Marvel’s Cosmic Heroes - Reboot?

[billee0918]

Was a very casual cosmic reader over the years but went down a quantum portal reading on Unlimited.
I feel like a lot of the main heroes are overpowered, with similar yet ill-defined powers and limits.
I’m talking Nova, Silver Surfer, The Quasars, Warlock and Mar-Vell, specifically.

Makes me wonder if a relaunch with better defined, more clearly varied powers, at lower levels, might make for stronger stories.

I know there are lots of experts here, so eager to learn!

[kevlon]

I don't think they are overpowered. Those heroes are there to face cosmic level threats that earth heroes wouldn't be able to cope with.

[SplinteringHeart]

I don't think they are overpowered. Those heroes are there to face cosmic level threats that earth heroes wouldn't be able to cope with.

That's right..cosmic heroes need cosmic level powers...that's the beauty of them, those stories can take you to other worlds and off the scale scenarios...can still be done with good writing, and has been done so..I loved the Surfer/Warlock/Mar-Vell stories 1960s to 1980s..

[Digifiend]

Why does Mar-Vell warrant a mention here? His power levels are irrelevant, because he's dead. Of course, you could mention Carol, Genis, or Phyla...

[davew128]

Why does Mar-Vell warrant a mention here? His power levels are irrelevant, because he's dead. Of course, you could mention Carol, Genis, or Phyla...

Not only that, but his power levels were NEVER on par with Surfer, Warlock, Nova (as he is now) or Quasar.

[Shadowcat]

If anyone needs depowering, it’s heroes like the Hulk, and other more earthly heroes should be. Not everyone needs to be a cosmic level powerhouse.

[SplinteringHeart]

Not only that, but his power levels were NEVER on par with Surfer, Warlock, Nova (as he is now) or Quasar.

Dead or not, and parity with Surfer or not I'm remembering Mar-Vell with super strength, ability to fly, in space, absorb solar energy, and, he gained "cosmic awareness"

Long before the infinity gems storyline we had the cosmic cube storyline...Thanos with ultimate power from the cube..Captain Marvel was Thanos's nemesis and once seen you can never forget Mar-Vell aging/crumbling but successfully smashing the cube...and next was Mar-Vell and the Avengers (and others) taking on Thanos again in Avengers annual #7/ Two in One Annual #2...

The original classic unforgettable storylines involving Cap Marvel, Warlock etc, classics by Jim Starlin...that's what I'm thinking of when I mention Captain Marvel..

[Baron of Faltine]

Was a very casual cosmic reader over the years but went down a quantum portal reading on Unlimited.
I feel like a lot of the main heroes are overpowered, with similar yet ill-defined powers and limits.
I’m talking Nova, Silver Surfer, The Quasars, Warlock and Mar-Vell, specifically.

Makes me wonder if a relaunch with better defined, more clearly varied powers, at lower levels, might make for stronger stories.

I know there are lots of experts here, so eager to learn!

Better defined powers, sure. Power level are as good as they should considering that cosmic being are supposed to deal with cosmic threat. As theoretically face a space battleship, eldritch cosmic gods, armies, abominations devolved from the concept of pi, pseud kryptonians and similar. And sometimes their powers is not enough.
Now Cosmic power, what Silver Surfer and fe others have, is kind of fuzzy, but is Jack of all trades power allowijgnto simulate any other powers(or so it is translated in faserip....a system that even now still work...wtf? Is that good? Yes yes it is)
Nova has the nova force, that deal with gravity mostly, hence the insane speed and strength the Nova,s have, but the power output depend on the hierarchy in the corps, the lower you are on the scale the less power you got. At bare minimum is flight at insane speed, level fo super strength(more than spidey less than hulk) , quasar has pretty much Green Lantern style powers, boosted when he is champion of galaxy, warlock has similar cosmic power manipulation power( at times supposed to be the base of all superpowers...as most superabilities are just super specific cosmic power use..but that theory was ignored later...) integrated with some mystic link of sort. But overall, power stunt apart, he can bist slightly his strength, shot force/energy bolts, surivfe5 in the void of space, and got some advanced sensitive powers., Mar-vell is funny case. At first was just a kree soldier(all kree are stronger than human due their world having higher gravity) with advanced weapons, then got a genetic treatment that allowed him tk process solar energy and get extrasolar from it( because his basepowers were kind of lame) than got the nega-bands(full on Superman powers with those things) then become champion of life of the universe...and then died of cancer because even after all this no one really cared much about him...

[K7P5V]

That's right..cosmic heroes need cosmic level powers...that's the beauty of them, those stories can take you to other worlds and off the scale scenarios...can still be done with good writing, and has been done so..I loved the Surfer/Warlock/Mar-Vell stories 1960s to 1980s..

Indeed. Along with the stories from the 1990s, where Thanos officially became top-tier...

Dead or not, and parity with Surfer or not I'm remembering Mar-Vell with super strength, ability to fly, in space, absorb solar energy, and, he gained "cosmic awareness"

Long before the infinity gems storyline we had the cosmic cube storyline...Thanos with ultimate power from the cube..Captain Marvel was Thanos's nemesis and once seen you can never forget Mar-Vell aging/crumbling but successfully smashing the cube...and next was Mar-Vell and the Avengers (and others) taking on Thanos again in Avengers annual #7/ Two in One Annual #2...

The original classic unforgettable storylines involving Cap Marvel, Warlock etc, classics by Jim Starlin...that's what I'm thinking of when I mention Captain Marvel..

Yeah! "The Final Threat" is an all-time classic (IMHO):

[kcekada]

I don't think they are overpowered. Those heroes are there to face cosmic level threats that earth heroes wouldn't be able to cope with.

Right. Cosmic implies a different level of abilities. I feel they already stepped back on the cosmic aspect when Guardians of the Galaxy was rebooted using characters in this time period instead of the guys like Chondru and Starhawk. If you want a specific definied set of abilities, stick with the street fighters.

[davew128]

Dead or not, and parity with Surfer or not I'm remembering Mar-Vell with super strength, ability to fly, in space, absorb solar energy, and, he gained "cosmic awareness"

Long before the infinity gems storyline we had the cosmic cube storyline...Thanos with ultimate power from the cube..Captain Marvel was Thanos's nemesis and once seen you can never forget Mar-Vell aging/crumbling but successfully smashing the cube...and next was Mar-Vell and the Avengers (and others) taking on Thanos again in Avengers annual #7/ Two in One Annual #2...

The original classic unforgettable storylines involving Cap Marvel, Warlock etc, classics by Jim Starlin...that's what I'm thinking of when I mention Captain Marvel..

I read the books. Bottom line, his strength level was at best Class 10, and his energy output nowhere anyone else on the list. While he was "cosmic", it was because he wasn't from Earth and operated in space. His power level simply isn't and wasn't comparable. Drax was far more powerful than he was.

[Golden_Guardian]

If they ever bring back The Sentry (though with the slow but sure emergence of Miracle Man - something I am cautiously optimistic about - why would they bother?) I'd rather see the character move to the cosmic stage rather than being mis-used on Earth.

[kilderkin]

I read the books. Bottom line, his strength level was at best Class 10, and his energy output nowhere anyone else on the list. While he was "cosmic", it was because he wasn't from Earth and operated in space. His power level simply isn't and wasn't comparable. Drax was far more powerful than he was.

Less powerful maybe

But no less cosmic

And perhaps a justification of using lower power sets even at cosmic level


Though that's not something I'd want myself

[Darkshadow]

If they ever bring back The Sentry (though with the slow but sure emergence of Miracle Man - something I am cautiously optimistic about - why would they bother?) I'd rather see the character move to the cosmic stage rather than being mis-used on Earth.

Really good point. For me, I'd rather see Sentry go through an extended period of sanity, crushing cosmic menaces in his left hand, than see Miracle Man get shoe horned in.

Though...I guess when it comes to shoe horning, Sentry is a poster boy.

[Phoenixx9]

I don't think they are overpowered. Those heroes are there to face cosmic level threats that earth heroes wouldn't be able to cope with.

That's right..cosmic heroes need cosmic level powers...that's the beauty of them, those stories can take you to other worlds and off the scale scenarios...can still be done with good writing, and has been done so..I loved the Surfer/Warlock/Mar-Vell stories 1960s to 1980s..

Right. Cosmic implies a different level of abilities. I feel they already stepped back on the cosmic aspect when Guardians of the Galaxy was rebooted using characters in this time period instead of the guys like Chondru and Starhawk. If you want a specific definied set of abilities, stick with the street fighters.

I agree with you all.

I love our Cosmic Heroes and Villains!

They have a special place and not everyone is a fan of them, but I would love to see more of them, maybe have a few teams or many members who get enlisted depending on the situation and the powers needed to handle it.