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Simple question, If the Superheroes and Supervillains were real, what would it be like to live on Earth?

From all the character books and graphic novels I see on the self I'd say it would be 'interesting'

Terrifying TBH.

The news would be far more interesting, and the gossip sites would be somewhat different.

Insurance rates through the roof presumably .

One assumes that the stockmarket would be a bit volatile too -- all those awesome new/advanced power sources and the like wouldn't do much for an oil based economy.

There's a new series (well 7 episodes in)on Channel 5 called Powers that touches on this subject.

It has a counter Power police unit and political groups that campaign against Powers and the damage they cause to society.

I quite like it so far.

You wouldn't want to live in New York.

 notprop wrote:
There's a new series (well 7 episodes in)on Channel 5 called Powers that touches on this subject.

It has a counter Power police unit and political groups that campaign against Powers and the damage they cause to society.

I quite like it so far.

Seven episodes in to season two.

Based on the long running comic book series of the same name.

Available on the...Playstation Network in the USA, I think?

 AduroT wrote:

 notprop wrote:
There's a new series (well 7 episodes in)on Channel 5 called Powers that touches on this subject.

It has a counter Power police unit and political groups that campaign against Powers and the damage they cause to society.

I quite like it so far.

Seven episodes in to season two.

Nah, Season 1 only just hit terrestrial TV here.

The east coast of America would be a wasteland of uninhabitable rubble and most of the rest of the world just wouldn't exist except in terms that some of the supers come from there. They never go back there to visit, but they came from there.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
You wouldn't want to live in New York.

I'd be emigrating to New Zealand in a heartbeat


On the more practical side, I would imagine that after the revelation of certain individuals, organizations would be racing to establish and set up some kind of "test" to see whether other people were also super-powered (similar to some story arcs with Deadpool... where he had the powers, but were dormant, or other written stories of his, where his DNA was capable of "accepting" mutations)

Which would lead to follow on affects... it would be both interesting and scary at the same time.

I suspect there would be far more 'accidents' involving nuclear power/genetic tampering/toxic waste/what have you. Either that, or we'd get a new cottage industry consisting of basement mad science labs like that guy from Irredeemable/Incorruptible. Basically anything people would think might give them powers.

Being an ordinary person in a superhero 'verse usually isn't a great career move.

It would be terrible.

I want the ability to see through walls or to be invisible...to further scientific research.

I assume it would be awful, but there is always that chance that you would get superpowers at some point. So that is nice I guess.

It would be a very different world, that's for sure.

I mean, just think of how the events of Avengers would actually impact us.

First up, you've got confirmation of aliens. Not just their existence, but that they're actually hostile. That alone will cause major havoc, though it may just be the best shot we have at uniting humanity. Israel and Palestine can at least agree that their patch of land absolutely does not belong to aliens.

Imagine a global military industrial complex. Because there's no way humans are going to live in a universe where they're utterly at the mercy or aliens. And the corresponding technological advances that come with such a drive.

Realistically Stark's tech- the non lethal components- should be starting to filter to civilian use. Forget Tesla batteries, this dude can make a device that powers a small town in cave with a box of scraps. Fossil fuels are done. AI servants and production facilities that can churn out an Iron Man suit in 90 minutes?? Worker drones should be laughably easy. Post scarcity here we come!

Ok sure, you've still got evil people. And the trick would be working out if you wanted to live near the heroes (and thus perhaps get caught in the crossfire) or live far away and hope you never need them. '

Oh and there's Asgard. The galactic police, keepers of the Nine Realms. A race of people so tough even fat old men can crush carbon steel blades in their hands like they're made of cardboard. And our realm is under their protection. Hell their crown prince has made us his personal project. It ain't all bad.

I choose to look on the bright side of it I guess.

Nice question. I'll go with not much would change on the ground.

The human mind is amazingly adaptable. Yeah there'd be the risk of violent death in major cities, but that's a risk that's been around for decades. Plus one assumes superheroes would actually be preventing a lot of mass shootings, plane crashes and other disasters.

Yeah there'd be the specter of the world being destroyed by some star god, demon or alien invaders, but is it that different from the threat of nuclear war?

Sure there's be this amazing tech around, flying cars, teleporters, space ships. But most of us would never get to use it. Kind of like private jets or helicopters.

So I think most of us would carry on as we always have.

Astro City has some great stories along these lines. I remember one where everyone is on the roof watching some Cthulhu monster fighting super heroes and the mom tells her kids to go downstairs and finish their homework. After all if the world doesn't end tonight there will be school tomorrow.

 kronk wrote:
I want the ability to see through walls or to be invisible...to further scientific research.

You have now got a kronk shrine. Visitors pay £5 per visit, for another 2 they get to look at your picture.

 kronk wrote:
I want the ability to see through walls or to be invisible...to further scientific research.

I can see it now, Stan Lee-style:

"Enter...PERVOR!"

Giant apocalyptic battle for Earth in New York every 33 minutes.

For some reason the showdown between the Supers and the US Miliary from "The Boys" springs to mind, hint it doesn't end well for the side in spandex and capes/

 kronk wrote:
I want the ability to see through walls or to be invisible...to further scientific research.

Like in Hollow man? :O

 gorgon wrote:


I can see it now, Stan Lee-style:

"Enter...PERVOR!"

Kronk to the rescue!