Who Wants to Be a Superhero?
Who Wants to Be a Superhero? was a superhero genre reality TV series broadcast on the Sci Fi Channel produced by Nash Entertainment and POW! Entertainment. The show was created by Stan Lee and Nash Entertainment.[3] a junior version of the show was broadcast on BBC Two/CBBC in the UK.
| Who Wants to Be a Superhero? | |
|---|---|
 Stan Lee and the contestants of Season 2 | |
| Genre | Reality super heroes |
| Created by | Stan Lee Bruce Nash |
| Directed by | Rick Telles |
| Presented by | Stan Lee |
| Judges | Stan Lee |
| Narrated by | Stan Lee |
| Country of origin | US |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Producers |
|
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Release | |
| Original network | Sci Fi UK version: CBBC |
| Original release | July 26, 2006[3] – September 6, 2007 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | UK version |
| Related shows | Stan Lee's Superhumans |
| External links | |
| season 1 | |
| season 2 | |
Premise
Potential contestants auditioned as their super hero selves. The final 10 selected were then placed in common quarters. The contestants were then tested for super hero traits.[4] Lee was the only judge and would instruct the eliminated contestant: “Turn in your costume”.[5] He also mentored the contestants and made appearances, primarily on TV screens, on a giant plasma at the top of a tower block, monitor resting in the middle of a pile of trash or on individually issued "communicators".[4] Winner's character concept would be the star of a Stan Lee scripted Dark Horse comic book and of a TV movie for the Sci Fi (SyFy) Channel.[3][1]
Production
Stan Lee and Bruce Nash developed the concept.[5] In 2004, MTV was considering televising the show even holding the regional auditions. The show moved to the Sci Fi Channel two years later[6] with the pitch well received when they were told that Stan would judge.[5]
The show was renewed for a second season with hints of another country might get a junior version of the show.[2] Jarrett Crippen, aka the Defuser, won the second season.[7]
US Season 1
At the Los Angeles 2004 auditions, Matthew Atherton applied as Knightbeam, powered from artificial light. Atherton reapplied as Feedback and was originally selected as an alternative.[6]
Some filmed challenges were cut from the show.[6] The first challenge (1a) was from Rotiart, a plant from Lee, who talked to the contestants to find out who was there for the right reasons. The next challenge (1b) was to discreetly change into costume and then race to a finish line, with a secret part being to help a lost little girl.[1]
The three finalists had their potential comic book cover shown to them. Then they had the challenge of getting school children to vote for them after telling them their origin story. Fat Momma won the children's vote. The next challenge was to track down Dark Enforcer at Universal CityWalk via planned clues with Major Victory winning. Fat Momma wanted to quit, as she felt Feedback deserved it more, but was convinced to stick it out by the other two. Major Victory was then eliminated.[8]
Feedback won the first season over Fat Momma.[6] The top three, winner Feedback, runners-up Fat Momma and Major Victory, were made into action figures by Shocker Toys released along with the season two's figures.[9] Feedback appeared in the 2007 Sci Fi channel film Mega Snake.[10]
- Key:
| Superhero[11] | Concept[3] | 1a | 1b | 2a | 2b | 3a | 3b | 4a | 4b | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feedback ♂ | Absorb powers from video game characters/Generate a feedback field that disrupts electronics within 15 feet/Computer Genius | IN | IN | IN | NOM | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | WIN |
| Fat Momma ♀ | Grows to 5X her normal size when angry/Eating a doughnut activates other powers | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | NOM | NOM | IN | IN | OUT |
| Major Victory ♂ | Super Strength/Flight/Super Jump/Survive Without Air/Super Vision/Manipulate Sound Waves | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | NOM | NOM | OUT | |
| Lemuria ♀ | Shoot Lasers/Shoot Fireballs/Levitation/Drain Energy from People, Animals and Plants/Throw Orbs of Solar Energy | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | ||
| Creature ♀ | Can heal others with fruit and raw foods/Shoot Fire Beams/Magical Bullwhip/Throws Knives with Unerring Precision | NOM | IN | NOM | IN | IN | IN | OUT | |||
| Ty'Veculus ♂ | Super Strength/Super Speed/Fire Resistant/Detect Lies | IN | IN | IN | NOM | IN | OUT | ||||
| Monkey Woman ♀ | Skills of a Monkey/Talk to Monkeys/High-Tech Weapons Disguised as Bananas/Bamboo Staff | IN | NOM | IN | IN | OUT | |||||
| The Iron Enforcer ♂ | Densest bone structure of any human/Death Punch/Various High-Tech Weapons | NOM | NOM | NOM | OUT | ||||||
| Cell Phone Girl ♀ | Teleport from one cell phone to another/Eyes can take digital photos/Mentally download information from a computer/Use cell phone waves to move objects and shoot laser beams | IN | IN | OUT | |||||||
| Nitro G ♂ | Super Strength/Super Speed/Flight/Manipulate Energy | IN | OUT | ||||||||
| Levity ♂ | Force Shields/Aerokinesis | OUT | |||||||||
| Rotiart ♂ | Spy Cameras | plant/spy for Lee, not a true contestant[1] | |||||||||
US Season 2
Two or three villains, Dr. Dark and Bee Sting,[12] were used in this season and there was an overarching story line.[2] In addition to the first season rewards of a Stan Lee written comic book published by Dark Horse and a Sci Fi Original movie appearance, the winning character would also get a Shocker Toys action figure.[13]
Jarrett Crippen's character was originally named Take Down, but as that name was trademarked by a wrestler, Stan Lee chose "The Defuser" after discussing his job as a police detective.[14] Crippen finished filming for his character's movie appearance by January 15, 2009. The movie, Lightning Strikes, also starred Kevin Sorbo.[15]
Key:
A plus sign indicates that the hero was singled out for praise by Lee in that episode.
| Superhero | Concept | 1 | 2 | 3a | 3b | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8[13] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Defuser ♂ | Use Non-Lethal Weapons/His body can function at 110%/Super Strength/Super Speed/Enhanced Reflexes/Super Hearing/Night Vision | IN | IN | IN | IN | NOM | NOM | IN | NOM | WIN |
| Hygena[2] ♀ | Use a magic necklace to turn cleaning tools into weapons | IN+ | IN+ | IN+ | IN | NOM | NOM | NOM | NOM | OUT |
| Hyper-Strike[2] ♂ | Martial Arts Expert/Super Strength/Enhanced Durability/Enhanced Agility/Can manipulate his Qi (Also known as chi or lifeforce) | IN | IN | IN | NOM | IN | IN+ | NOM | NOM | OUT |
| Parthenon ♂ | Super Strength/Vulnerability/Flight/Create Force Fields/Sonic Blast/Create Illusions | IN+ | IN | IN+ | IN | IN+ | IN | OUT | ||
| Whip-Snap ♀ | Expert at Using a Whip/Increased Flexibility/Decomposing Touch/Absorbs Strength from the Earth | IN+ | IN | IN | IN | IN | OUT | |||
| Basura ♀ | Use magic to turn trash into weapons/Communicate with Insects | IN+ | IN | NOM | NOM | OUT | ||||
| Ms. Limelight ♀ | Absorb the powers and skills of action stars from movies/Fantastic Swimmer/Sense People's Weaknesses/Use a mirror to temporarily blind her foes | NOM | NOM | NOM | OUT | |||||
| Mr. Mitzvah ♂ | Star of David paddle that can deflect any attack/Super Strength/Flight/Night Vision/Super Senses | NOM | NOM | OUT | ||||||
| Mindset ♂ | Super Intelligence/Telekinesis/Time Travel/Indestructible Armor/Sense Danger/Excellent Problem Solver | IN | OUT | |||||||
| Braid ♀ | Use hair extensions as a zip line/Shape Shifting/Super Smell/Can change into her costume using a prism stone | OUT |
UK Season 1
In the UK version, 13 children competed in superhero persona and was broadcast on CBBC.
References
- Heffernan, Virginia (August 3, 2006). "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?': Misfits Just Want to Save the World". New York Times. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- Canning, Robert (July 29, 2007). "SDCC 07: Who Wants to be a Superhero?". IGN. Ziff Davis LLC. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
- Kerwin, Ann Marie (July 26, 2006). "'Who Wants to Be a Superhero?' Who Doesn't?". Ad Age. Crain Communications. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- Dee, Johnny (May 4, 2007). "Johnny Dee on Who Wants To Be A Superhero?". the Guardian. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- Littleton, Cynthia (November 13, 2018). "How 'Who Wants to Be a Superhero' Reflected Stan Lee's Amazing Legacy and Goofy Charms". Variety. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- Goldman, Eric (September 6, 2006). "Who Wants to be a Superhero? Interview: Feedback". IGN. Ziff Davis, LLC. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- Renovitch, James (September 28, 2007). "Epaulets, Hard-Plastic C-Cups, and a Superhero Cop". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
- Bonawitz, Amy (August 25, 2006). "Who Wants To Be A Superhero?". CBS News.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- Snook, Raven (June 19, 2007). "Who Wants to Be an Action Figure?". TV Guide. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- "Mega Snake (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes.com. Fandango. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- West, Latoya. "Before You Watch Sci Fi's Who Wants To Be A Superhero?". about.com. About. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
- Logan, Michael (July 26, 2007). "Stan Lee Takes on Paris Hilton and Wannabe Superheroes". TV Guide. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
- Werts, Diane (September 7, 2007). "The TV Zone: New 'Superhero': The Defuser". Newsday. Archived from the original on September 16, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
- Grimes, Andrea (January 31, 2008). "Grown Man Wears Spandex, Touches Balls ..." The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
- Whittaker, Richard (January 15, 2009). "Shooting Hoops With the Defuser". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
External links
- Official Website
- Who Wants to Be a Superhero? UK version at BBC.co.uk
- Pictures and profiles of season one contestants at CBS News.com
- Who Wants to Be a Superhero? at IMDb
- Who Wants to Be a Superhero? at TV.com
- Page for the Dark Horse comic book
- Review of Who Wants to Be a Superhero? characters on Dark Horse Comics Page
