Comics feature a huge variety of superpowers, but some have become so incredibly powerful that they’re now labeled “broken” superpowers. This term describes abilities in comic books that make characters-like heroes such as Scarlet Witch or Jean Grey-overwhelmingly strong. This happens either because the powers are simply too strong, giving creative teams limitless possibilities, or because they are so vaguely defined that they can be easily adjusted-made weaker or stronger-to almost any degree. While these powers may have seemed exciting at first, fans of both Marvel Comics and DC Comics agree that certain abilities can make a hero seem unbelievably powerful.
It may sound silly that Batman can defeat anyone given enough time to prepare, but the abilities he counters are genuinely superhuman, encompassing everything from mutant powers to cosmic-level skills.
7) Rogue’s Absorption Powers
Throughout her history in Marvel Comics, Rogue’s powers have been described as problematic in several ways. Initially, they were personally devastating for her, as any physical contact could potentially be fatal to others. She discovered this when her abilities first emerged, putting her boyfriend in a coma after a kiss. Fortunately, she’s now learned to control her powers, being able to activate and deactivate them at will.
However, these abilities are difficult for Rogue to manage. Taking away Carol Danvers’ powers nearly caused Rogue to lose her mind, as she also took on all of Carol’s memories and suffering. Her powers have become unstable because there’s practically no limit to how many she can absorb simultaneously, sometimes making her incredibly powerful and difficult to defeat.
6) Telepathy
Telepathy is arguably one of the most problematic superpowers in comics. It feels incredibly powerful, whether wielded by immensely strong characters like Professor X or Martian Manhunter, or even by villains such as the classic Emma Frost. It’s somewhat surprising, given how many different characters actually possess this ability, that it isn’t considered more unbalanced. It often feels like there are few limits to what a skilled telepath can accomplish.
It doesn’t make sense that Professor X or Jean Grey wouldn’t be able to instantly stop a fight by disabling someone’s mind, or use their abilities to anticipate attacks by reading minds. Comic books often introduce mental defenses for characters to ensure fair conflicts. But, logically, a truly powerful psychic should be able to win most battles without needing those limitations. Essentially, their power should be overwhelming. This creates a narrative tension, but isn’t always consistent.
5) Super Speed
Super speed is a superpower that’s often considered overpowered, or broken, due to its incredible potential. This is particularly noticeable in DC Comics with the concept of the Speed Force. While Marvel has characters like Northstar and Quicksilver with super speed, they still have limits. However, The Flash, and especially Wally West, is so fast he can accomplish almost anything, even time travel.
Barry Allen altered reality by traveling through time at incredible speeds in Flashpoint. The different versions of the Flash are so fast they can finish a battle before anyone perceives their movements, essentially making them unstoppable unless writers introduce clever strategies to limit their abilities. There’s really no logical reason why the Flash shouldn’t win every fight before it even begins.
4) Magic
Magic is a common superpower among characters in Marvel and DC Comics, but it’s often incredibly unbalanced. Characters like Doctor Strange are so powerful that they frequently need to avoid conflicts to ensure a fair fight. Doctor Fate, from DC, is similar – he’s capable of virtually anything the writers need him to do. Essentially, these characters can be as powerful as the story requires, which can sometimes make things feel unfair. Magic’s potential is limitless, but that’s also its biggest weakness.
Magic is incredibly versatile, and it’s tempting for writers to use it as a convenient solution to any plot problem, simply stating that it’s magic without further explanation. A clear instance of this is in Avengers Disassembled, where Scarlet Witch was wreaking havoc on the Avengers. Doctor Strange arrived and effortlessly stopped her with magic. It’s an easy way for writers to achieve any outcome they need, and can sometimes feel like a shortcut.
3) Omnipresence
Doctor Manhattan is arguably one of the most damaged characters in comic book history. While in Watchmen, Alan Moore wisely kept him somewhat distant, whenever a major plot point needed resolving, Moore simply had Manhattan take care of it, as there was no believable way to oppose him.
When Doctor Manhattan appeared in DC Comics, he was incredibly powerful, and his all-encompassing abilities made him impossible to defeat. This is because he could be everywhere simultaneously, rendering him unbeatable and unstoppable. Characters with godlike powers tend to become uninteresting except in brief appearances. Essentially, overwhelming power quickly leads to a lack of compelling stories. It’s a common trope.
2) Healing Factor
The healing factor is a superpower that varies between heroes, depending on how quickly they recover. Deadpool and Wolverine are two of the most well-known Marvel Comics characters who possess this ability, letting them bounce back from nearly any injury. However, it’s not always immediate; sometimes, the healing process takes time. This means recovery isn’t always instant.
I think it’s amazing how some characters, like the Hulk, can just keep fighting and heal as they go! It makes them incredibly hard to defeat, and honestly, sometimes feels a little unfair. When a healing ability gets to that point – making someone almost invincible – it can really throw things off balance. That’s why we often see writers adding weaknesses to other characters, like they did with Wolverine, to keep things competitive. It’s a way to level the playing field when someone has such a powerful healing factor.
1) Reality Altering Powers
I think the most overpowered ability in all of comics has to be reality warping. It’s just incredible! You see it with mutant powers – like Legion, who has such a massive and complex skillset – or with chaos magic, as demonstrated by Scarlet Witch. It’s such a powerful ability that writers can use it to completely reshape the world to fit any story they want. A perfect example is when Scarlet Witch used her powers to create the House of M storyline – it was truly mind-blowing! It’s so versatile.
I remember when Legion first used his powers to create the Age of Apocalypse – it was mind-blowing! And it’s not just him; even Mr. Mxyzptlk from DC has similar abilities, though he’s more of a prankster and doesn’t usually cause such massive shifts in reality. The thing is, so many characters now have this power to rewrite everything, and honestly, it feels unstoppable. That’s why I think it’s the most overpowered, or broken, superpower in all of comics. There’s just no way to defend against it, or even beat someone who can do that.
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2025-10-03 22:46