these safety nets or plot devices. In the real world, you're right, it's impossible for Batman to be a SUPERhero, but equally as hard for him to simply be an anywhere near effective crime fighter.

 

[The Question]

Right. While it's possible to be like Batman, DareDevil and the Question their methods of fighting crime and monitoring crime are really ineffective in the real world. Running around dressed up as a feral creature or symbolic element actually already happens and most have been arrested rather quickly. Unless you are willing to kill your opponent with the same force they show you, you're pretty much dead.

Okay, I really don't think that's true. While I doubt it's easy, one can take out criminals without killing them as long as they aproach the situation properly.

 

[Gonking]

what is this guy talking about? Superheroes already exist, or you are so stupid and naive to think that Superman, Batman and Spiderman are just invented?......For god's sake.

 

[The Last Meatbag]

.....Well....exposing myself with various forms of radioactive materials didn't do anything.....

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Okay, I really don't think that's true. While I doubt it's easy, one can take out criminals without killing them as long as they aproach the situation properly.

I mean people have stopped muggings, but you would not have any effectiveness tackling crime that way.

 

[Grim Goblin]

Right. While it's possible to be like Batman, DareDevil and the Question their methods of fighting crime and monitoring crime are really ineffective in the real world. Running around dressed up as a feral creature or symbolic element actually already happens and most have been arrested rather quickly. Unless you are willing to kill your opponent with the same force they show you, you're pretty much dead.

The most realistic way to make a SUPERhero is the Ultimates. The idea that it would be a police force/military rather than a lone gunman.

Link please ?

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Link please ?

I've actually never been able to find any news stories on them. But there were several crack pots in New York who have dressed up from time to time. Ankle Grinder man is the only one I know of with any following. Supposedly there is/was a guy named the Brooklyn Avenger.

 

[The Question]

I mean people have stopped muggings, but you would not have any effectiveness tackling crime that way.

Well, you do what you can do. I doubt a lone vigilante could take down a crime syindicate, but if he saves someone's life, that's still a job well done. As the Torah says, "He who saves one life saves the world entire." And hell, all it takes is the right bit of evidence to bring down the big mafia types, and that someone can find as long as they're willing to break a few minor laws themselves.

 

[Spade]

Myostatin deficiency could be useful, if controlled. In an experiment in 2005 activin type 2 receptors (a negative regulator of bone growth usually prevalent in testicular development) was injected into lab mice, who increased in muscle mass by 60% over the duration of the study. I would have to say, though, it would probably be torture on the human body to artificially enhance with it. If the heart distress or influx of mass upon the skeletal system over such a short period of time didn't make the person's systems shut down the possibility that the ACVR2A within the activin type 2 receptors inactivate themselves could kill the patient by introducing colorectal cancers as a byproduct of microsatellite instability. Then one must also factor in that using anything beyond the normal 30% limitation to muscular output would produce staggering amounts of fatigue chemicals and using 100% strength becomes less of an impossibility than an unusable. To visualize, a picture of a cow with controlled myostatin deficiency (so as to not make the possibility so grim and dour):

To add to why the growth aspect would be impossible, for one mass cannot come from nowhere; this is why the Hulk is said to have an extradimensional source. Secondly, if using the movie Hulk explanation the shock the recipient may receive either through the sensory overload incurred from suddenly having a humongously altered consciousness/ chemical saturation/ pain receptor reaction to the forced growth spurt could kill said recipient. Furthermore, if you could truly transmutate someone the probability the person would be in the mental state to recollect anything would be small. For all we know all it would do is envoke euphoric reactions or even psychosis on the psyche. Same goes for shrinking- no product of the adrenal gland could prepare the user for such atrophy, and the limited human perception becomes an issue again as well as the fact that uniform shrinking would be physically and biologically harduous. As for the 'Superman' level of power, that would be nigh impossible. The muscle mass it would require would shred up the circulatory system, incurred from the amount of output each skeletal/ smooth/ cardiac muscle would have to release for that amount of power. Arctic breath would require lung capacity far beyond what humans are capable of, and unless using completely cybernetic vision peripherals the heat vision would burn holes right through the retinas. And lightspeed movement is out of the question- you would become a human blender of compressed organs or demolecularized goop if you moved at that speed unprotected.

This isn't to say not all of it could be done. Some enhancements could definitely enhance human strengths severalfold, and technology could be used to make up for human frailty. It's just that at current levels of understanding it would be very difficult to pull off without creating a failed product. Furthermore, 'superheroes' imply 'heroic individuals with superpowers'- honestly speaking, do you really think most people would use it for good? Out of 10,000 I could forsee a good 80 to 90% using their powers to rob or maim or just bedazzle friends who ask for a display. To be a superpowered heroic individual would require a lot of constant effort, making morally-correct choices in multiple heat-of-the-moments, involving oneself in cases that may be controversial territory or above the constraints of the law and fatiguing in general. And that's not even mentioning if criminals lash out against the enhanced person in question's loved ones. It would take a tremendous amount of moral fiber to get up every day and do that, and even then I could forsee the much-larger majority acting pompous and being villainous rather than good.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

And hell, all it takes is the right bit of evidence to bring down the big mafia types,.

You don't seriously believe this do you?

 

[The Question]

You don't seriously believe this do you?

Of course. That doesn't mean the right bit of evidence is easy to get. It's possible, though. And a vigilante would have a better chance of getting such evidence than the cops, if you think about it. If a police officer does something illegal to get evidence, that evidence cannot be used in court. If a private citizen does something illegal to get evidence, it can be used in court.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Well, you do what you can do. I doubt a lone vigilante could take down a crime syindicate, but if he saves someone's life, that's still a job well done. As the Torah says, "He who saves one life saves the world entire."

The Torah may be a very wise and timeless classic of Jewish scripture (and technically Christian). However, he who saves one life can be anyone, and we have safe and sane outlets for these things. You can learn all the martial arts you want and hell even dress up like a Bat or face-less detective, however your much better off fighting these things through other means. Comics, as part of it's storyline, portrays in fact very ineffective and foolish ways of combating crimes. Cops, with all their squads and stakeouts still tend to only fight criminals after they have committed the acts in questions. More of a firefighting type response. If they are lucky they can stop a crime in progress. Some guy watching from a rooftop won't do much better. Also considering the amount of technology that goes into investigation, the amount of team work. It's a waste of time.

Furthermore to a criminal you'd be an ******* in a costume, not something scary or feral. My trainer used to say if your fighting one guy, remember your training, if you find yourself fighting two guys, remember those running drills. And it's true. You may be a great fighting, or an NFL Football player like my Cousin, but when faced with 5 guys your getting beat down (my cousin was in the Hospital for weeks).

Comics lay their groundrules in fiction, that's why Batman works. Not because he logically works, but because they (the writers) say he does.

 

[J. J. Jameson]

I must not die until I have Spider-powers.











Hey, a guy can dream

 

[The Last Meatbag]

JJJ will die of a venomous spider bite

 

[The Question]

The Torah may be a very wise and timeless classic of Jewish scripture (and technically Christian). However, he who saves one life can be anyone, and we have safe and sane outlets for these things. You can learn all the martial arts you want and hell even dress up like a Bat or face-less detective, however your much better off fighting these things through other means. Comics, as part of it's storyline, portrays in fact very ineffective and foolish ways of combating crimes. Cops, with all their squads and stakeouts still tend to only fight criminals after they have committed the acts in questions. More of a firefighting type response. If they are lucky they can stop a crime in progress. Some guy watching from a rooftop won't do much better. Also considering the amount of technology that goes into investigation, the amount of team work. It's a waste of time.

I suppose. But hey, one more set of eyes trying to help out doesn't hurt.

Furthermore to a criminal you'd be an ******* in a costume, not something scary or feral.

Depends on the costume and how you go about it. If you're wearing brightly colored spandex, you're right. But it's possible to design a costume to be quite scary.

My trainer used to say if your fighting one guy, remember your training, if you find yourself fighting two guys, remember those running drills. And it's true. You may be a great fighting, or an NFL Football player like my Cousin, but when faced with 5 guys your getting beat down (my cousin was in the Hospital for weeks).

That depends on tactics. You're assuming that all a vigilante would do is try to take on five guys hand to hand. That's crazy. But if you have the proper equipment, such as flashbang grenades and a taser, and you have the element of surprise, you do stand a chance.

 

[The Last Meatbag]

Maybe if you catch the mugger or whatever in a creepy setting, and have a great knowledge of psychology AND have the right get up....you could probably scare the guy pretty well