10 Superheroes Who Are Not Super

What's This?

Say the word superhero and it immediately conjures the image of somebody who can bend steel with her bare hands. But some of our most beloved and enduring characters have no powers at all, but still manage to stand toe to toe with the likes of Captains Marvel and America.

Just the fact that there's even an argument over who would win in a fight between Batman and Superman speaks to the power of a story about a person who can't move things with their mind, burst into flame, conjure giant green fists, or talk to fish.

When all you've got is a cape, or a car, writers have proven that a character can be just as capable as, and maybe even more interesting than, the ones who are super.

#10

Mister Miracle

Mister Miracle , otherwise known as Scott Free, is one of the Earth's most celebrated escape artists. This is because he grew up in arguably the worst circumstances the DC Universe has to offer:... Read on...

Katana

We see a lot of fathers who are driven to fight crime because of their children, and husbands driven to fight crime because of their spouses, and a lot of women driven to fight crime because of... Read on...

Toy Box

Toy Box is one of the few character's in Alan Moore 's Top 10 that don't have super powers. Now would be a good time to mention that Top 10 takes place in Neopolis, a city populated entirely by... Read on...

The Spirit

The Spirit (the real Spirit, not Frank Miller's Will Eisner's The Spirit ) has always been an unusual bird in the crime-fighting flock. Created by the granddaddy of comics-as-art Will Eisner... Read on...

Oracle

We thought about putting Batman on this list and eventually decided that it was 1) obvious and 2) really unfair to everyone else concerned. We decided instead to chose one, and only one member of... Read on...

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The Unintentional Hilarity of Twitter Spam Bots

Back Alley Internet is a recurring column in which we explore some of the weirder corners of the Internet and see what we can drudge up for your amusement and education. This week: We study the legions of Twitter bots that trawl the trending topics and spit out some unintentionally hilarious tweets.

Tweetosystem

Eric Limer You have to tew two tutus?! I have to tew two tutus too!
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Max The Pizza and Pasta Foundation supports the federal SAUCE act. Ask your congressman to put some SAUCE on it!
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Eric Limer I like how if you make a mistake typing a popular URL, invariably the site you find is all "YOU'RE WINNER!" It's uplifting for a second.
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Max Spam for work involves a false teeth supplier and someone looking to buy magnetic plates.
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Eric Limer So that improv show was definitely a good idea. Ben Schwartz, Zach Woods, Justin Long, AND Adam Scott. #EverythingWentBetterThanExpected
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Max Got a lot crossed off my to-do list tonight, and I'm starting to feel significantly less freaked about about, well, life.
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Eric Limer I need trephination like I need a hole in the head.
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Max AIM CHAT: I like you, too. *belushis*
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Eric Limer Listening to Call Me Maybe and cropping screengrabs of Twitter bots. It's times like this that I really love my job.
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James Plafke Popular rapper Ladies Love Removed Eyes.
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Eric Limer I am genuinely enjoying using So.cl to make weird picture mash-ups. I just made a collage of becks. http://t.co/ulGbDbwn
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Eric Limer This Facebook IPO coverage needs to stop cuz I'm seriously sick of seeing Zuckerberg staring creepily at me from the top of every story.
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Max Put on your poodle skirts and choose your favorite syrup because we're gonna have a sock-hop at the iHop.
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James Plafke I just threatened my mom to email me something by telling her I'd discuss with her all the lady celebrities I'd have sex with.
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Max New Hallmark Card: "I held an extended conversation with you without being able to remember your name" Inside: "I'm sorry."
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Eric Limer To any of you bros who might like to ice me, I encourage you to act on that urge, bro.
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Eric Limer If anyone is looking for some totally garbled, nigh-incomprehensible ad copy, I'm your man.
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Eric Limer What? None of my Facebook friends are on So.cl? How can this be?!
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Eric Limer "Does this mustache look creepy? Experts are blind; can't tell."
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Rollin Bishop Lin Beifong is suddenly one of the best things about Legend of Korra.
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