# Help me think of "support characters" in comics. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992 "2015-07-01T21:15:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/21 "2015-07-02T09:13:02Z")
Johnny Thunder’s Thunderbolt Maxwell Lord, before he went supervillain-ey (Low grade telepathy) The Avengers at one point had three former super-villains in staff positions: John (Man-Wolf) Jameson and some weird version of Libra were quinjet pilots, and Fabian (Mechano-Marauder) Stankowitz was an in-house mechanic. All three were quickly forgotten by whoever the next writer was. Of the three, only Jameson had legitimate super-powers. Oracle’s computer skills (for Batman, Suicide Squad and JLA) bordered on super. She Hulk’s most recent office manager, whose name escapes me, either had paranormal abilities or a pet monkey with paranormal abilities. Jen also had Hellcat on staff as a PI, but her “super” cred is questionable. Jocasta was more support staff than actual member of Mighty Avengers (Hank Pym version). So was Amadeus Cho, a super-genius. Oh! How about Agatha Harkness when she was first introduced as Franklin Richards’ nanny? And years later, the FF had some weird extra-dimensional version of Betsy Braddock in the same role (This was when Chris Claremont was writing the book). Squirrel Girl worked as Luke Cage’s au pair back when he owned Avengers Mansion. The Badger’s patron, Ham, is a wizard. I think he considers Badger to be his support sidekick, though. Kid Eternity had Mr. Keeper and Captain Marvel had the Three Lieutenant Marvels. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/22 "2015-07-02T11:23:22Z")
Psychic/ESP abilities are a good tack. Telepathy for team communication: The X-Men use this a lot, and the “Big Guns” JLA also used the concept. Remote viewing to monitor the mission: I’ve probably seen this done a couple of times with characters who can project virtual screens and watch the rest of the team. And if you want a more sinister take, how about support staff who emotionally “govern” the team? Like suppressing their fear instinct so they can fight monsters, or making them more loyal. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/23 "2015-07-02T11:53:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > In _New Mutants_, Doug “Cypher” Ramsey’s mutant power was the ability to understand any form of communication. Yeah, but it being an X-Men title, they still made the poor sap wear a spandex bodysuit and go into combat, where he would spend a lot of time hiding behind trees or piles of rubble hoping not to get hit by a stray energy bolt. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/24 "2015-07-02T13:03:00Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > How about the power to _grant powers?_ Alone in an alley with a mugger, you’re a regular guy; with an ally in range, you can make _him_ bulletproof and superstrong… So, anybody, provided Rogue’s there… Did Sue Richards have much in the way off offensive powers other than encasing people in force fields? She mostly just seemed to TK people up to where the bad guys were or make force field ramps for people to run up. She also spent a lot of time invisible and forgetting that she was invisible. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/25 "2015-07-02T13:33:18Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Did Sue Richards have much in the way off offensive powers other than encasing people in force fields? She mostly just seemed to TK people up to where the bad guys were or make force field ramps for people to run up. She also spent a lot of time invisible and forgetting that she was invisible. Depends on who’s writing her. In the early days, she was often the designated hostage. :rolleyes: Later on, starting when John Byrne was writing the book and continued by others since then, she’s gotten much more creative at using her force fields offensively. These days, she’s an old hand at creating invisible battering rams, invisible bullet-sized projectiles, creating a force field ring around your neck to strangle you, putting a tiny force field bubble inside something and expanding it, causing the object to explode (with the implication that she could do that inside your brain if she really wanted to), etc. No less a villain that Doctor Doom has called her the most powerful member of the Fantastic Four. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/26 "2015-07-02T14:36:41Z")
Okay, then. Not her. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/27 "2015-07-02T15:06:18Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [And then there’s this poor bastard.](http://www.superstupor.com/sust11262007.shtml) I’m really sad he hasn’t done any of the Super Stupor comics lately. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/28 "2015-07-02T16:00:10Z")
Charlie Lau didn’t actually have any superpowers, but hear me out: his buddy was a Hong Kong stuntman who gained the ability to serve as a living power source, which is kind of useless by itself, but great if he has gear that needs a power source. So Charlie – look, he’s a smart guy, but he’s not comic-book smart enough to invent futuristic stuff for himself. But ask him to build a jetpack that can’t lift both a guy and enough fuel to stay in the air? Sure, no problem. How about a superhero costume tailored with electroshock devices for hand-to-hand incapacitation? Easy, as long as it’d be too heavy and clunky to lug around – let alone _wear,_ as a nimble combatant – unless it’s lightweight and streamlined and, like, plugged into a wall socket, but that’s silly. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/29 "2015-07-02T16:29:57Z")
Forge can build anything he can think of. Kid Eternity can summon others to fight for him, as do Johnny/Joni/Jakeem Thunder. Gypsy is invisible to human eyes. Mr. Terrific is invisible to robot eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/30 "2015-07-02T18:32:19Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > That seems pretty front-liner. Didn’t he get kicked out of the LSH for killing a guy after what would’ve been a direct incapacitation-by-heaviness attack, and the case for the prosecution was that he totally could’ve followed up with a nonlethal attack instead? Kinda/sorta. Star Boy was in a life-or-death situation against a foe who had a shield that reflected his own power back at him, so he was pinned to the ground. In self-defense, he picked up a fallen handgun and killed his attacker. Later, during a hearing to determine whether his act was justified, it was pointed out that the attacker had been standing under a tree, and Star Boy could have used his power to make a tree limb heavy enough to fall off and knock his opponent unconscious. Useful, but not exactly a major-league power, IMHO. BTW, a new book recently came out called _[The League of Regrettable Superheroes](http://www.amazon.com/The-League-Regrettable-Superheroes-Half-Baked/dp/1594747636)_, a catalog of 100 not-exactly-A-list comic book heroes. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/31 "2015-07-02T19:16:34Z")
Then there’s the Legion of Substitute Heroes, whose powers weren’t quite good enough to get them into the regular Legion: Polar Boy (creates super-cold, but originally couldn’t focus it, and just radiated it in all directions), Fire Lad (exhales flames, but can’t turn it off), Stone Boy (can turn into solid stone, but can’t move while in that form), Plant Lad (can make plants grow faster than normal), Night Girl (has super-strength, but only in total darkness), and Color Kid (can change the color of anything). ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/32 "2015-07-02T21:11:36Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > In X-Men, there was also Gateway, an almost-silent Australian native who could open up teleportation gates by swinging his bullroarer. He was a grand plot contrivance. “We need to get to Moscow, immediately!” Okay: “Whirrr…” They’re in Moscow. I consider [Dazzler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dazzler) and [Jubilee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilee_(comics)) supporting characters. I know that Dazzler had her own comic series, and Jubilee was Wolverine’s sidekick for a while, but I really don’t think that their powers are intriguing enough to keep them as a focal point for long. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/33 "2015-07-02T21:34:35Z")
Being able to talk to fish. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/34 "2015-07-02T22:01:45Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Being able to talk to fish. HEY! He can also talk to sea mammals. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/35 "2015-07-03T16:46:43Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I consider [Dazzler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dazzler) and [Jubilee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilee_(comics)) supporting characters. I know that Dazzler had her own comic series, and Jubilee was Wolverine’s sidekick for a while, but I really don’t think that their powers are intriguing enough to keep them as a focal point for long. That’s the thing that’s started bugging me about Jubilee, once I happened to put in any thought about the character…she basically, for all the technobabble, “creates fireworks,” right? I mean, I can understand the television versions of the character being “Nerfed”—Western TV, anyway. Even Wolverine gets reduced to “cleaver of doors and occasional robots.” Thank you, Parents Television Council—but in other media? Has _no one_ else ever seen footage of a horrible fireworks accident? That should be _dangerous as hell._ 'You let that power loose _outside_ at the wrong place and time, you could [_really_ ruin some people’s days.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo_Fire) Dangerous, _and_ thematically styled after a field of pyrotechnics _designed_ to produce _visually and acoustically notable and pleasing explosions_. It’s just…I don’t understand how that’s a character ability that could, seemingly, get mostly underused for so long. It’s like not being able to make a decent martial arts movie when _all_ you have is Jackie Chan and a prop warehouse. The pieces should all be _there_. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/36 "2015-07-03T19:32:27Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > Yeah, but it being an X-Men title, they still made the poor sap wear a spandex bodysuit and go into combat, where he would spend a lot of time hiding behind trees or piles of rubble hoping not to get hit by a stray energy bolt. Up until the point where he started wearing one of his team-mates as a suit. To quote Rachel Eddington, “Queer subtext: not just for the ladies!” ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/37 "2015-07-03T19:36:27Z")
Not comics, but in the Wild Cards series of books, isn’t that what “Deuces” are? Aces have superpowers, Jokers have evil powers, Deuces have trivial and often useless powers? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/38 "2015-07-04T03:54:49Z")
Yep: that’s what the Deuces were in Wild Cards. And…it makes sense, even in the DC or Marvel universes. I remember one Marvel character who had the power to make flowers change colors. That was it. But she was a Mutant, and her community hated and feared her. Currently, there’s a new X-Men character who produces gold balls. He waves his hands, and bunches and bunches of gold (colored) balls appear. They serve as a fairly minor obstacle/annoyance/obstruction, with some trivial kinetic energy impact. Still, it’s colorful. (And what should his code-name be, anyway?) I’m reminded of the Oglaf character who (a straight guy, as it happened) was the world’s best fellator. Interesting super-power, in a limited sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/39 "2015-07-04T12:54:24Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Currently, there’s a new X-Men character who produces gold balls. He waves his hands, and bunches and bunches of gold (colored) balls appear. They serve as a fairly minor obstacle/annoyance/obstruction, with some trivial kinetic energy impact. Still, it’s colorful. (And what should his code-name be, anyway?) “Sphere?” And his name’s “Fabio,” which shows his parents hate him. That would be the interesting part-finding ways to use something that seems useless, like Color Kid’s power, or the ability to create bubbles. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992/40 "2015-07-04T13:02:58Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > “Sphere?” Baller? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-think-of-support-characters-in-comics/723992.md?page=3)