Grrl Power Thread #2: The Most Common Super Power

[Calemyr]

New update. Heh. Personally, I dont think its really the same, but then, im a guy, so maybe women find battle damaged shirtless guys with obviously busted ribs and black eyes sexy? Also, noone who knows harem should be surprised by this. Especially considering what she did yesterday to virtually the entire male lineup of supers.

Possibly there's a "wounded bird I can nurse" aspect to it, but I think it's more along the lines of "huge muscular handsome beefcake caught in an opportune moment". Sydney showed (back when Harem doused the entire male cast with soda) that she certainly liked what she saw (and was a little surprised to find that Peggy did, too), so I'm not surprised she took a sneak shot when the opportunity arose.

As for why she used it, it's pretty clear. Even if Maxima isn't interested in Hiro (which odds are she isn't, she's got some issues* against men and Hiro's "lad" reputation isn't going to improve his odds), she basically was telling Brad "This is the kind of guy she works with on a daily basis. You simply don't measure up." because Brad wasn't getting the hint. Maxima's just too subtle for her own good, some times.

* Maxima's been treated like an exotic beauty and an object far, far too often since becoming the golden goddess. As a result, she seems to see any appreciation of her beauty as objectification and takes offense to it. (And let's be honest, she's probably right to be offended a stunning majority of the time.)

[Traab]

Heh, I liked the comment someone made on the cmoic page that now the crazy comic guy is going to run off, get buff and find a way to get superpowered just because now he has a goal. Then I mentioned it was going to turn out like Tighten from Megamind. A spurned affection turns violent. Next time, on GRRRL POWER!

[Kantaki]

New comic.

Superpowers are heriditary? I wonder how that works. I mean, wasn't it established that powers aren't genetic? Or was that just about the super-look?

More importantly, does this mean some of Maxima's relatives might have powers?

Sydney's horrible pun... Well, I hope there will be consequences.

[Traab]

New comic.

Superpowers are heriditary? I wonder how that works. I mean, wasn't it established that powers aren't genetic? Or was that just about the super-look?

More importantly, does this mean some of Maxima's relatives might have powers?

Sydney's horrible pun... Well, I hope there will be consequences.

I think its like, you hit the genetic lottery and get powers, then its more likely that your kids will have powers because now that genetic lotto ticket is already filled out. Also, if you have a kid with powers, there are good odds your other kids will too. Or at least, better odds than random kids will be born with powers. It makes sense from a comic book standpoint. Dont mutants in marvel tend to have mutant babies more often than not? We have been seeing that despite their best effort to convince sydney that real superheroes arent like comics, a LOT of the stuff lines up anyways.

[Brance_a_Lot]

I still don't like the Boston-Aztec. I know it's just a story but I know too much about their history to be happy about it haha.

[halfeye]

I think its like, you hit the genetic lottery and get powers, then its more likely that your kids will have powers because now that genetic lotto ticket is already filled out. Also, if you have a kid with powers, there are good odds your other kids will too. Or at least, better odds than random kids will be born with powers. It makes sense from a comic book standpoint. Dont mutants in marvel tend to have mutant babies more often than not? We have been seeing that despite their best effort to convince sydney that real superheroes arent like comics, a LOT of the stuff lines up anyways.

I see what you're saying, but if powers started turning up recently, then there has to be something else in play, even if genetic factors play a role (except in Sidneys case?).

[Traab]

I see what you're saying, but if powers started turning up recently, then there has to be something else in play, even if genetic factors play a role (except in Sidneys case?).

Powers have always been around. That was covered at the press conference. There were groups of supers back in the days of lincoln for example, and random supers in government service up till modern times. And once again, to borrow from marvel, it makes sense that as a genetic trait handy for survival, that the basic blocks of it would be passed down and eventually the number of supers out there would increase.

[halfeye]

Powers have always been around. That was covered at the press conference. There were groups of supers back in the days of lincoln for example, and random supers in government service up till modern times. And once again, to borrow from marvel, it makes sense that as a genetic trait handy for survival, that the basic blocks of it would be passed down and eventually the number of supers out there would increase.

Yeah, but if superpowers were an option, dinosaurs or something earlier would have had them, and we wouldn't be here.

[Ibrinar]

I would say fictional mutant powers in quite a few stories are a drawback to survival for non main characters since in many stories normal humans try to kill them. (Not that it matters for whether family of supers are more likely to be supers too.)

[Traab]

Yeah, but if superpowers were an option, dinosaurs or something earlier would have had them, and we wouldn't be here.

Hey, just because there werent enough maxima level super dinos out there able to survive a meteor strike AND repopulate the world doesnt mean there werent super dinos!

[lord_khaine]

As for why she used it, it's pretty clear. Even if Maxima isn't interested in Hiro (which odds are she isn't, she's got some issues* against men and Hiro's "lad" reputation isn't going to improve his odds), she basically was telling Brad "This is the kind of guy she works with on a daily basis. You simply don't measure up." because Brad wasn't getting the hint. Maxima's just too subtle for her own good, some times.

I think the more important question is if Hiro is interested in Maxima.
We already know he has all the female attention he wants, and i kinda think Maximas options for a healthy relationship are a lot more limited than Hiros.

[Avilan the Grey]

I still don't like the Boston-Aztec. I know it's just a story but I know too much about their history to be happy about it haha.

So far she has moved up to third most popular character in my book, after Max and Anvil.

[Kantaki]

New comic.

These guys (and especially Sydney) are harder to herd than a bag of fleas.

Maxima's puzzeled expression is great. It basically screams "Okay, what is Sydney doing now and do I have to intervene?".
The shocked face of the person next to Maxima and and Arianna says "Noo! I spend the whole night cleaning that Whiteboard!".

I hope one of those theories turns out to be true, but think I will bet on something really outlandish: Varia's father is... a ordinary human.

[Avilan the Grey]

Personally I love that it's Varia that says "Don't Cross The Streams"

[Kantaki]

New comic.

That order to Math seems like a terrible idea. I'm not sure Maxima thought that through.
Training how to swap opponents on the other hand can only be helpful for further conflicts.

The only problems I see are that the initial battle went as well as it did (in part at least) because of Vehemence preperation and more importatly it showed how unprepared Archon actually is considering the number of enemies exeeded the number of combat capable supers they expected (in the states, but I don't think Vehemence gathered a international mook squad).

[Traab]

I dunno, the existence of opal and her teleportation ability suggest to me that they very well could have gone international. Its possible they were all american and archon got caught offguard, but remember that they only had at best an estimate since there is no, "Are you superpowered" style questions on the census. I think the battle went as well as it did because the opening salvo of bricks were aimed at either bricks capable of utterly shutting them down like anvil, or bricks on a whole other level like maxima. After that training came into play. They knew how to work with each other, how to support each other, and how to handle things like say, harem doing supply runs. Honestly, maxima is right, math and dabbler were the least effective parts due to their enjoyment of "a challenge" And math getting taken out by booby style was just lame on his part. When you are less effective in combat than sydney, you are doing something wrong. Maybe not entirely in body count, but sydney personally took out two bad guys, came up with the strategy to defeat the only two real challenges there, and did a number of assists like protecting jiggawatt from point break and putting herself in grave danger to block that agro aura. All that on her first day and first taste of actual power combat.

As for todays comic, looks like they are going to roll the AAR and media class into one big lecture. And personally, aside from the brief period where vehemence unleashed the agro aura, I think they did pretty damn well for their first real fight. Like Max said, they were outnumbered, caught flat footed, and STILL stomped 99% of the combatants in less than 10 minutes.

[AvatarVecna]

Maxima no. Just no. I'm not as bad as Math is, and I've spent over a decade looking at boobs on and off around the internet, and I'm still not any less enthusiastic than I was when I started. If anything, the experience has refined my taste and given me a greater appreciation for boob-based art. This is not a solution in any way whatsoever.

[Kantaki]

New comic.

Wait, it is a secret that Dabbler isn't human?
You wouldn't think so considering how often she hangs out in her normal form.
I wonder when the recruits are informed of this little fact - and that Sydney knew it from day one.
At least the first bit has to be done at some point if they are all supposed to work together.

Brook's first question is very good, but I have to agree with Maxima, the whole team had to prove they can hold their ground.

[Traab]

New comic.

Wait, it is a secret that Dabbler isn't human?
You wouldn't think so considering how often she hangs out in her normal form.
I wonder when the recruits are informed of this little fact - and that Sydney knew it from day one.
At least the first bit has to be done at some point if they are all supposed to work together.

Brook's first question is very good, but I have to agree with Maxima, the whole team had to prove they can hold their ground.

Its a secret yes, they just claim its her battle form and she walks around wearing a glamour when she has to pass as human. Sydney only knows because her truesight orb saw right through her glamour. I would assume this is mostly need to know, and until you are a member of arcswat you dont need to know. Or something like that. Recruits dont have a need to know as it has no real purpose to tell them. And its not that unexpected that there would be supers who dont look like regular humans.

[RowenMorland]

I see what you're saying, but if powers started turning up recently, then there has to be something else in play, even if genetic factors play a role (except in Sidneys case?).

I think Maxima is an outlier as well as Sydney. It makes me wonder if Dabbler's real reason for being on Earth is to observe/ get close to Max.

[Forum Explorer]

I think Maxima is an outlier as well as Sydney. It makes me wonder if Dabbler's real reason for being on Earth is to observe/ get close to with Max.

Fixed that for you

Seriously, I could see Dabbler seeing Max and making that it her mission to hit that. The fact that she can pervert the other heroes at the same time is just a bonus. Then when she's done, Earth will be a perfect tourist destination for other succubi.

[Kantaki]

New comic.

That's what they do with the captured villains? That doesn't look too bad. Comfortable cells, free pay-TV, free food and Kevin even gets a awesome shirt. And free drugs, but I will pass on that one.

The method used to keep Kevin in check is really funny. Even better is that it makes sense since it avoids feeding him violence.

The series that they recommend Luana on the other hand is just rubbing salt in the wound. Or a bad attempt to be funny.

[HandofShadows]

The series that they recommend Luana on the other hand is just rubbing salt in the wound. Or a bad attempt to be funny.

Probably both. And that is a great way to keep Kevin in line.

[Kantaki]

Probably both. And that is a great way to keep Kevin in line.

They better hope no one makes public what they do to the supervillains. That would cause a massive increase of criminal supers.
Not to mention that some people might complain that guys like Kevin* or Luana don't deserve such a soft treatment. And the less is said about the drugs the better.
And what about the costs? Do you know how much those measures cost? Are regular prisons not good enough for those supers?

As funny as it would be to see that and the ineviteable results let's hope that common sense prevails.

*I'm pretty sure there are enough people who would ignore the fact that Vehemence feeds on violence and demand a less kind punishment. Nevermind that that would help him to escape - that would be the guards' fault.

[Traab]

I said this in the webcomic comment section but it gears repeating, Maxima, there are just some things you DONT SAY. Among the largest verbal blunders are, "I am invincible! Nothing can stop me!!!" But only slightly less obvious of a blunder is, "Our prison is state of the art, there is nothing to worry about." Or similar phrasings. I half expected the lights to go out in ARCHON just on general principles after that panel. Yeah I know, the prison isnt located in the archon building (I hope, god that would be stupid) but still, murphy is an omega class super, DONT POKE HIM!

[Lamech]

They better hope no one makes public what they do to the supervillains. That would cause a massive increase of criminal supers.
Not to mention that some people might complain that guys like Kevin* or Luana don't deserve such a soft treatment. And the less is said about the drugs the better.
And what about the costs? Do you know how much those measures cost? Are regular prisons not good enough for those supers?

As funny as it would be to see that and the ineviteable results let's hope that common sense prevails.

*I'm pretty sure there are enough people who would ignore the fact that Vehemence feeds on violence and demand a less kind punishment. Nevermind that that would help him to escape - that would be the guards' fault.

All Luana did was almost rescue V's victims! But seriously if her portals aren't one of those magic pressure balancing kind she could have done a lot more damage. Oh and keeping people occupied is always a good thing. You really don't need evil supers getting bright ideas. Maxima show up dead. Her body cut to pieces. Was it a) Opal with the portal slices. b) Viktor with putting a little pressure* on the heart's conductive system and some gratuitous posthumous violence. c) V with summoning Dabbler's father or d) Concrete Girl with being able to possess metal.

*One car's worth.

[AvatarVecna]

Without commenting on anything else in today's comic, this is one my favorite comics so far for no reason other than finding out that Vehemence's civvie name is "Kevin".

[Kantaki]

All Luana did was almost rescue V's victims! But seriously if her portals aren't one of those magic pressure balancing kind she could have done a lot more damage.

Well, we don't know the limitations of her power, it is possible that she can't use her portals to create a vacuum or another kind of lethal area. Or at least not easiely, opening a portal to space for example would be a risk to her own health. Even if she can use her portals in a more lethal way she might not be ruthless enough to do so.

Oh and keeping people occupied is always a good thing. You really don't need evil supers getting bright ideas. Maxima show up dead. Her body cut to pieces. Was it a) Opal with the portal slices. b) Viktor with putting a little pressure* on the heart's conductive system and some gratuitous posthumous violence. c) V with summoning Dabbler's father or d) Concrete Girl with being able to possess metal.

*One car's worth.

Well, of course they should give their prisoners something to do. Especially if they want to release them at some point. The Flash for example has a terrible method to store supercriminals. Well, they don't plan to release them, but still...
Give them a way to entertain and more importantly inform/educate themself and there is a chance that they reform.
The Luthors and Dooms of might additionally need a headdoctor, but those should be the exemption. If all they have to focus on are plans for their escape/revenge/next coup you shouldn't be surprised if that is what happens.

I still think there are enough people who would disagree and consider the treatment too lenient. You know the kind of person that starts a little riot in front of the prison that holds someone that feeds of violence and then complains when he escapes. I wonder how often the Archon guys will have to explain that there are no universal power dampeners.

Without commenting on anything else in today's comic, this is one my favorite comics so far for no reason other than finding out that Vehemence's civvie name is "Kevin".

Irresponsible parents that give children names like that are the reason capes need their secret identity, because lets be honest who would take the guy that fought a entire hero-team on his own - and devised a plan to power himself up and to weaken the heroes - serious if knew him as Kevin?
No offense against any Kevins out there. I still think the name might have contributed to V's career-choice.

[tomandtish]

They better hope no one makes public what they do to the supervillains. That would cause a massive increase of criminal supers.
Not to mention that some people might complain that guys like Kevin* or Luana don't deserve such a soft treatment. And the less is said about the drugs the better.
And what about the costs? Do you know how much those measures cost? Are regular prisons not good enough for those supers?

As funny as it would be to see that and the ineviteable results let's hope that common sense prevails.

*I'm pretty sure there are enough people who would ignore the fact that Vehemence feeds on violence and demand a less kind punishment. Nevermind that that would help him to escape - that would be the guards' fault.

Remember that because of the nature of Vehemence's powers, it's not just a case of "These people haven't been convicted of a crime yet". They might actually be victims themselves depending on how strong the influence effect is. Therefore in some cases it's more a "hold while we sort you out" and less a full arrest.

I still think there are enough people who would disagree and consider the treatment too lenient. You know the kind of person that starts a little riot in front of the prison that holds someone that feeds of violence and then complains when he escapes. I wonder how often the Archon guys will have to explain that there are no universal power dampeners.



Irresponsible parents that give children names like that are the reason capes need their secret identity, because lets be honest who would take the guy that fought a entire hero-team on his own - and devised a plan to power himself up and to weaken the heroes - serious if knew him as Kevin?
No offense against any Kevins out there. I still think the name might have contributed to V's career-choice.

In short, this.

In fairness to his parents there's nothing wrong with Kevin if you don't know about the powers when he's wrong. Even in a world where notorious villains exist, I assume most parents give their kids normal names because they DON'T want their kids becoming villains.

[Traab]

You think being named KEVIN makes you more likely to go evil than being named victor von doom?