# Superhero Madness (with a Twist) - Seed Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 2, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046 "2008-07-02T14:31:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/1 "2008-07-02T14:31:00Z")
OK, new game. We’re gonna put together a superhero brawl. But we’re doing to do it a little different than what we’ve seen before, a little bit more involved, and it may entirely crash and burn on me, but we’ll see. We’re going to add elements of semi-consensual seeding and some random chance in the battles so there’s a possiblity of a Cinderalla upset. Here are the rules. Any type of superhero will do - comic, film, book, whatever. I’m personally zeroing in on what I know best, which would be DC, Marvel, and some Wildstorm heroes with my seeds. You may choose living, dead, depowered, or altered heroes, but do not choose the same hero twice (for example, no Jean Grey **and** Phoenix…unless you’re talking about a different Phoenix. Alternately, you could use Binary, even though she’s Ms. Marvel now…again. Furthermore, examples such as Golden Age Superman and Silver Age Superman count as one person, but Golden Age Flash and Silver Age Flash are different people). You will need to create a list of 40 heroes. Seed them with your top ranking at #1, and your lowest at #40. I will tally the votes for each hero and create a ranking of the top 64 seeds. A #1 vote will count for 40 points, a #2 vote will count for 39 points, all they way to 1 point for a #40 vote. I anticipate (hopefully) far more than 64 heroes to be named by the time the seeding is done. The top four seeds will become the top seed in each of four brackets, and the remaining 60 seeds will be distributed randomly (handy 4-sider!) to the other brackets, which may cause a couple top-heavy brackets…but hey, that’s how seeding works, right? Sometimes one bracket has a couple heavy hitters in it. Then the pairings kick in…and there will be an element of random chance in them, but we’ll get to that when we get to that. With all that in mind, here’s my list of 40 that I came up with. There’s no real rhyme or reason to the names I picked, I just wrote them down as they came to me until I had 40. Then I gave them a rough ranking. 1. Superman 2. Silver Surfer 3. Hulk 4. Captain Marvel (Billy Batson) 5. Thor 6. Hyperion 7. Apollo 8. Wonder Woman 9. Martian Manhunter 10. Doctor Fate 11. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) 12. Invisible Woman 13. Orion 14. Jean Grey 15. Professor X 16. She-Hulk 17. Iron Man 18. The Flash (Wally West) 19. Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) 20. The Thing 21. Namor 22. Scarlet Witch 23. Doctor Strange 24. Batman 25. Aquaman 26. Spider-Man 27. Captain America 28. Midnighter 29. Wolverine 30. Green Lantern (Alan Scott) 31. Mister Fantastic 32. Winter Soldier 33. Nightwing 34. Green Arrow 35. Cyclops 36. Starman 37. Robin 38. Human Torch 39. Booster Gold 40. Adam Strange Let’s go through Tuesday, July 8, to get your seeds in. Hope you enjoy the ride! ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/2 "2008-07-02T15:30:59Z")
1. Doctor Manhattan 2. The World Doctor (from Authority) 3. Captain Marvel (DC) 4. Wonder Woman 5. Hostage Negotiator Harry “The Word” Lovelace 6. The Great and Powerful Turtle 7. Peter Petrelli 8. Zatanna 9. Martian Manhunter 10. Stargirl 11. Plastic Man 12. Killowog 13. Midnighter 14. Major Disaster 15. Apollo 16. Hiro Nakamura 17. Bubbles 18. Batman 19. Jay Garrick (The Flash) 20. Captain Tripps 21. Raven 22. Aquaman 23. Detective John “King Peacock” Corbeau 24. Impulse 25. Doctor Midnight 26. Matter Eater Lad 27. Hericane 28. Wally West (The Flash) 29. Cyborg 30. Booster Gold 31. Hourman 32. Wildcat 33. Karate Kid 34. The Shadow 35. The Punisher 36. Iron Man 37. Carnifex 38. The Question 39. The Commedian 40. Thor (In interrest of full disclosure, my numbers past 19 were pretty arbitrary in their distribution) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/3 "2008-07-02T16:09:17Z")
[ol] [li] Superman[/li][li]Batman[/li][li]The Sprit[/li][li]Buffy the Vampire Slayer[/li][li]The Flash (Barry Allen)[/li][li]Green Lantern (Hal Jordon)[/li][li]Spider-Man[/li][li]Howard the Duck[/li][li]Swamp Thing[/li][li]The Spectre[/li][li]Jonn J’onzz[/li][li]Plastic Man[/li][li] Ambush Bug[/li][li]Robotman[/li][li]Captain America[/li][li]Rohrschach[/li][li]Captain Justice[/li][li]Swamp Thing[/li][li]Lobo the Duck (not a typo – from Amalgam Comics)[/li][li]The Atom (silver age)[/li][li] Red Torndo[/li][li]The Vision[/li][li]Deadman[/li][li]Green Arrow[/li][li]The Hulk[/li][li]The Middleman[/li][li]Thermoman (from **My Hero** )[/li][li]Captain Nice[/li][li]Ferro Lad[/li][li]Black Canary[/li][li]Matter Eater Lad[/li][li]The Tick[/li][li]Julius Furst[/li][li]Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt[/li][li]Wonder Woman[/li][li]Lightning Lad[/li][li]Starman[/li][li]Herbie[/li][li]Doctor Manhattan[/li][li]Mon-El[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/4 "2008-07-02T16:09:23Z")
Fun idea. More or less just in the order they came to me. I figure that would be the most accurate idea of their importance to me as a comic fan. 1. Batman 2. Superman 3. Spiderman 4. Green Lantern (Hal Jorden) 5. Iron Man 6. The Flash (Barry Alan) 7. Capt America 8. Wolverine 9. Hellboy 10. The Green Arrow (Olie Queen) 11. Thor 12. The Flash (Wally West) 13. The Spirit 14. The Shadow 15. Wonder Woman 16. The Sandman (Golden Age) 17. The Flash (Jay Garrick) 18. The Green Lantern (Allan Scott) 19. Nightcrawler 20. Capt. Marvel (Shazam) 21. Flash Gordon 22. The Punisher 23. The Beast (Hank McCoy) 24. Kitty Pride 25. Cyclops 26. Jean Grey 27. Iceman 28. Daredevil 29. The Human Torch (Johnny Storm) 30. The Thing 31. Cerebus (sort of a superhero?) 32. Mister Fantastic 33. Swamp Thing 34. Doc Savage 35. Green Lantern (John Stewart) 36. Starman 37. Plastic Man 38. The Phantom 39. Sub Marinor 40. The Hulk ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/5 "2008-07-02T16:52:24Z")
As others have said, the rankings are somewhat random. 1. Superman 2. Batman 3. Spiderman 4. Wonder Woman 5. Wolverine 6. Captain Marvel (the Shazam one) 7. Mr Fantastic 8. Spirit (Denny Colt) 9. Hulk 10. Daredevil 11. Iron Man 12. Green Arrow 13. Captain America 14. Thing 15. Martian Manhunter 16. Green Lantern (Hal Jordan is the one I grew up on) 17. Nexus 18. Dr Manhattan 19. Flash (Barry Allen) 20. Plastic Man 21. Black Panther 22. Phantom Stranger 23. Storm 24. Ambush Bug 25. Cyclops 26. Tick 27. Comedian 28. Zantanna 29. Monolith (Tommy Czuchra) 30. Midnighter 31. Concrete 32. Vision 33. Hawkeye 34. Fat Fury (Herbie Popnecker) 35. Christian Walker (Powers) 36. Marvelman/Miracleman 37. Confessor (Astro City) 38. Kemlo “Hyperdog” Caesar (Top 10) 39. Hiro Nakamura 40. The Great and Powerful Turtle (Wild Cards) ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/6 "2008-07-02T17:26:52Z")
[QUOTE=ArizonaTeach] You may choose living, dead, depowered, or altered heroes, but do not choose the same hero twice (for example, no Jean Grey **and** Phoenix…unless you’re talking about a different Phoenix. Alternately, you could use Binary, even though she’s Ms. Marvel now…again. Furthermore, examples such as Golden Age Superman and Silver Age Superman count as one person, but Golden Age Flash and Silver Age Flash are different people). [/QUOTE] I just have to point this out (in a loving and non-judgmental way): As a non-comic book guy, reading this paragraph makes no sense whatsoever. The examples given look apparently contradictory. I’m sure they are not and anyone with a clue would understand. I just thought it funny that golden age/silver age for superman is the same person, but golden age/silver age for flash is not and no reasoning is given (nor apparently needed) to explain why. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/7 "2008-07-02T17:34:26Z")
[QUOTE=sachertorte] I just have to point this out (in a loving and non-judgmental way): As a non-comic book guy, reading this paragraph makes no sense whatsoever. The examples given look apparently contradictory. I’m sure they are not and anyone with a clue would understand. I just thought it funny that golden age/silver age for superman is the same person, but golden age/silver age for flash is not and no reasoning is given (nor apparently needed) to explain why. [/QUOTE] Golden Age and Silver Age Superman are both Clark Kent, dude from Krypton working as a reporter (although with the current situation, they’re two seperate Clark Kents, but i’m not getting into that). Whereas Golden Age Flash is Jay Garrick, and the Silver Age Flash is Barry Allen, two quite seperate characters who take on the same role and name. But hey, most subjects can look nuts to an outside observer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/8 "2008-07-02T18:33:08Z")
[QUOTE=sachertorte] I just have to point this out (in a loving and non-judgmental way): As a non-comic book guy, reading this paragraph makes no sense whatsoever. The examples given look apparently contradictory. I’m sure they are not and anyone with a clue would understand. I just thought it funny that golden age/silver age for superman is the same person, but golden age/silver age for flash is not and no reasoning is given (nor apparently needed) to explain why. [/QUOTE] What’s funny is that I pared that paragraph down a LOT to make it simpler! I figured anyone who needed to understand what it said would…! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/9 "2008-07-02T18:50:34Z")
Here we go. More support for Jack Bauer! 1. Batman 2. Spider-Man 3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer 4. Hiro Nakamura 5. The Terminator 6. Jack Bauer 7. Captain America 8. Batman Beyond 9. Donatello 10. Leonardo 11. Raphael 12. Michaelangelo 13. Blade 14. Wolverine 15. Robin 16. Professor X 17. Casey Jones 18. Thor 19. Hulk 20. Silver Surfer 21. Iron Man 22. Peter Petrelli 23. Claire Bennett 24. The Tick 25. Batgirl 26. Superman 27. The Punisher 28. Rogue 29. Cyclops 30. Nightcrawler 31. Gambit 32. Daredevil 33. Colossus 34. Beast 35. Archangel 36. Storm 37. Wonder Woman 38. Birdman 39. Space Ghost 40. Human Torch ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/10 "2008-07-03T02:39:37Z")
Okay, this’ll be hard. I’ll try not to overload the list with Marvel Mutants. Batman Impulse Dream Jack Jack Paar Jesse Custer (Hey, he’s a superhero in _my_\* book) Deadpool Frozone Plastic Man Nightwing Dash Paar Secret (from DC’s Young Justice) Wolverine Jubilee Green Arrow Chamber Grifter Hawkeye Ukiah Oregon (see “Jesse Custer” comment) Jarod/the Pretender Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch) Gambit Archangel Robin (Tim Drake) Oracle Domino Rogue Spider-Man Daredevil Elektra The Tick American Maid Nightcrawler Thor Captain America John Constantine (Hellblazer) Max Mercury Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) Green Lantern (Alan Scott) Flash (Barry Allen) Black Canary Is that 40? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/11 "2008-07-03T04:27:43Z")
The Green Lanterns are really getting hit by vote splitting. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/12 "2008-07-03T05:10:41Z")
My list - not great, but in approximate order they came to me. Spiderman Batman Superman Flash (Wally West) Wonder Woman Green Lantern (John Stewart) Supergirl Wolverine Cyclops Colossus Iron Man Storm Rogue Jubilee Gambit Nick Fury Iceman Silver Surfer Batgirl Nightwing Hawkgirl Captain America Green Arrow Hawkeye Zatanna Power Girl Nightcrawler Shadowcat Beast Daredevil Flash (Barry Allen) Martian Manhunter The Question Fro Zone Mr Incredible Elastigirl Dash Parr Violet Parr Oracle Pyro ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/13 "2008-07-03T06:28:53Z")
1. The Saint of Killers 2. Silver Surfer 3. Hulk 4. Usagi Yojimbo 5. Batman 6. Dr. Manhattan 7. Superman 8. Spider-Man 9. The Tick 10. Ogami Itto 11. Yorick (from Y: The Last Man) 12. Wolverine 13. Batman Beyond (Terry McGinnis) 14. Groo 15. Thor 16. Black Panther 17. The Thing 18. Hercules 19. Blue Beetle 20. Booster Gold 21. Black Bolt 22. Beta Ray Bill 23. Sasquatch (from Alpha Flight) 24. John Carter (arguably the first superhero ever) 25. Major Victory 26. Savage Dragon 27. Lobo 28. Battle Pope 29. Mario Mario 30. Luigi Mario 31. Bibbo w/Superman tshirt 32. Conan the Cimmerian 33. Thanos (he’s done some heroic deeds while on his best behavior) 34. Hyperion 35. Hawkeye 36. Nick Fury 37. Daredevil 38. Ghost Rider 39. The Punisher 40. Space Ghost Whew . . . I’m a pretty big comic book fan and that was tough. Admitedly, it’s pretty random after the top 10. I restricted myself to only characters that I like, so some pretty obvious heavy-hitters failed to make the list. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/14 "2008-07-03T21:24:22Z")
I’m thinking 40 might’ve been a little ambitious for a general interest message board. Like I said above, even as a huge superhero fanboy it took me a little while to come up with 40. Then again, given the average doper’s love of proving other people wrong, the mere suggestion that 40 is too tough might be the shot in the arm this thread needs. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/15 "2008-07-03T21:27:51Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] I’m thinking 40 might’ve been a little ambitious for a general interest message board. Like I said above, even as a huge superhero fanboy it took me a little while to come up with 40. Then again, given the average doper’s love of proving other people wrong, the mere suggestion that 40 is too tough might be the shot in the arm this thread needs. [/QUOTE] See, and because I decided to go “steam of conciousness” with my choices, I don’t have some people on my list that I would probably have wanted now that I have looked at other people’s lists. 40 isn’t THAT bad. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/16 "2008-07-03T21:37:57Z")
1. Revenant (from PS238) 2. Batman 3. The Question 4. The Flash (Wally West) 5. Mantium/Herschel Clay (from PS238) 6. Nightcrawler 7. Spider-Man 8. Gambit 9. Shadowcat 10. Moon Shadow (from PS238) 11. The Tick 12. Spell Syrin (from PS238) 13. Doctor Fate 14. Etrigan/Jason Blood 15. Storm 16. Matter-Eater Lad 17. Raven 18. Martian Manhunter 19. Green Arrow 20. Steel 21. Beast Boy 22. Green Lantern (John Stewart) 23. Plastic Man 24. Rogue 25. Zatanna 26. Starfire 27. Nightwing 28. Max Mercury 29. Beast 30. Black Canary 31. Multiple Man 32. The Atom (Ray Palmer) 33. Iceman 34. Mister Miracle 35. Deadman 36. Squirrel Girl 37. Scarlet Witch 38. Swamp Thing 39. Mr. Immortal 40. Superman It did take some effort to come up with 40 that I was willing to list, and which didn’t seem too redundant. Even so, I got a little silly toward the end. I don’t expect the [PS238](http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/ps238/) contingent to fare well against the more established characters, but it’s currently my favorite comic book, and I felt some of them deserved a mention. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/17 "2008-07-03T23:10:21Z")
Out of wonder, does only western literature and animation count, or can I pick characters from Manga and Anime? (We could settle this Goku vs Superman debate once and for all, although I know for sure Goku would be creamed judging by my knowledge of the Dope’s taste). ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/18 "2008-07-03T23:50:51Z")
[QUOTE=Jragon] Out of wonder, does only western literature and animation count, or can I pick characters from Manga and Anime? (We could settle this Goku vs Superman debate once and for all, although I know for sure Goku would be creamed judging by my knowledge of the Dope’s taste). [/QUOTE] Also, are we doing this normal madness style (i.e. popularity contest) or is it actually a BRAWL and we want to explain why we think our choice would beat the first choice? (I think the latter wou;d be more fun, but I can understand if we want to keep it simple and do the former) ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/19 "2008-07-03T23:55:24Z")
I’m not a fan-girl of the comic genre, but lemme see if I can come up with 40. 1 Superman 2 Batman 3 Wonder Woman 4 Bionic Woman 5 Six-Million Dollar Man 6 Incredible Hulk 7 Flash 8 Green Lantern 9 The Crimson Chin 10 Darkwing Duck 11 Batgirl 12 Wolverine 13 Storm 14 Mario and Luigi 15 Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy 16 Speed Racer 17 Captain America 18 Spiderman 19 Hellboy 20 Stretch Armstrong 21 Tick 22 Danny Phantom 23 Catman 24 Mr Incredible 25 Invisible Woman 26 Mr Fantastic 27 Human Torch 28 Thing 29 Aquaman 30 Wonder Twins 31 Hawkman 32 Plastic Man 33 Atom Ant 34 Underdog 35 Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law 36 Mighty Mouse 37 Hong Kong Phooey 38 PowerPuff Girls 39 The Punisher 40 Ironman Heh, some unorthodox picks from the non comic fan. 😃 I can’t believe I got to 40! ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046/20 "2008-07-04T00:12:18Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] I’m thinking 40 might’ve been a little ambitious for a general interest message board. Like I said above, even as a huge superhero fanboy it took me a little while to come up with 40. Then again, given the average doper’s love of proving other people wrong, the mere suggestion that 40 is too tough might be the shot in the arm this thread needs. [/QUOTE] Ya know, I gave that a lot of thought…I figured if we went with 10 or 20, there’d be too much overlap and possibly not get 64 names! Dear God, was I wrong (which is fine!) I figured most people would do what they are doing, thinking a bit about their top names and then going willy-nilly later on in the list (for heaven’s sake, I put Winter Soldier on mine.) In any case, I knew that people might not want to particpate in the seed thread but would in the voting - which is kind of how it works in real life, anyway! I’m in awe of the names that are coming up, and totally kicking myself. Dr. Manhattan! I should have had that one! > [@JRagon](#): > > Out of wonder, does only western literature and animation count, or can I pick characters from Manga and Anime? (We could settle this Goku vs Superman debate once and for all, although I know for sure Goku would be creamed judging by my knowledge of the Dope’s taste). > > Also, are we doing this normal madness style (i.e. popularity contest) or is it actually a BRAWL and we want to explain why we think our choice would beat the first choice? (I think the latter wou;d be more fun, but I can understand if we want to keep it simple and do the former) Please, any genre at all. I saw Mario and Luigi on a list already! As for your second question, believe it or not (Hey! Greatest American Hero! Should have put that one on my list, too!) we’re gonna do a little of both. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but I’ve got a system in mind that will allow weighted votes for battle description. It’s a part of the randomness I’ve put together. Although, I want to stress, if people just want to vote the normal way, they can and should. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superhero-madness-with-a-twist-seed-thread/455046.md?page=2)