forensics and the superhero
Dec. 20th, 2019 10:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marycatelliAn important question about superpowers, even before you discuss whether the superpowered can be forced to obey, is how easily you can detect the use of their powers. (And whether you need some super-science gadgets from your super-Gadgeteer.)
Mostly that turns on the power. Your standard Flying Brick -- strong, tough, and flying -- can easily be spotted. The speedster would need some VERY fast camera work for him to be more than blur. Teleportation requires a lot of luck to even figure it out. As for people with the power to influence people mentally, you have a nightmare of even figuring out that they did anything.
The types of powers would greatly affect the world building. But there is the flip side -- people who have superpowers who can detect the use of superpowers would also be crucial. (Protection would be even more useful, but it would need detection to be deployed properly.)
Mostly that turns on the power. Your standard Flying Brick -- strong, tough, and flying -- can easily be spotted. The speedster would need some VERY fast camera work for him to be more than blur. Teleportation requires a lot of luck to even figure it out. As for people with the power to influence people mentally, you have a nightmare of even figuring out that they did anything.
The types of powers would greatly affect the world building. But there is the flip side -- people who have superpowers who can detect the use of superpowers would also be crucial. (Protection would be even more useful, but it would need detection to be deployed properly.)