In Marvel and DC Comics, some superheroes have seemingly illogical vulnerabilities that defy reason. When designing these characters, creators often need to devise ways to keep them from being entirely invincible. For instance, characters such as Spider-Man and Daredevil are ordinary individuals with common weaknesses like bullets or blades. Some superheroes’ weaknesses are inherent in their origin stories, like Kryptonite for Superman or dehydration for Namor. However, over time, certain weaknesses have been added to the comics that appear absurd, no matter how much effort is put into justifying them within the narrative.
As a devoted comic book enthusiast, I’ve always found it fascinating to uncover the peculiar vulnerabilities that some of my favorite superheroes possess. Here are seven bizarre weaknesses that these extraordinary beings from the Marvel and DC universes seem unusually susceptible to:
1. Being vulnerable to specific colors might seem like a stretch, but it’s true for characters like Doctor Strange and Martian Manhunter.
2. The Green Lantern’s power ring, while incredibly powerful, can be rendered useless when faced with the color yellow.
3. Superman, despite his invincible nature, is weakened by the one element that is abundant on our Earth – kryptonite.
4. For Aquaman, it’s not just a lack of land that poses a problem; he’s also vulnerable to the metal lead.
5. When it comes to the Incredible Hulk, gamma radiation is his friend… until he encounters gamma bombs or gamma rays, which can cause him immense distress.
6. The Silver Surfer’s cosmic powers are matched only by his susceptibility to the heraldry of Galactus, his former master.
7. Lastly, the Flash’s incredible speed is no match for a simple but powerful weapon – the Cosmic Treadmill, which can slow him down and render him vulnerable.
1) Green Lantern – The Color Yellow
One significant flaw in the annals of comic book lore lies with the Green Lantern Corps, particularly during Hal Jordan’s tenure as the lead character. This vulnerability was strikingly evident: anything yellow, whether it be a banana or a sunflower, could neutralize their powers due to the limitations of the Green Lantern ring. However, it was only much later that the origin of this peculiar weakness was revealed. It stemmed from the ancient entity Parallax, whom they had confined within the Central Power Battery. This entity’s power source is yellow energy, which embodies fear. Eventually, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps conquered their fear, thus eradicating this ludicrous weakness.
2) Martian Manhunter – Fire
The Martian Manhunter’s greatest vulnerability stemmed from a traumatic event, yet it doesn’t make it any less ludicrous – his weakness is fire. DC Comics introduced this weakness to balance out his overwhelming powers, which might have exceeded even Superman’s. With an array of abilities at his disposal, the Martian Manhunter experiences a panic attack and becomes incapacitated when surrounded by fire. This weakness traces back to a past event on Mars where the Guardians of the Universe initially encountered the Burned (Martians). Upon seeing fire, he loses his powers, and in extreme cases, he may lose control over his shape-shifting form. Essentially, a simple lighter or match could neutralize one of the Justice League’s strongest members.
3) Spider-Man – Bug Spray (Ethyl Chloride)
In his early days as Spider-Man, he discovered his unique spider-like abilities such as scaling walls and having super strength. But it took him some time to learn that being a superhero also meant dealing with the drawbacks of a spider. One unexpected weakness was an aversion to bug spray, which was first exploited by the original Spider-Slayer in “The Amazing Spider-Man” (Vol. 1) #106. Years later, his son inherited the role and continued using it against Spider-Man. It’s hard to believe that enemies can weaken him by spraying ethyl chloride, which seeps through his suit and leaves him powerless. Thankfully, only the Spider-Slayer is aware of this weakness, or else most of Spider-Man’s foes could easily overpower him.
4) Zatanna – Mouth Gag/Tape
Zatanna is a formidable sorceress in the DC universe, boasting an immense control over mystical and cosmic energies that often earns her the title of Sorceress Supreme. Unlike other magic users, however, she must verbally recite her spells – but in reverse order for them to work. This peculiarity has been a vulnerability exploited by villains, as simply silencing her renders her powerless. Fortunately, recent developments in DC Comics have shown that Zatanna has learned alternative methods of casting magic without the need for speech. For a long time, though, if she couldn’t speak, she had no magical abilities at all.
5) Human Torch – Asbestos
Following the success of Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four, they opted to create a solo series for the Human Torch, which unfolded in the issues of Strange Tales. This is where Johnny Storm discovered one of his most unusual and absurd vulnerabilities – asbestos. In 1963 (Strange Tales #111), Marvel had the freedom to craft tales involving the harmful mineral, as there was less information available about asbestos at the time. As awareness of asbestos’ dangers grew, it led to the creation of the character Asbestos Man who eventually developed cancer. This weakness, initially considered absurd, ended up having an intriguing sequel storyline years later. It is worth mentioning that there was a character known as the Asbestos Lady from Timely Comics earlier, who fought against the Android Human Torch.
6) Domino – Chickens
As a dedicated film enthusiast, I’d say it goes something like this:
In the realm of mutant powers, Domino stands out with her unique, unpredictable gift – Psychic Probability Manipulation. This power works in an intriguing way, making the odds ever in my favor when I’m aiming to accomplish a task, while simultaneously setting my adversaries up for misfortune. This trait has proven incredibly useful in tight spots, especially during our missions.
However, this seemingly invincible character possesses a quirky weakness – alektorophobia, the irrational fear of chickens. This phobia was quite evident in Deadpool Volume 3, Issue 17. In a twist designed to slow me down, Deadpool had strategically placed a chicken in our air vent path. The sight of that feathered foe left me paralyzed with fear, momentarily halting our progress.
7) Power Girl – Sticks & Stones
In a unique twist of vulnerability often seen in comic books, Power Girl’s weakness stands out as particularly unconventional, much like Alan Scott’s Green Lantern being susceptible to wood. Given the ubiquity of trees, park benches, and other wooden objects, Scott’s weakness left him exposed in numerous situations. Power Girl, however, faces an even greater challenge due to her vulnerability to “raw and unprocessed” natural elements. As a Kryptonian, she initially didn’t exhibit the typical weakness towards Kryptonite. To balance this, DC creators devised a unique limitation for her – objects like rocks, wood, and more could impede her strength. Fans first learned of this in Supergirl (Vol. 4) #16 when a villain exploited this weakness by hitting her with a stick. However, the creators later revised this backstory, and now Power Girl shares the same Kryptonite vulnerability as other Kryptonians.
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2025-07-05 21:11