Superheroes of the modern era

[Doug McCrae]

I can think of only two who really stand out in terms of popularity. Neither one is a full on comic book superhero by the strict definition - they have powers but no codenames or costumes:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Harry Potter

Can anyone think of any others?

[Hermit]

Mcguyver?

[Derek Hiemforth]

The Highlander
Dark Angel
David Dunn (from Unbreakable)

[Lord Liaden]

How far back is the limit of "modern" for you? Happening right now? Within the last few years? Ten years or more?

As of right now, I'd say that Neo qualifies, at least within the Matrix. He sort of has a costume, and definitely has super powers.

Xena essentially has a costume, and has on more than one occasion gained mystical "superpowers" in addition to extraordinary physical skills.

A few characters from the "Star Trek" universe have abilities that would qualify them as "super" in another setting; Data, Odo, and maybe Geordi Laforge, Seven of Nine or various Vulcans.

I'll give it some more thought.

[Doug McCrae]

Thanks, I forgot about Neo.

By 'modern' I mean now. Right this second. I'm thinking here of the absolute most popular superheroes of our present era. Our time's equivalent of Superman, who was absolutely huge in the Golden Age, an icon. The average person (not the average sci-fi fan) will have heard of Harry Potter, Buffy, and the Matrix. He won't IMO have heard of Highlander, Dark Angel, Unbreakable and McGuyver.

[Hermit]

You killed off everyone over 30? :)

Sorry, just I recall a time where McGuyver was fairly mainstream, for an example.

Okay, how about James Bond? He's fairly 'eternal' and kept up to date. He can do things no human could consistently do. Or are his roots so old as to disqualify him?

[Lord Liaden]

If we can include James Bond, then I suppose Vin Diesel's "Triple X" would have to be considered as well.

Thing is, Superman is still huge today, and has been updated for every new generation. Same thing with Spider-Man, X-Men and a lot of other classic comic-book heroes. Just because their origins are venerable doesn't mean they aren't still popular and "happening". Heck, everyone today knows King Arthur, and Hercules managed five successful seasons on TV (albeit with a major mythic facelift).

Even the characters that you mention are only original to a limited extent. Buffy and Harry Potter draw on classic archetypes of fantasy and folklore; Neo is implicitly and explicitly (from some references in the movie) the Superman of the Matrix, with more than a dash of Jesus mixed in. :rolleyes:

[Doug McCrae]

Originally posted by Hermit
You killed off everyone over 30? :)

Sorry, just I recall a time where McGuyver was fairly mainstream, for an example. I mistakenly thought you were talking about that Japanese power armour/robot guy. I think he may be called Guyver. McGuyver is an inventor isn't he? The one beloved by Marge's sisters in the Simpsons?

[Doug McCrae]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden
Thing is, Superman is still huge today, and has been updated for every new generation.I wouldn't include the ones created in earlier generations that are still popular, like the X-Men, Superman, Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes or Hercules.

Triple-X might almost count but he doesn't seem that popular to me. I could easily be wrong however.

The reason I was asking in fact is all to do with the updating of the heroes previously mentioned. Such as changing Spider-man's origin to GM instead of radiation.

I was thinking, instead of modernising a hero of the past, how about making a hero of modern times archaic? Changing their origin, trappings, whatever is necessary, to place them in a previous era. For example:

Sunnydale, 1944. Patriotic teenager, Buffy Summers, discovers a gang of Nazi vampires, plotting to sabotage the town's munitions factory. A scientist gives her a strength-enhancing serum and a thorough training in gymnastics and boxing, which he also knows. Donning an unnecessarily skimpy red, white and blue costume, Buffy leaps into action as The Blonde Slayer! She kills all the vampire Nazis and saves Sunnydale but... her boyfriend, Biff, seems rather pale.

[Arthur]

Greece. 900 BC.

Brutus Bannerus, mild-mannered scholar, when endangered, transforms into...

Hulkules!!

I should be ashamed of myself for this, but I'm not.

[ShinDangaioh]

Witchblade perhaps. Did/does have a TV series and its origins are relatively new compared to say Son Goku of DBZ fame.

Lina Inverse of Slayers

Torg from Sluggy Freelance. Just living with Bub-Bun the mini-lop propells him into being super.

[MarkusDark]

Charmed

Almost any main character of a movie could be considered a 'super hero' - (ex. any Jackie Chan movie). I would say, in order to stay within some parameters of what is 'super' is that they need to have some sort of super abilities. In other words, no Batman/Gadgeteers/Martial Artists.

[Doug McCrae]

You've got me interested now. I take back what I said about them having to be hyper-popular.

[1Big Rich]

the Men in Black?

[Kristopher]

Originally posted by Arthur
Greece. 900 BC.

Brutus Bannerus, mild-mannered scholar, when endangered, transforms into...

Hulkules!!

I should be ashamed of myself for this, but I'm not.

Wouldn't Brutus Bannerus by Roman?

[McCoy]

Originally posted by Doug McCrae
I mistakenly thought you were talking about that Japanese power armour/robot guy. I think he may be called Guyver. McGuyver is an inventor isn't he? The one beloved by Marge's sisters in the Simpsons?

I would say"gadgeteer" rather than "inventor." The action hero who refused to carry a gun but who demonstrated that weapons can be improvised from a Swiss army knife, found objects, 4 oz of plastic explosive, and a fully equiped props department.

[Blue]

I'm not sure I count MacGuyver. Is just being smart enough? If you're going to count every gadgeteer then you better toss in Martha Stewart ;)

I am just kidding.

My pesonal hero though would be... The iron chef. Even MacGuyver couldn't make something edible out of squid testicles... but the IC....

[MisterD]

M.A.N.T.I.S.

Darkman (I think. The guy who hears evil and has the nice power armor wit the glowing right eye)

The Saint

Black Scorpion

Maxwell Smart

Starman

Tron?

Mann and Machine

Automan

Manimal

Matrix (With that actor that played Remo Williams in the adventures of Remo Williams

ANd Remo Williams & Chiun

Kuai gan Cain (spelling)

Nickolas Knight

The judge from Night Justice "Justice is blind. But it can see in the dark."

I will stop now.

[McCoy]

How far back can we go? Must adventures be set in the 21st century? The two that come to my mind are Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones.

[Spectrum]

Originally posted by MisterD
Darkman (I think. The guy who hears evil and has the nice power armor wit the glowing right eye)

Actually I think that was Nightman. Darkman was the guy from a Sam Raimi movie who was horribly burned, wore masks of synthetic skin and could perfectly mimic other people's voices (given enough practice)

[Lord Liaden]

Having seen more trailers for the new Charlie's Angels film, I think we'd have to include these characters as contemporary superhero(ines). The stunts they're shown pulling off just aren't possible for normal humans.

I realize that the original series is 1970's vintage, but the current version bears only the most superficial resemblance to the original. And the popularity factor seems virtually assured (admittedly much of that popularity is hormonally fueled). ;)

[WhammeWhamme]

Originally posted by Arthur
Greece. 900 BC.

Brutus Bannerus, mild-mannered scholar, when endangered, transforms into...

Hulkules!!

I should be ashamed of myself for this, but I'm not.

You are a bad, bad, bad *bad* man.

I can't stop laughing.

[Doug McCrae]

I can't believe I forgot:

The Powerpuff Girls!

[Nuadha]

If case you folks haven't seen it, Bulletproof Monk is easily a superhero movie and a pretty damned good one.

They may not be set in the Modern Day pr even be original characters, but I think the League of Extraordinary Gentleman fits this category.

I would actually consider Angel more of a superhero show than Buffy, but they would both count.

Let's not forget Static, the Milestone Comics character who has his own show on WB, "Static Shock."

In comicbookland, how about Kevin Matchstick (from Mage: The Hero Discovered)?