Mental control of others, or whatever you want to say that Professor X has. It’d sure let you accomplish everything on the list…
Gotta go with shapeshifting, because then you get most of the other ones if you’re creative.
Flying - turn into a bird
Invisibilty - turn into a fly on the wall, or get real thin and stand sideways, or turn into a cup or table
Wall through walls - get real thin and slip under the door
The penguin thing - self explanitory
etc…
The obscure superhero Dishman has the power to telekinetically clean dishes. I think I want this power, too.
Chance the Gardener wrote:
Dishman was one of my favorites, too; a former roommate used to collect comics, and he had one issue (the first one, IIRC). Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to find it anywhere other than his collection, which, sad to say, no longer exists.
With respect to the critieria in the OP, however, Dishman comes up a bit short:
- Not too good for picking up chicks, but probably a real bloke magnet.
- Minimal – dishwashers are paid next to nothing.
- Quite useful, especially if you’re able to extend your powers to other similar tasks such as laundry, dusting, etc.
I don’t know if there’s a superhero who can do this, but a common “power” in stories (either read or watched) is to ability to stop time and move amongst the “frozen” people, resuming at your leisure.
I’d pick that.
How about the versatility of magic? Say, Zatanna-style, where you just have to come up with a way to say it backwards. Make flash cards with things like “foorptellub em ekam” and “elbisivni em ekam” on them and practice. Soon you’ll be able to take on a whole slew of powers.
You could also do “tnemtrapa ym naelc ot cigam fo srewop eht nopu llac I”, a spell I need badly.
Shitting money.
Superman gets horny one day but decides he cant do it with Lois Lane because, with his superhuman powers, he’d kill her.
So he’s flying around looking for some action when he sees Wonder Woman lying on the ground naked. “She’ll do” he thinks so he zooms down and BANG - in, out and away in a flash.
Wonder Woman says “Wow, what was THAT?” to which the Invisible Man replies “I dunno but I’ve got a sore arse”.
(…takes a bow and leaves stage hurriedly…)
I reject your limitation to superHEROES. I choose a supervillain, The Super Skrull, with the power to emulate all of the powers of the Fantastic Four. The Super Skrull also has his natural shape-shifting ability, so since for his species that’s not a “super” power I get that thrown in for free.
Ability to pick up blokes: Changing shape lets you be all things to all people so theoretically I could score with anyone.
Financial gain: rip or melt open a bank vault and take all the money out on an invisible force field. Invisibly enter any building and access anything therein. And if captured, just slither out the window a la Mister Fantastic.
Everyday tasks: I could compellingly threaten my maid, if that’s what you mean.
There was a member of the X-men, called Longshot. He just had unbelievable luck. Including with women.
I’ll have one of those, thanks.
I want Preacher’s Voice of God.
I could tell anybody what to do, and they HAVE TO DO IT!
No effort…others do all the work.
Imagine:
Never needing money for anything…everything’s yours for
the asking,
Airplane trips when-ever and where-ever you want,
BLOW-JOBS ON DEMAND,
No-one gets in your way…just Voice your way out of any crisis (Warden, unlock this cell NOW),
And, if someone pisses you off, just tell 'em to DROP DEAD!