Powers versus skills

[Lark]

Considering both the Marvel and DC universes, any others you care to think of too, such as Vertigo and 2000AD, which do you think makes for the most interesting characters powers or skills?

It seems to be one of the merging dichotomies within the comic book universe, I've seen it pointed up in a number of videos rapidly sharing on FB since it was observed that Suicide Squad may have a subtext, that being that the assembly of the squad has the secondary objective of killing super criminals participating in the squad because they possess skills rather than powers and are pitted against threats that involve powers rather than skills.

 

[Madboot]

I've always found skill based characters more interesting than power based characters. Or powers that come from skills such as Dr. Strange and his skill with sorcery.

 

[Amberiat]

Skills are almost always more interesting, I find powers to be nothing more but excuses for cheap writing. Now I'm not saying powers can't be interesting, they are just badly written most of the time.

 

[Lark]

I've always found skill based characters more interesting than power based characters. Or powers that come from skills such as Dr. Strange and his skill with sorcery.

That is actually a really interesting example of powers coming from skills actually, I like Dr Strange more than lot of Marvel characters, I think he's got greater depth (I actually think that Dracula Marvel comics can be similar). There was an interesting reference in Infinity War which was kind of pointing up the uniqueness to Dr Strange was when Spiderman asks his name having said Peter Parker and when Dr Strange says "Strange" he thinks he is using his "made up name", only fans of Dr Strange will know that is his name and not a "made up" name.

I think of Iron Fist as being similar or other "martial arts mania" iterations or characters from the Marvelverse or DC.

I also think its interesting when you read or see characters whose power is distinct or different from their possessing any particular skills, I am trying to think of some examples but right now I can only think of Jessica Jones or Luke Cage, their invulnerability, mutant healing factor or in Cage's example impervious to harm skin, do not necessarily make them great PIs or skilled fighters/martial artists which are skills they do possess.

 

[Lark]

Skills are almost always more interesting, I find powers to be nothing more but excuses for cheap writing. Now I'm not saying powers can't be interesting, they are just badly written most of the time.

Sometimes I'd be inclined to agree, although a lot of the time the badly written story lines, if they are the classic or golden age writing, still appeal to me because retro and reflective of a different era of story telling (I love the old time radio podcasts for the same reason, especially the sci fi and horror or ghost story variety).

The better powers stories do raise a lot of good questions about gifted versus run of the mill, ordinary folk, I'm not even talking about Watchmen but its an obvious example, also the Kingdom Come story arc in DC (which I actually thought was a way, way better capes versus everyone else story than either Watchmen or Injustice For All). There is also a little known 2000AD story arc called "The Ten Seconders", which features a human resistance to super hero rule, they are nicknamed "ten seconders" because that's how long they last in a confrontation with the super heroes if it comes to it, one of the only skills versus powers that I really know about (though its not explicit about that division, its more human versus super human).

Another example of what I was thinking about earlier, Deadpool, his power is regenerative abilities akin to or greater than Wolverine but he's got no metal bonded to his bones or claws, he does have merc skills and gear. The Deadpool kills the marvel universe comic (and deadpool kills the marvel universe again comic) is a sort of example of skills versus powers too (and would that comic have been a thing at all without the two different Punisher kills the marvel universe comics).

 

[Madboot]

Have you read any of the Stormlight Books by Brandon Sanderson? There are some excellent examples of characters who possess both skills and powers in those books. And powers used with skill. Also the Kingkiller series by Patrick Rothfuss.

 

[The Cat]

I think Hellblazer does a good job with skill based powers. There's always a cost that makes it seem almost not worth it. It makes the big mojo a last resort instead of a crutch. And those characters who play around without counting the cost always pay it in spades. I dont mind powers when they come with a little bit more of a weight otherwise it feels a bit: