# Best (or worst) superhero origin stories

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-or-worst-superhero-origin-stories/491458>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 31, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-or-worst-superhero-origin-stories/491458 "2009-03-31T16:54:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-or-worst-superhero-origin-stories/491458/81 "2009-04-04T12:18:08Z")

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> [@First\_Amongst\_Daves](#):
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> From day one, from memory. I assume it was to make the character sound lofty. Roy Thomas in an early issue of All-Star Squadron in the 1980s, having just left the script-writing chores on Thor, has a villain acquire an other-worldly “hammer of Thor”. Said villain is speaking in Shapespearian English, and one of the characters, Tarantula, queries why. I guess Thomas’ point was that Thor should be speaking in Old Norse/Icelandic or something.

I’ve read the first issue of Journey into Mystery in which Thor appears, and he doesn’t spout the pseudo-renaissance talk from the get-go. But it doesn’t talk long. And of course it’s easy to fanwank; he doesn’t initially remember his Asgardian life and mannerisms because Big Daddy Odin’s spell took a while to wear off.

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**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-or-worst-superhero-origin-stories/491458/82 "2009-04-04T15:10:15Z")

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> [@First\_Amongst\_Daves](#):
>
> Didn’t Juggernaut get his powers from a magic spell? What are the odds that the most powerful telepath in the world’s evil brother get zapped by a magic spell which makes him invulernable and super-strong?

I believe he was exploring an ancient tomb which - no matter who your brother is - would have to raise the odds of you encountering a demon-haunted gem.

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**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-or-worst-superhero-origin-stories/491458/83 "2009-04-04T15:50:47Z")

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I imagine Cyttorak’s the sort of entity who would see “likely to pick fights with the most powerful psychic on the planet” as a point in Cain’s favour, too.

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