# Ruin a Superpower **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034 "2021-03-16T16:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/82 "2021-03-17T23:36:39Z")
Larry Niven observed that the force of ejaculation is involuntary in all mammalian species, and concluded “One can imagine that the Kent home in Smallville was riddled with holes during Superboy’s puberty.” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/83 "2021-03-17T23:37:06Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Maybe you can find something to fix in that wiki too. 😉 I canna move St Louis, Captain! I’m not a miracle worker! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/84 "2021-03-17T23:39:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Little discussed in comics is the involuntary use of super powers while dreaming. I recall a Fantastic Four comic where it was mentioned (and shown) that Johnny Storm/Human Torch slept in a completely fireproof room, with fire suppression systems in/around it as well. Just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/85 "2021-03-17T23:40:51Z")
Which puts a damper( 😁) on his love life. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/86 "2021-03-17T23:49:11Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Flapping bird-style looks like hard work. In that '60s show **Mr. Terrific** , he had to flap his cape to fly; I got tired just watching him. His landings were none too elegant, either. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2021, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/87 "2021-03-17T23:50:58Z")
In The Greatest American Hero Ralph Hinckley’s “landings” were better described as crashes. It seemed the only way he knew how to stop was to collide with the scenery. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/88 "2021-03-18T00:44:28Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Magic person comes to me and says, “I grant you the power of flight! Pretty cool, huh?” > > Uh, sure. How does it work? Like Superman, just stick my arms out and take off, or do I need to flap my arms or something?.. That sounds dangerous. Get distracted, and fall to my death. How high can I fly? How fast can I go?.. I JUST read a comic like this today (over a decade old, from the budget bin). Ordinary schlub starts to float off his chair… no explanation of how it works… and no understanding of it, either. Lots of second thoughts, inept experimenting and crashing. _([Bizarre New World](https://archive.nerdist.com/interview-skipper-martin-talks-bizarre-new-world-brings-flight-to-humanity/)_, oh, it’s [on Comixology](https://www.comixology.com/Bizarre-New-World-The-Human-Race-Can-Fly/digital-comic/299571?r=1) now too!) [![](https://bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BNW1.jpg) ](https://bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/BNW1.jpg) It does get ruined within a few pages. He flies high, then realizes it’s too cold up there. He’s afraid of hitting the ground, so he practices at night over a lake, but then gets almost hit by lightning… and ends up hitting the water from a great height. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/89 "2021-03-20T19:49:13Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > There’s a female character in the _Top Ten_ comic who has (changeable) dermal coloring. Everyone thinks she’s wearing a costume. But she’s not. Is it the flying one? She either has clothes on or she’s not human as she is missing certain female body parts. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > Holy Nocturnal Emissions, Bat-Man! That should be “Holy nocturnal emissions, Batman!”, he ejaculated. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/90 "2021-03-20T21:47:44Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > > [@Gyrate](#): > > > > There’s a female character in the _Top Ten_ comic who has (changeable) dermal coloring. Everyone thinks she’s wearing a costume. But she’s not. > > Is it the flying one? She either has clothes on or she’s not human as she is missing certain female body parts. IIRC even with her clothes off Barbie is missing “certain female body parts”. There’s room for a bit of artistic license here. I had to do some digging to find out who @Gyrate was talking about. It seems to be the character at this **[wiki-link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Top_10_characters#Officer_Sung_%22Girl_One%22_Li)**; you’ll have to click through since it won’t generate the correct Discourse preview. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/91 "2021-03-20T21:59:49Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > There’s room for a bit of artistic license here. To heck with artistic license, I want to see some female body parts in my comic books! > [@LSLGuy](#): > > It seems to be the character at this **[wiki-link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Top_10_characters#Officer_Sung_%22Girl_One%22_Li)** Yeah, that’s not the flying one I found earlier. I have to say if the art is like in the wiki link, I don’t care how many nude women were in it, I wouldn’t take it for free. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/92 "2021-03-20T22:03:56Z")
Nudie comic books are available. But those aren’t the ones like “Top Ten” sold to kids. You’re shopping in the wrong store. In other news, I’m told the internet is equipped with unlimited free porn. Couldn’t vouch for it myself, but a little Googling might pay you some dividends. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/93 "2021-03-20T22:20:56Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > I want to see some female body parts in my comic books! Reminds me of the last week of Bloom County. Burke drew some “Where are they now that Bloom County’s cancelled?” strips… Steve Dallas was drawing super-babes for a DC-type publisher: “Whoa, Steve, all these women look like Dolly Parton in zero-gee.” “Well, none of us dated much in high school…” ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/94 "2021-03-20T23:05:03Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Nudie comic books are available. But those aren’t the ones like “Top Ten” sold to kids. You’re shopping in the wrong store I know, just kidding. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > In other news, I’m told the internet is equipped with unlimited free porn. Couldn’t vouch for it myself, but a little Googling might pay you some dividends. I would do this but I think I broke my Google searching for the free government vaginas that **Riemann** mentioned in the vaccination thread. > [@digs](#): > > “Whoa, Steve, all these women look like Dolly Parton in zero-gee.” Sounds (looks) like every comic book woman ever drawn. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2021, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/95 "2021-03-21T00:51:47Z")
Yeah. The comic book women are pretty amazingly unrealistic. A few years ago I read an article in a real paper magazine by a woman who worked as a superhero model at comic book conventions (“cons”). She was already leggy & a bit top heavy, but had a bunch of different wildly enhanced superherione costumes to wear with ridiculous boots, headdresses, etc., to match. It was interesting because she was a bright insightful & funny woman play-acting the role, while totally conscious of the over-the-top sexy that “isn’t supposed” to be sexy. And she dealt matter-of-factly with the impracticality of Fighting Evil in 8" platform boots, lots of bare skin, and a bikini top straining to contain very flexible mongo-breasts. Even if she did have a magic sword or lasso or whatever, it couldn’t make up for the impractical combat costume. I can’t remember enough details to give Google even half a chance of finding the article. Else I’d link to it. But she wasn’t a sleaze and it wasn’t published in a sleazy publication. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2021, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/96 "2021-03-21T16:04:43Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > In other news, I’m told the internet is equipped with unlimited free porn. Free Porn? On The Internet?? _Inconceivable!_ ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2021, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/97 "2021-03-21T16:27:08Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I had to do some digging to find out who @Gyrate was talking about. It seems to be the character at this **[wiki-link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Top_10_characters#Officer_Sung_%22Girl_One%22_Li)** ; you’ll have to click through since it won’t generate the correct Discourse preview. Yes, I was referring to Girl One (a.k.a. Sung Li). If you searching for her picture in hopes of gratuitous titillation [sic], you’re likely to be disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034/98 "2021-03-27T04:01:27Z")
I always wondered how the six million dollar man could lift a car or whatever without rupturing every disc in his spine. Assuming his arm didn’t just come completely off his body. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ruin-a-superpower/938034.md?page=4)