Sunday, May 4, 2008

Take the Superhero Challenge

by Julia Buckley

I saw Iron Man yesterday; if you're considering seeing it, you can read my glowing review here.

The link between the superhero and the great detective is clear. What made Holmes such a memorable fellow was that he enjoyed, with every case, both SUCCESS and SUPERIORITY. We wouldn't want Holmes, or any of our favorite detectives, to have anything less. We WANT them to out-think, out-maneuver, and generally out-shine the experts and the know-it-alls. We want to watch them succeed, because we are able to live vicariously through their success. And in the case of the amateur detectives, we want to see the underdog achieve greatness.

The superhero takes that a step further. A "normal" person is placed into a dangerous situation, but is provided with surprising new skills that allow him or her to face that danger and conquer it. The superhero becomes a metaphor for courage.

I've been contemplating superheroes in general; I was playing online (do you ever do that?) and I ran across this quiz. If you take it, it will tell you what sort of superhero you would most likely be.

I would have the power of SUPER SPEED. This seems appropriate, since I would most certainly enjoy that power. I wouldn't have to ride in any vehicle--I would just rely on my own shell and my super velocity.

What about you? Take the quiz at the bottom and share your results.




Your Superpower Should Be Super Speed



You're quick witted and fast to act.

You're mind works at warp speed. From your perspective, everyone else is living in slow motion.

You get so much done, people have accused you of not sleeping.

Definitely not a couch potato, you feel a bit crazy if you're not busy doing something.



Why you would be a good superhero: You're be the first on the scene... and likely to finish the job before anyone else shows up



Your biggest problem as a superhero: Being bored by everyone else. Including other superheroes!

7 comments:

Sandra Parshall said...

Here's mine. I don't know whether to laugh or feel totally horrified!
****************

Your Superpower Should Be Invisibility
You are stealth, complex, and creative.
You never face problems head on. Instead, you rely on your craftiness to get your way.
A mystery to others, you thrive on being a little misunderstood.
You happily work behind the scenes... because there's nothing better than a sneak attack!

Why you would be a good superhero: You're so sly, no one would notice... not even your best friends

Your biggest problem as a superhero: Missing out on all of the glory that visible superheroes get

Anonymous said...

My superpower would be manipulating electricity. Cool, huh? But in real life, I'm terrified of getting fried. My local RWA chapter had the M.E. come in to speak (and bring in a slideshow) and we saw pictures of an electrocution victim. Not pretty.
***************
You're highly reactive, energetic, and super charged.
If the occasion calls for it, you can go from 0 to 60 in a split second.
But you don't harness your energy unless you truly need to.
And because of this, people are often surprised by what you are capable of.

Why you would be a good superhero: You have the stamina to fight enemies for days

Your biggest problem as a superhero: As with your normal life, people would continue to underestimate you

Julia Buckley said...

Sandra-- I would never describe you as sly, although I think invisibility is a great superpower.

Lorraine, what an interesting power! You would be sort of a queen over the elements. I like that one.

Sandra Parshall said...

__I would never describe you as sly__

Ah, Julia, I'm so sly that you can't even detect my slyness.

Sarah Glenn said...

I'd love to have had the lightning power, too, but I also got invisibility.

The scary part for ME is: I often dream I am. An invisible person, slipping through enemy territory. I'm not sure this speaks well for my attitude.

Sandra Parshall said...

It must be a self-esteem thing, Sarah -- or else we just feel we accomplish more if we stay in the background. I'm the person who's always happy to be on the board of a group but never wants to be president. As much as I would like to be hugely successful, I know I couldn't stand the kind of intrusive fame that someone like Janet Evanovich has.

Julia Buckley said...

Sarah--that's a very cool dream. It sounds like you're just adventurous.

Sandra, now you have made me worry about your slyness. :)