10 Marvel Superpowers That Are Just Plain Awful!

Yearly, Marvel Comics expands their extensive cast of characters by introducing fresh heroes and villains. However, it’s worth noting that not all abilities are awe-inspiring; some are quite dreadful, ranging from revolting to terrifying, among other things. This is just part of the comic book genre, as not every hero can possess the most desirable and striking powers – doing so would lead to monotonous stories, which Marvel strives to avoid at all costs. Consequently, Marvel has created numerous heroes and villains with underwhelming, hazardous, or utterly useless abilities, and here are some of the least appealing among them.

Many people wish they could possess powers like Captain America’s super strength or Storm’s flight, but for every hero with extraordinary abilities, there are many more who have been given less impressive talents. Take a look at teams such as the X-Men and the Inhumans, and it won’t be hard to find characters who feel let down by their peculiar powers. However, these unique abilities have led to some unforgettable and adored characters like Squirrel Girl, Glob Herman, and others. It’s their unusual talents that make them shine (and having a skilled creative team doesn’t hurt either).

10) Extra Skin Elasticity

Angelo Espinosa, known as Skin, possesses an uncommon genetic trait that extends his skin significantly, approximately six extra feet in total across his body. This additional skin is flexible and adaptable, capable of stretching, contorting, wrapping, and expanding to various shapes. However, it took years for Angelo to learn how to control this ability effectively. When not focused, Skin tends to sag, giving him an appearance reminiscent of a melted candle, which can be quite unnerving. With concentration, he can pull his skin inward to maintain a normal appearance. Moreover, Angelo can use the extra skin for more remarkable feats, such as growing spikes. While the thought of using his skin to attack may sound unpleasant, Skin is making the best of his unique mutation.

9) Becoming a Literal Doorway (And Staying That Way)

In ancient times, Eldrac was an influential politician among the Inhumans, though he wasn’t part of their royal lineage. However, he played a significant role. Tragically, due to his lack of affiliation in the Terrigen Mist’s hierarchy, when Eldrac became superfluous, he underwent a transformation. He became Eldrac the Door, a portal constructed within Attilan. In this new form, Eldrac was tasked with ensuring secure passage for the Inhumans. Therefore, when Attilan was besieged, Eldrac swung open the doors and guided each citizen to safety, except for one unfortunate individual. This single being survived, but it wasn’t due to Eldrac’s protective abilities—after all, a door is not known for its defensive prowess. Rather, it was more about luck.

8) Always Knowing Which Way Is North

In the series “My Hero Academia”, it’s shown that not all powers are extraordinary or impressive. This idea is further emphasized by Marvel’s “Spider-Island” event where Jackal aimed to grant everyone in Manhattan superpowers, starting with Spider-Man’s abilities before transforming them into spider-like creatures. Fortunately, Reed Richards intervened and developed a kind of vaccine that prevented this from happening. The unique aspect was that the vaccine gave every Manhattan resident the ability to always know which direction North lies – not the most thrilling power, but better than becoming monstrous spiders!

7) Localized Time Manipulation, With a Side of Accelerated Aging

In a nutshell, Gabriel Cohuelo, also known by his alias Velocidad, is one of Marvel’s fleet-footed characters, at least from an outside perspective. It may seem like he’s zipping around the globe, but what you don’t see is that Gabriel actually slows down time in his immediate surroundings, creating the illusion of rapid movement. This peculiar talent for manipulating time locally proves handy, as it doesn’t slow Gabriel himself. However, there’s a significant drawback: each time he employs this ability, Gabriel ages faster. To make matters worse, he became permanently trapped in his super-speed state during his first attempt to use it.

6) Fire Generation But No Fire Immunity

It seems that Carol Campbell has struck it rich with her extraordinary ability. She possesses the unique capability to light herself up voluntarily, causing her entire body to blaze. Unlike the Human Torch, Carol lacks any resistance to flames, making this self-ignition harmful to her wellbeing. Consequently, she avoids using her powers due to the potential risk of death or injury. Living on the outskirts of mutant communities, some mutants criticize her for what they perceive as a lack of pride in her lineage. In truth, Carol is merely seeking safety and relief from pain.

5) Tuning CB Radio Transmissions – No Radio Necessary

Hailing from an era in comic books where superpowers weren’t the sole requirement for heroism, Ulysses Solomon Archer, better known as U.S. Archer, stands out as a hero from another time. After a near-fatal car accident left him injured, it seemed like his days as a superhero were numbered. However, he underwent an extraordinary transformation – part of his head was replaced with experimental alloy, granting him deadly head-butting abilities and the unique ability to receive CB Radio Transmissions directly in his cranium. Admittedly, this isn’t the most flashy or conventional power set, but it gets more intriguing. Ulysses has a significant weakness – he is highly susceptible to magnets and electronic interference, which can potentially incapacitate him. Considering this substantial downside, his powers may not seem worthwhile to many, but Ulysses Archer continues to prove that heroism transcends the conventional.

4) Creating a Massive Explosion – But No Secondary Power to Survive It

Bailey Hoskins, known by his alter ego X-Ceptional, is renowned for a rather unfortunate mutation. He’s often called the “Least Capable X-Man” due to his debut comic appearance. His ability, which could be quite beneficial in combat situations if not for a significant drawback, allows him to self-detonate. As Beast explains, Bailey can control the magnitude and extent of the explosion. The problem? He rarely survives the blast himself. Unfortunately, he perished using this power in the same comic series where he was introduced. However, he has been seen on Earth-616, although Marvel has yet to confirm this explicitly. Here’s wishing him better luck this time.

3) Unlimited Belly Button Lint Generation

Indeed, Marvel often creates heroes or villains with seemingly ridiculous abilities, either to deliver a message or add humor. A notable example is Fluff, who originates from the satirical series X-Statix and X-Cellent. His unique power lies in his ability to produce an unlimited amount of belly button lint, which might seem useless at first glance. However, this lint can be chemically altered by him, allowing him to create smoke grenades, explosives, and other useful items. Despite the gross factor, his creativity is the limiting factor here. On a positive note, Fluff’s powers may not be impressive, but he compensates with an abundance of self-confidence, which is certainly something!

2) Generation and Projection of Pennies

In the 1992 NFL Superpro series, J. Pennington Pennypacker emerged as one of the protagonists. At the seemingly benign Camp Runamuck, designed for self-improvement, he, along with others, were unwittingly subjected to experiments by a malevolent scientist intent on developing a device that would bestow superpowers. The irony was palpable. Instead of enhancing self-esteem, the camp was a cover for this nefarious project.

The experiment went awry, and J. Pennington Pennypacker acquired a unique ability – he could produce and throw coins from his wrist, transforming them into powerful projectiles. Coincidentally, or perhaps by comic book magic, the power closely resembled his surname. He adopted the moniker Almighty Dollar and teamed up with others to bring down the evil scientist.

1) The Ability to Be Completely Forgettable

Xabi, also known as ForgetMeNot, is believed to possess one of the least advantageous superpowers within Marvel Comics. The reason for this is that his power is unpleasant and pushes him into solitude. ForgetMeNot’s unique ability is referred to as umemorability, which essentially means no one can remember him. Unlike in ordinary circumstances where Xabi could selectively control who remembers him, the reality is that anyone who stops focusing on Xabi will simply forget he ever existed. In fact, Charles Xavier had to install a reminder every hour to ensure he recalls the hero. To compound his misfortune, ForgetMeNot’s powers manifest on a psychic level, making it impossible for standard psychic searches to locate him. Similarly, machines find it challenging to detect him, which can be both a help and a hindrance. Although ForgetMeNot is not widely recognized, he has dedicated his life to the cause, having recently been revived by the Five at Krakoa.

2025-05-29 15:10