# Superheroes with two origins **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-books-manga\ **Created:** [July 24, 2022, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491 "2022-07-24T22:03:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/1 "2022-07-24T22:03:17Z")
Most superheros have straightforward single origins: The Fantastic Four got powers from space radiation, Green Lantern got a Ring, Superman was born that way, etc. But there are a few superheroes with iconic powers that come from distinct sources: Spiderman can swing from webs because he has the proportional strength of a spider (due to a bite from a radioactive spider) and because he invented the web fluid and webshooters. Wolverine has adamantium claws because he was born with the ability to extrude bone claws (mutation) and because someone experimented on him, giving him an adamantium skeleton (technology) (he also had the mutational healing factor that let him survive that, but let’s not quibble). What other examples of dual-sourced superheroes are there? Any of them as well-known as Spidey or Logan? ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/2 "2022-07-24T22:25:18Z")
Adam Warlock is an artificial being created in a mad scientist laboratory. That origin gave him strength, speed, resilience, flight, and a few other powers. He also possesses the Soul Gem (one of the Infinity Stones) which gave him a whole other set of powers (which varied, depending on which writer was telling the story). ---
**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 24, 2022, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/3 "2022-07-24T22:32:34Z")
Swamp Thing’s origin had Alec Holland getting in an explosion that covered him with his bio-restorative formula. He fell into the swamp and was turned into a combination of man and swamp vegetation. Alan Moore rewrote it so he was always swamp vegetation that the formula tuned into a human-shaped creature that thought was Alec Holland. It evolved from there so it became an environmental protector. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/4 "2022-07-24T22:38:24Z")
There are also ret-cons and side cons that multiple or remove powers. During JMS’s run on Spiderman, he learned that a large part of his spider powers were totemic in nature. And during his Iron Spider run, he had spider powers as well as secondary Starktech technology powers, so additional multiplications. There are also characters that have powers as well as equipment that complement it. A well known example being Thor. He has superhuman physical characteristics which put him at a high level of power, but secondary powers come from equipment (not just Mjolnir, but also his belt of Strength and other equipment less frequently used). Same can be said for Captain America - power from Super soldier formula but is just as known for his shield, entirely separate but integral to the character. Wonder Woman and the Lasso of truth also comes to mind. So, like Spidey in the OP, there are quite a few characters that have some baseline abilities, plus supporting technological/magical/etc equipment. Or if you’re talking intrinsic, you have Magick from Xavier’s school with mutant abilities, plus substantial trained magical abilities. The list goes on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/5 "2022-07-24T22:43:54Z")
If spiderman “super power + gadget” counts you have to count Captain America and Winter Soldier, they have the super soldier serum plus a vibranium shield and arm respectively. I guess Dr Strange is magic + gadgets also. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/6 "2022-07-24T22:47:27Z")
Looker (DC) started out with telepathy and telekinesis (complicated origin involving Halley’s Comet) and years later became a vampire. ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/7 "2022-07-24T22:50:23Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > telekinesis Marvel Girl (telekinesis) of the X-Men became Phoenix. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/8 "2022-07-24T22:52:41Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > …Same can be said for Captain America - power from Super soldier formula but is just as known for his shield, entirely separate but integral to the character… More fundamentally, Cap A got his Super-Soldier Serum injection from “Dr Reinstein” in the 1940s, but when he was revived in the 1960s, “Vita-Rays” were added to the origin story. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/9 "2022-07-24T23:04:22Z")
Yes, which is why I had to mention retcons in my post, there is a lot of origin and power change stories that have altered as the characters evolved, or had powers that were introduced in one arc/one writer that never get addressed again, and so forth. Personally I think @Andy_L opened a can of worms by including Spidey in the example, because by granting equipment as a key power, it applies to a gargantuan number of marvel heroes, and quite a few DC at that. Almost any ‘genius’ character in Marvel qualifies - Mr Fantastic, Beast, Dr Doom just to name a few. Mr Fantastic and Doom are arguably triple threads with superhuman intellect, equipment and stretching powers / magic use respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/10 "2022-07-24T23:18:44Z")
I had been thinking of the Shield as being part of the same suite of equipment as the SuperSoldier serum, but I see he operated for a while without the Shield, so I guess he doesn’t count. Reed may be supersmart but he didn’t operate as a superhero until he got his powers so I’m counting him as a single orgin hero. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/11 "2022-07-24T23:20:58Z")
That fits. Rogue’s inherent power is power-stealing - but now she can fly (so I’d count her too) ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/12 "2022-07-24T23:23:32Z")
DC’s original Creeper got his powers from a serum- and had an implant that phased his costume and makeup in and out. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/13 "2022-07-24T23:25:59Z")
Nightman (im going by the Lorenzo Lamas show cuz I never read the comic) got his powers from a special lightning bolt. He then lucked into body armor, a holographic cloak of invisibilty, a laser weapon and an antigravity belt. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/14 "2022-07-24T23:41:26Z")
Most of the characters who became heralds of Galactus, had super powers before they were granted additional “powers cosmic”. Like Nova (Frankie Raye) who was doused in the same chemicals used to activate the original Human Torch and gained essentially the same powers. It was only after she became a herald of Galactus that she could travel through space at faster than light speed and channel cosmic energy that can destroy a world. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/15 "2022-07-24T23:41:50Z")
DC’s Stargirl (comic version, not the TV show that muddled the two origins together) was based on two different items acquired separately, combining two former super heroes into one. First the Cosmic Converter Belt acquired from her sidekick step-father to become the second Star-Spangled Kid. Then later she was given the latter-day Starman’s Cosmic Staff to become Stargirl. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/16 "2022-07-25T00:07:52Z")
Magik is a mutant who can make portals to and from the realm of Limbo. After going to Limbo as a child, she also became a semi-demonic sorceress. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/17 "2022-07-25T00:15:20Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Rogue’s inherent power is power-stealing - but now she can fly (so I’d count her too) Yup; she permanently gained flight, super-strength, and invulnerability (and maybe some other powers I’m not remembering offhand) from when she stole the powers of Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers, who later became Captain Marvel). ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/18 "2022-07-25T00:16:21Z")
Nightcrawler was born with his unusual looks and prehensile tail and then at puberty got his mutant ability to teleport. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/19 "2022-07-25T00:17:06Z")
Does training count? Black Panther has superhuman reflexes etc. due to the effects of the Heart-Shaped Herb and the ancestors ritual etc., but he’s also so highly trained that, even when his powers are neutralized, he can still go toe to toe with supers. Oh, and he also has vibranium armor and a bunch of other gadgets. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2022, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491/20 "2022-07-25T00:17:52Z")
Nightcrawler also has Olympic level agility and a learned ability to blend into and emerge from shadows. IIRC the shadow thing is now explained as a ‘secondary mutation’ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-with-two-origins/968491.md?page=2)