Ordinary person to superhero???

[Mask&Cape]

Hi,

Have Marvel, DC or any other comic producer ever created a superhero who started life as an ordinary man or woman with an alien origin or who suffered a tragedy of some nature?

A bank clerk, social worker, accountant, carpenter, etc. with a military or secret past - just an everyday mom or dad who one day gained a superpower and put it use helping people just because they could as opposed to seeking revenge or redemption.

Besides Kick-Ass

Not counting mutants - because developing powers in adolescence disrupts the chance if a "normal" life.

 

[runawayboulder]

Yeah, Batman and Spider-Man. Those are the two biggest examples of what you're looking for.

 

[KevanG]

There's quite a lot of them. Look at most of the unpowered superheroes and they tend to have similar origins. Heck look at he original Red Tornado from the 40's who was a mother who decided to fight crime while wearing a pot on her head as a disguise.

 

[Mask&Cape]

Yeah, Batman and Spider-Man. Those are the two biggest examples of what you're looking for.

No they aren't ordinary guys - Parker yes, but like Wayne he has suffered a personal tragedy - both have entered the superhero life as a reduction of this trauma.

I'm talking about people who have been living "ordinary" lives, working 9 to 5 and raising families - no murders or great wrongs done to them - who one day develop a superpower and suit up just because they want to help - driven by no more than the desire to help people.

 

[Mask&Cape]

There's quite a lot of them. Look at most of the unpowered superheroes and they tend to have similar origins. Heck look at he original Red Tornado from the 40's who was a mother who decided to fight crime while wearing a pot on her head as a disguise.

Unpowered or superpowered - I mean both.

Can you throw me out a few more names?

I tried various combinations of phrases in Google but found nothing helpful.

I just looked up Red Tornado - she is a parody so not what I asking about

 

[KevanG]

The Fantastic Four did. They were just average people, then stole a rocket and got superpowers. They then decided to be superheroes. Superman grew up with powers and was told to go be a really nice guy by his parents. Jay Garrick and Barry Allen (before killing the entire universe, TWICE!, because he missed his mommy) got powers and just kinda did stuff. A bunch of the younger superheroes like the ones in the New Warriors pretty much did the same, then joined up to do that together. Hal Jordan and a few other GLs had the same thing happen where they got randomly chosen to be a GL but had jobs before and during playing lazer tag with aliens. Black Panther inherited the title (and country) from his father as it was part of his heritage to wear the suit and protect his people. Despite what you said earlier, Angel from the X-Men had a superhero thing going on before joining the X-Men where he had a gas gun. I just wanted to include him because I always thought that was neat.

On a side note: I hate Barry Allen. What a jackass.

 

[Mask&Cape]

The Fantastic Four did. They were just average people, then stole a rocket and got superpowers. They then decided to be superheroes. Superman grew up with powers and was told to go be a really nice guy by his parents. Jay Garrick and Barry Allen (before killing the entire universe, TWICE!, because he missed his mommy) got powers and just kinda did stuff. A bunch of the younger superheroes like the ones in the New Warriors pretty much did the same, then joined up to do that together. Hal Jordan and a few other GLs had the same thing happen where they got randomly chosen to be a GL but had jobs before and during playing lazer tag with aliens. Black Panther inherited the title (and country) from his father as it was part of his heritage to wear the suit and protect his people. Despite what you said earlier, Angel from the X-Men had a superhero thing going on before joining the X-Men where he had a gas gun. I just wanted to include him because I always thought that was neat.

On a side note: I hate Barry Allen. What a jackass.

Okay, I don't think that you are understanding what I mean by an "ordinary" person is. I have explained that I am talking about everyday people like us - plumbers, accountants, teachers, taxi drivers, etc.

The Fantastic Four are geniuses and astronauts. Superman is an alien. Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne suffered great traumas.

I'm asking about John Q. Public - works on an assembly line in a car factory, married with three kids and is not a military veteran or a tragedy stricken orphan.

As I referenced in the first post, "besides Kick-Ass" - as in Kick-Ass is about this topic but I'm asking about other characters where the subject is not viewed in that humorous way.

 

[KevanG]

Could you clarify what you mean then because I really have no idea what you want.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Kev I think his meaning is essentially a super hero character that both HAS all the tropes but then also DOESN'T have all the tropes.

So, sure, civilian X gets super powers, gets a snazzy costume and starts using those powers to fight "crime" and make the world a "better place". But they started out just like that, with nothing in the back story thatever would have made them a part of the world of super heroes. So no secret spy parents, or genes altered at birth or a military career ect.

Frankly I think we have that character. His name is Spider-Man. And he's awesome.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Aaaahhhhh....

This dude​

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I think his merc background would disqualify him according to the OP. That'd be my guess.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

I'm out of ideas.

 

[Eggyman]

Captain America.

 

[KevanG]

Kev I think his meaning is essentially a super hero character that both HAS all the tropes but then also DOESN'T have all the tropes.

So, sure, civilian X gets super powers, gets a snazzy costume and starts using those powers to fight "crime" and make the world a "better place". But they started out just like that, with nothing in the back story thatever would have made them a part of the world of super heroes. So no secret spy parents, or genes altered at birth or a military career ect.

Frankly I think we have that character. His name is Spider-Man. And he's awesome.

Spider-mans parents were spies and died doing spy stuff when he was a kid and according to Sony Aunt May did some **** too.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Spider-mans parents were spies and died doing spy stuff when he was a kid and according to Sony Aunt May did some **** too.

Then I got nothin' for the OP. Frankly, I get the feeling that a character as envisioned by the OP would be a tad... Boring? Too harsh perhaps... I think such a character might come off less engaging than he supposes.

 

[KevanG]

I'm out of ideas then. I gave a bunch of characters but they don't seem to be what the OP wants.

 

[SuperFerret]

The Flash, at least until the retcons. Both Jay and Barry got powers and just decided to help people with them.

 

[KevanG]

And then Barry killed everybody twice. Worlds greatest hero, everybody. *slow claps*

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Did anyone suggest Deadpool?
I'll place the name of that fool.

 

[KevanG]

Deadpool was 'apparently' raised in an abusive home after his mother died and his father got to drinking. I say apparently because he has changed his mind about it a few dozen times. He was also a mercenary before heading to weapon X for cancer treatments.

I can list off tons who don't fit the description of what the TC wants but can't figure out what he does want.

 

[SuperFerret]

That's because he's asking a question that he wasn't expecting an actual answer for, and has changed his mind on what counts and what doesn't.

 

[Themanofbat]

 

[Themanofbat]

This stuff was sooooooooooooo awesome to read back in 1985... or was it 1986???

 

[Spider-Aziz]

That's a fine answer.

"Unfathomable new powers have dishman's fragile romance all washed up."
Poetic.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I took my cousin A.J. To see MAN OF STEEL, as he wasn't really familiar with Superman (he's of the Pokemom and Dragonball generation and had never really gotten into comic book bas d super heroes all that much.)

Later on we got to talking and he said, "When you get down to it, you get exposed to this stuff really early in life and whether it's good stuff or bad, it's the initial concept is hat grabs you and it's usually out there. Superman makes sense as a way of getting a kid interested. Superman? Yeah, that sounds rad. I want to know what Superman is all about. Nobody wants to see Regularman. Hey, did you see the new Regularman movie, where he slipped and fell on ice and is out of work with a broken leg?"

Sure, relatability is hugely important, but if I wanted "Mundane Adventures" I wouldn't be into super heroes in the first place. That's why Spidey has BOTH the super hero stuff and the Everyman elements too. That's why I feel the accumulated comic book knowledge assembled here hasn't been able to answer the OP.