It strikes me that most super-powered* superheroes are either superbeings from someplace else (Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, etc) or got their powers by accident (Spiderman, the Fantastic Four, Flash, etc). The main exceptions I can think of are the magic-based superheroes like Dr Strange or Zatanna. Other than them, the only superheroes I can think of who deliberately set out to acquire super-powers are Captain America and Iron Man. Are there others I’ve missed?
*For the sake of this thread, I’m not counting heroes with exceptional human abilities like Batman, Green Arrow, or Hawkeye.
The heroes of the Strikeforce: Morituri comics were all volunteers. Rather dedicated ones, since the power giving process was 100% fatal in about a year.
I’m not that huge of a comics fan, but off the top of my head, I’d say that the Juggernaut qualifies. He and Charles found the temple together, but Cain was the one who went right for the magical gem. The finding of it was chance, but the taking of it was choice.
Luthor’s Infinity Inc (who ended up getting powers accidentally when their Luthor-created powers were taken away).
In the Iron Man vein, there’s also Steel, Booster Gold (already mentioned), Spitfire (of the New Universe), and…well, almost anyone else who uses a power suit or other enhanced gear, which isn’t exactly a short list. I’d disallow them as essentially the same as the Batman/Green Arrow/Hawkeye types, except that their gear is more advanced.
Many heroes have lost their powers and deliberately worked to get them back. (Sun Boy of the Legion of Superheroes, several present and past Green Lanterns (Guy Gardner, Jenny-Lynn Hayden (Jade)), etc.)
Comet Queen deliberately attempted to recreate the accident that gave Star Boy his altered (Superman-like) powers.
Ultimate Hulk - his powers come from a variant on the Super-Soldier Serum which Banner was attempting to recreate.
I’m pretty sure anyone whose powers are based on Pym Particles did it deliberately. (Well…maybe not Stature…I really don’t know about her.)
Wait, was Dr. Strange out to acquire magic? I thought he just wanted to regain control of his nerve damaged hands.
There are lots of adventurers who trained themselves to super hero athleticism. I’m thinking Black Widow, and Red Guardian (the female). Henry Pym, aka Giant Man, Ant-Man, Yellow Jacket, etc, also deliberately experimented on himself, didn’t he?
Sort of. According to the Wiki article, he became a regular good guy, and what I was thinking of was one of the older X-Men releases where he partners, reluctantly, with the X-Men to beat a mutual enemy. Can’t remember who it was since this is a memory from about 25 years ago.
Just in case anyone is unaware, WoodenTaco is repeating an internet joke involving Juggernaut.
My apologies if this appears to be me playing a junior mod or acting as if we’re all a bunch of prigs without a sense of humor. I get the joke but that doesn’t mean other people will.
Marc
The Invisible Man and Dr Jekyll in their “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” guises did similar, even if they had to be press ganged into joining the good guys.