1) MATTER-EATER LAD
Tenzil Kem is often held up as a ridiculous character whose powers aren’t scientifically accurate, which is somewhat disingenuous in an industry where Cyclops’ eye beams exist and Bruce Wayne is still able to walk. When played correctly, Matter-Eater Lad is proof that anyone can be a superhero, regardless of whether or not their abilities are awe-inspiring or combat-ready. During the infamous ‘Senator Kem’ era, his super-power was completely downplayed in favor of his charisma, connections and mastery of bureaucracy, making him one of the most useful Legionnaires. The reality is that much of the undefinable magic of the Silver Age Legion Of Super-Heroes is encapsulated in Matter-Eater Lad: Equal parts whimsy and awesome, written seriously but not overly worried about being taken seriously, which in my opinion, makes for a better overall story.
Thanks to Faithful Spoilerite Mela (@kakapotrainer) for this week’s topic! Feel free to follow along @MightyKingCobra for more Ten Things madness on weekdays Twitter or check out the full archive here! As with any set of like items, these aren’t meant to be hard and fast or absolutely complete, especially since there have been fifteen new “Lamest Superhero” lists generated while you’ve been reading these words.
Either way, the comments section is Below for just such an emergency, but, as always: Please, no wagering!
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Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.