DC's Form follows Function thread

[Varient]

People who read comics sometimes don't realize how much thought goes into "SuperPowers."

That if a hero can do certain things,... he or she HAS to be able to do or have other things in place to do those things.

There has to be a baseline of "supporting powers/abilities" for their primaries.


Example:

Super Strength: Reguires some sort of increase in density or toughness to allow the hero to not loose a hand or shattering their arms stopping a speeding car.

In Spiderman Two,... At one point Spiderman jumps down onto the track to try to stop a speeding elevated subway train. with his back braced against the train - his leg and foot crash thru at least twenty rail ties until he hops back up onto the train to try something else. The level of ability required to break beam after beam of treated wood as thick as your leg includes much more than "SuperStrength". It requires that his body be much tougher than the Human norm.

As I find time I will cover other abilities that hinge on what I will call "sub-powers" Unless someone here beats me to it.

 

[SuperFerret]

Sub-powers? Like it's one thing to be able to run at the speed of sound, but it's another thing entirely to be able to survive while running that fast.

 

[SenseiofCheese]

I, for example, always kind of thought that if The Flash or Quicksilver ran at the speed of (Something fast), the gust of wind that would follow them could either kill people or send them flying.

 

[Dope Nose]

People who read comics sometimes don't realize how much thought goes into "SuperPowers.

based on?

I'm pretty sure that most people who read comics DO realize how much thought goes into super powers. when Spider-man 2.1 was released there were countless discussions about how while Peter did have a superhuman resistance to injury it shouldn't have provided him with enough protection to survive being hit by an oncoming train. there were several issues of Superman that focused on his invisible aura and how it was the source of his invulnerability. it's common knowledge that the Flash has an invisible aura as well that protects him from the effects of moving at high speeds.

 

[Varient]

Sub-powers? Like it's one thing to be able to run at the speed of sound, but it's another thing entirely to be able to survive while running that fast.

Exactly. You have trouble breathing unprotected after 80mph or so. You must have "something" that allows you to move faster.

 

[Varient]

I, for example, always kind of thought that if The Flash or Quicksilver ran at the speed of (Something fast), the gust of wind that would follow them could either kill people or send them flying.

The Subpower there is the documented Vibrationary powers that allow them to pass thru solid objects,.. a variation of that and an unspoken speed limit in populated areas allows the Flashes to crowd light speed and not kill everyone.

 

[Varient]

based on?

I'm pretty sure that most people who read comics DO realize how much thought goes into super powers. when Spider-man 2.1 was released there were countless discussions about how while Peter did have a superhuman resistance to injury it shouldn't have provided him with enough protection to survive being hit by an oncoming train. there were several issues of Superman that focused on his invisible aura and how it was the source of his invulnerability. it's common knowledge that the Flash has an invisible aura as well that protects him from the effects of moving at high speeds.

Be fair,.. I did say "sometimes"

These folk are the ones who don't put together how folk like the Teen titans or the outsiders can do what they do. or claim that something is impossible simply because they don't get this.

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

how come spiderman can'tstop bullets but can bend steel? imean if your bones are the dense and tough to bend steel they should be tough enough to stop a bullet. i mean his strength level is able to bench 20 tons...now come on he's suppose to stop bullets damnit!

 

[SenseiofCheese]

It's also similar to, I don't remember where I heard it, but Superman shouldn't be able to bend the barrel of a gun while a normal human holds it. The human would either lose their grip on the gun, obviously, or have their hand broken. Badly.

 

[CConn]

how come spiderman can'tstop bullets but can bend steel? imean if your bones are the dense and tough to bend steel they should be tough enough to stop a bullet. i mean his strength level is able to bench 20 tons...now come on he's suppose to stop bullets damnit!

Well firstly, the density of your bones has nothing to do with stopping bullets. That has to do with the density of your flesh and muscle.

Secondly, I would assume, bullets coming at you at lightning fasts speeds end up being VASTLY "harder" than 20 tons. While you might be able to bend a steel beam, if that beam was coming at you at 100 miles an hour, you'd probably still be hurt pretty bad. Why? Because the speed increases the power of the beam when it hits you. Y'know, an object in motion stays in motion and all of that.

 

[Varient]

how come spiderman can'tstop bullets but can bend steel? imean if your bones are the dense and tough to bend steel they should be tough enough to stop a bullet. i mean his strength level is able to bench 20 tons...now come on he's suppose to stop bullets damnit!

Because it depends on the thickness of the steel on the bending,.. and the strength of the flesh req to do it,... I dare say Spiderman is 6 kinds of durable just under turning a knife blade under human power,... but he's not bulletproof.

I think Bulletproof as a byproduct of Super strength stasrts at about 75 tons
(Flat out pulled out of my but by reading comics estimate.)

 

[Varient]

It's also similar to, I don't remember where I heard it, but Superman shouldn't be able to bend the barrel of a gun while a normal human holds it. The human would either lose their grip on the gun, obviously, or have their hand broken. Badly.

Yup,.. Unless he rolls it along his hand OR has a variation of touch TK.

 

[Anubis]

Which has been speculated.

 

[Manic]

It's also similar to, I don't remember where I heard it, but Superman shouldn't be able to bend the barrel of a gun while a normal human holds it. The human would either lose their grip on the gun, obviously, or have their hand broken. Badly.

Not if he grabs most of the gun, and bends the barrel with only his thumb.

But then, he's never shown doing it like that, so... kinda moot, on my part.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

The Subpower there is the documented Vibrationary powers that allow them to pass thru solid objects,.. a variation of that and an unspoken speed limit in populated areas allows the Flashes to crowd light speed and not kill everyone.

Quicksilver could never vibrate through things, could he?

The Flash and all other DC speedsters are connected to the Speed Force. It's a lovely coverall that takes care of all the subpowers necessary to facilitate super-speed movement. Worried about sonic booms? Sufficient control of the Speed Force can allow you to negate their effects. Technically, if Wally really wanted to, he could easily run at light speed or faster through populated areas without disturbing anything. Wally, mind. And Max Mercury, probably (although he couldn't quite make it to light speed anymore at his age). I doubt Barry or Jay or even Bart have that kind of Speed Force mastery. Jesse definitely doesn't, given that she just regained her speed.

 

[Varient]

Quicksilver could never vibrate through things, could he?

The Flash and all other DC speedsters are connected to the Speed Force. It's a lovely coverall that takes care of all the subpowers necessary to facilitate super-speed movement. Worried about sonic booms? Sufficient control of the Speed Force can allow you to negate their effects. Technically, if Wally really wanted to, he could easily run at light speed or faster through populated areas without disturbing anything. Wally, mind. And Max Mercury, probably (although he couldn't quite make it to light speed anymore at his age). I doubt Barry or Jay or even Bart have that kind of Speed Force mastery. Jesse definitely doesn't, given that she just regained her speed.

Should be interesting to see how they handle that,....

I mean,... she now Qualifies as "Powergirl Lite" and I want to see her running more with Super, Wonder, and Power fems.

On Topic:
But they made a point to explain a year or so ago that all the speedsters in the DC Universe learn to vibrate in a way that reduces the effects of their passage thru an atmosphere. (Above a few hundred miles per hour.). Fortunately there are no current superspeed villians (Zoom doesn't count-he doesn't have superspeed)

Man,... The first thing I would've done as Wally is ,.. no wait,... if he went back to when Bart was the Flash,... He'd lose his powers. And if ANY other hero existed during that time, he would be unable to effect that time.

Sigh,.... Why did Bart have to die?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Because he wasn't around for the Silver Age.

What comic a year ago explained about vibrating? It makes sense; in fact, it wouldn't surprise me if vibrating through the atmosphere is how the Speed Force protects the environment around them from the effects of their speed, since the Speed Force is what allows them to vibrate through things and there was no specific explanation of how the Speed Force did it.

 

[Varient]

High Stamina / Heal Fast / Healing Factor / Partial Regeneration / Full Regeneration.

Differences:

High Stamina:
Can Soak up residual damage and physical stress and keep on going because body doesn't get impeded by the toxins produced by heavy muscle use - They don't tire easily.

Heal Fast:
They heal as a normal person does, but by nature of their powers can do so Much faster than the normal person. Nothing special about their bodies - their powers do the healing - The Flashes and Superman qualify.

Healing Factor:
They naturally Heal FASTER than a normal person does, their bodies do this 24/7 regardless of whether they are or have their powers or not.
DeathStroke, Beast Boy.

Partial Regeneration:
The Body has a template of a static form in EVERY cell of the body. Any damage done,.. the body tries to bring the body back to that form as described on the template - replacing Body parts if need be, AS LONG AS THERE IS ENOUGH BODY in the first place to sustain life.
Martians.

Full Regeneration: Same as Partial except You can come back from a drop of blood.
LOBO.

 

[Varient]

wow,.. talk about thread closer,...

 

[Tropico]

I think it was New Frontier that stated that the Flash vibrated as he ran.
The Speed Force (and even before it got its name) is an aura that protects them. I don't know exactly how, but sometimes it must be like a forcefield. If it wasn't, how would they be able to stay whole after some of the spills they take? It would have to redirect the impact energy somehow or actually encase them in some kind of protective field for it to do so. I mean, almost always see the collateral damage, torn up streets and impact craters and stuff. Unconscious kinetic energy absorption? Doubtful.

Anyway, those are the DC speedsters. Anyone who has read the Marvel Guides knows that Marvel mostly gives their heroes actual physical adaptations. More efficient respiratory and circulatory system. Enhanced muscles. Sometimes even a protective membrane covers the eyes to prevent damage from speed, winds, etc.

 

[Kenda Man]

Fortunately there are no current superspeed villians (Zoom doesn't count-he doesn't have superspeed)

Baroness Blitzkrieg from the Justice Society of America. It was awful to see how much damage a speedster could do if they didn't care about civilians.

I know she is not as active as other villains, but she must be out there if the Kingdom Come Captain Nazi is alive in JSA books.

 

[Varient]

baroness blitzkrieg from the justice society of america. It was awful to see how much damage a speedster could do if they didn't care about civilians.

i know she is not as active as other villains, but she must be out there if the kingdom come captain nazi is alive in jsa books.

what does she look like?

 

[Varient]

Invulnerability.

By it's nature,... even w/o an increase in strength, a person "appears" stronger because the things that are in place to prevent personal harm are no longer a concern.

Example: Hand tightening a bolt.
A normal human has to stop at the point where he/she starts tearing the flesh off their fingers torcing that thing.

If you are invulnerable your "hand" tight would definetly be closer to "wrench tight."

Also as you move up the scale of invulnerability, your strength HAS to increase in proportion to how tough you are.

 

[Kitsune]

Well firstly, the density of your bones has nothing to do with stopping bullets. That has to do with the density of your flesh and muscle.

Secondly, I would assume, bullets coming at you at lightning fasts speeds end up being VASTLY "harder" than 20 tons. While you might be able to bend a steel beam, if that beam was coming at you at 100 miles an hour, you'd probably still be hurt pretty bad. Why? Because the speed increases the power of the beam when it hits you. Y'know, an object in motion stays in motion and all of that.

We're dealing with PSI (Ponds per square inch). Bullets do more penetration damage because they have a high amount of pressure on a small number of square inches.

 

[WompuM]

I like this thread. Bump.