Re: Well, I finished reading Conquerors, Killers and Crooks, and...
As for those who despise one source of superpowers and supertech: It can be done in a cool way or manner, if done right.
Take, for example, my favorite high-powered supers game, Aberrant, published by White Wolf Game Studio: In Aberrant, all superpowers derive from a node of tissue in one's brain that enables you to access "Quantum energy," the source of all energy in the material universe. Super intellect, energy blasts, super strength, and the ability to fly faster than sound all originate from this tiny nodule of brain matter known as the M-R node. In essence, all superpowers have one originating source.
And White Wolf pulled it off! Aberrant is one of the best supers games I have ever had the joy of owning, and I hope to whatever patron saint is in charge of gaming that more games of equal caliber eventually hit the market.
--Godlike is another such "one source for all superpowers" game setting NB