Favorite Superhero Weakness

[DrNewGod]

Weaknesses are kind of a lost art in superhero comics. That thing that could short circuit even the mightiest champions and lay them prey to a beatdown by the lowliest of pickpockets. Kryptonite, casting more than three hexes, man-chained braclets, being careless with where you put the hammer for more than one minute, the list was long in the old days.

For sure, in rushed or lesser authorial hands, weaknesses turned into cheap ways to make drama out of weak plots. In greater hands they made compelling stories of courage and ingenuity.

I'm not asking about stupid notions (like Hal Jordon's penchant for bonking his head, or Kent Nelson being a chump for a choke hold). What were good, character building weaknesses?

My personal fave was Snowbird. She didn't just assume a form, she mentally became that creature, and the longer she stayed in a form, the harder it was to shake off.

One of the things I loved about it never (to my knowledge) got explored: Snowbird had a human form, Anne McKenzie, Corporal, Canadian Royal Mounted Police. How much of Snowbird's attachment to our world was governed by her human form's personality?

Your fav?

[Powerboy]

Aqua man's need to be in water, when done wrong, made him a joke. But, when done well, emphasized his affinity for the sea and kept him in the environment where he belonged, rather than being forced into Justice League stories where he shouldn't have been.

But my favorite weakness was Tony Stark's heart condition. When done by good writers, it had real pathos, reminding us this is a guy who shouldn't be doing this stuff at all but constantly risks a major heart attack to get out there and help people.

[DrNewGod]

Aqua man's need to be in water, when done wrong, made him a joke. But, when done well, emphasized his affinity for the sea and kept him in the environment where he belonged, rather than being forced into Justice League stories where he shouldn't have been.

But my favorite weakness was Tony Stark's heart condition. When done by good writers, it had real pathos, reminding us this is a guy who shouldn't be doing this stuff at all but constantly risks a major heart attack to get out there and help people.

That was my number two. Tony should always chained by two factors, his karmic debts, and the heart wound tied to his karmic debts.

[K7P5V]

Hopefully this counts, but a personal favorite would be Yamcha & his fear of women

[DrNewGod]

Hopefully this counts, but a personal favorite would be Yamcha & his fear of women

I'm unfamiliar with the character. What was the story advantage lent by the weakness?

[Riv86672]

Always thought this was morbidly funny…:

[TheRay]

Mister Mxyzptlk not being able to handle saying his name backwards. (I know, not a hero, but still it’s a good one.)

[The Darknight Detective]

Mister Mxyzptlk not being able to handle saying his name backwards. (I know, not a hero, but still it’s a good one.)

Yeah, that is a great one, regardless.

Favorite weakness? Guess it's kryptonite and all its variations. It's certainly the first weakness I can recall.

[babyblob]

I always enjoyed that Superman was weak to magic but they never used it enough.

[Android 17]

Storm being claustrophobic was always interesting to me.

[From The Shadows]

Always thought this was morbidly funny…:

Damn Logans a dick here. Even I didn't think Logan could be this much of a jerk.

[DrNewGod]

I always enjoyed that Superman was weak to magic but they never used it enough.

They used it a ton. It was like every third Silver Age Justice League issue curbed Supes with magic

[Riv86672]

Damn Logans a dick here. Even I didn't think Logan could be this much of a jerk.

^^^Totally out of character for him, but darkly funny.

Green Arrow’s Kryptonite is women. And man has it been used to maximum effect!