At some point in their lives, every comic book fan has wondered how to get superpowers. Flying and saving lives seems like a dream come true, and all it takes to accomplish such feats is a great origin story. That is, in most cases. It turns out that not every hero’s origin is as cool as being born on an alien planet like Superman or channeling mutant powers from a young age like the X-Men.
There are several characters in the DC and Marvel universes who have unearthed their powers in less enviable ways, with certain origins bordering on the ridiculous. Even the most renowned heroes in comic book history are not exempt from reality testing, nor are the most vile villains. For those who are curious about how superpowers come to fruition, here are ten superheroes and supervillains who unlocked their powers in the strangest ways possible.
10
Deadman had his powers offered by a God
First debuted in Strange Adventures #205 by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino
Deadman’s name alone conveys the nature of how he gained his frightening powers. Boston Brand spent his days as a circus trapeze artist, with “Deadman” starting out as his unassuming stage name. Then everything changed when he was killed in the middle of a performance. Death is not where this hero’s story ends. After his murder, the Hindu god Rama Kushna appeared to him and offered him the power to possess living beings.
Superhero origin stories tend to be uplifting stories, so Deadman’s is a surprising tonal departure from what readers have come to expect. It takes death for him to gain his power of possession, giving his heroism a morbid price. Many characters go to drastic measures to develop superpowers, but dying is an extreme way to do it.
9
Meteor Man had a space rock land on him
First debuted in Meteor Man: The Movie #1 by Dwight Coye and Robert Walker
Meteor Man is a lesser-known hero in this lineup who made his debut in 1993 The Meteor Man film before receiving a Marvel comic book adaptation. He has a series of classic superpowers, from super strength to the ability to fly, as well as some weirder ones, like the ability to communicate with dogs telepathically. Of course, it’s not Jefferson’s powers that make him an unusual figure in Marvel lore, but rather how he got them.
Hence its name, Meteor Man’s powers manifested when he was hit in the head by a meteor that had fallen from above. He suffered horrific burns, only to heal himself thanks to one of the many abilities at his disposal. A single meteor chasing a man is about as silly as it gets, but that silliness is part of the magic of comics.
8
Daredevil was splashed with a mysterious chemical
First debuted in Reckless #1 by Stan Lee and Bill Everett
Daredevil’s origin story seems viable at first glance, but falls apart upon closer inspection. When he was younger, Matt Murdock saw an old man who was about to be run over by a truck. He jumped into the path to save his life and was later covered in radioactive waste that came out of the vehicle. This mysterious fluid entered Matt’s eyes, blinding him – while also heightening his senses in a superhuman way. There are several perplexing variables here, from the truck holding this substance to him somehow giving Daredevil superpowers.
As comically convenient as this story is, Daredevil isn’t the only character in the comics who acquired his power this way. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles borrowed from this origin, as a similar radioactive fluid transformed them from regular turtles into mutants, so Daredevil’s method isn’t a one-hit wonder like other entries on this list.
7
Elongated man was experimenting with stretchy fruits
First debuted in The Flash #112 by John Broome and Carmine Infantino
The Elongated Man’s powers are the result of his long-time interest in contortionists. When interrogating circus contortionists to find out how they perform such feats, he discovered that they all drink a soft drink known as Gingold, which contains gingo fruit. Ralph distilled the essence of this fruit and drank it, which gave him the ability to stretch his body beyond average human capacity.
Gingold causes an allergic reaction in most who consume it, so Ralph obtaining superpowers through the soda is a unique phenomenon. Elongated Man isn’t the only elastic hero out there – he’s not even the only one in the Justice League, thanks to Plastic Man – but the way he discovered his powers stands out as the strangest of any elastic hero in the comics.
6
Beast Boy needed to become a monkey to live
First debuted in The Doom Patrol #99 by Arnold Drake and Bob Brown
One of the main heroes of the Titans, Beast Boy is known for transforming into different animals. This power did not come naturally to him and was the product of an experiment gone wrong. One day, Garfield Logan fell ill with a fatal disease that only the West African green monkey could survive. In an effort to save your life, his father gave him a serum to turn him into that monkey for a daybut instead he was permanently left with green skin and his shape-shifting superpower.
Many other heroes receive powers through serums injected into their bodies. However, the fact that Garfield’s father injected him with the substance makes this incident deeply troubling. It’s hard to imagine any good parent turning their child into a monkey with an untested serum, let alone having a monkey serum lying around.
5
Double Down had his skin replaced with cursed playing cards
First debuted in The Flash: Iron Heights by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver
Double Down is one of The Flash’s strangest villains, boasting a power that stands out as truly baffling. A notorious gambler in Keystone City, Jeremy Tell lost control after losing an intense game of poker. He attacked, killing the victor in cold blood, but then the victim’s cursed deck of cards bound to him in a horrible wayreplacing your skin. From there, he could separate the cards and attack opponents with them.
This is an example where the circumstances under which the character gets powers are completely ridiculous. The chances of a cursed deck of cards being present during this brawl are slim to none, and yet it appears that Double Down had the luck of the draw – for better and for worse.
4
Spider-Man was randomly bitten by a strange experiment
First debuted in Amazing fantasy #15 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Spider-Man’s origin is undeniably iconic, but his renown in pop culture doesn’t make him any less comical. While browsing a scientific exhibit, high school student Peter Parker was bitten by a spider that turned out to be radioactive. He gained a wide range of superpowers after the fact, such as super strength and the ability to climb walls. Leaning into the spider theme as an homage to the source of his powers, he designed web shooters to shoot at enemies and named himself Spider-Man, and the rest is history.
Although readers are accustomed to this classic tale, it cannot be denied that there is an absurdity at play in it. A radioactive spider raises eyebrows all on its own, and this without acknowledging the unrealistic notion that its bite confers power on a human. However, Spider-Man’s backstory remains beloved because of the hero who emerged from it, not the practicality of it.
3
Ruby Thursday replaced her normal head with a magic ball
First debuted in The Defenders #32 by Steve Gerber and Sal Buscema
Some comic book characters have their powers forced upon them as a byproduct of tragic backstories, while others voluntarily alter themselves in hopes of revealing their hidden potential. Ruby Thursday is one of these characters, seen as she replaced her own head with a malleable red orb that gives her access to several abilities. Organic plastic can change shape and release energy constructs, making it formidable despite being visually unattractive.
Ruby Thursday’s methods are successful because she develops superpowers, although most do not see the merits of her unorthodox methods – and rightly so. Ultimately, replacing your own head is a disturbing way to empower yourself that only the most power-hungry would consider trying, which fits the bill for this underrated She-Hulk villain.
2
The Flash featured lightning twice (literally)
First debuted in The Flash #110 by John Broome and Carmine Infantino
There are several heroes in DC lore who have inherited the Flash’s mantle, but the Flash with the most baffling origin is Wally West. The second Flash, Barry Allen, developed his powers in a freak accident when lightning struck him in his laboratory just as chemicals were spilled on him. From then on, Barry could run at super speed. He later took young Wally to his laboratory to show him where he received his metahuman abilities.
In a shocking turn of events, lightning struck Wally in the exact spot where Barry had been struck beforeand suddenly he also managed to reach super speed. Barry being struck by lightning is an unlikely occurrence in and of itself, so Wally replicating that event is much more implausible. After all, lightning can strike twice, and Wally West’s unbelievable origin proves it.
1
Snowflame used so many drugs that he unlocked super abilities
First debuted in New Guardians #2 by Steve Englehart and Cary Bates
The rest of the power sources on this list are quite peculiar, but this one undoubtedly takes the cake. Snowflame is a drug dealer who can harness superhuman abilities, but not without first consuming a certain snow-white substance that befits his name. That’s right; Snowflame unlocks superpowers by ingesting cocaine. By doing so, he is able to use a wide range of powers. These include strength, speed, pyrokinesis, and an inhumanly high pain tolerance.
This cocaine-fueled supervillain has the most bizarre power source of any comic book character, hero or villain. While other origin stories have confusing elements, Snowflame’s origin is just a drug addiction. This method of obtaining superpowers is not recommended, although it definitely rewards DC’s Snowflame with the top spot on this list.