History Main / Superzeroes

* Anime/SailorMoon: Even though the heroines are for the most part (fairly) competent when battling bad guys, they still fall into bumbling on occasion, still owing to the show's lighthearted and comedic [[SlapstickKnowsNoGender nature]]. [[TheKlutz Moon]] [[ButtMonkey herself]] tends to get this the worst.

* Anime/SailorMoon: Even though the heroines are for the most part fairly competent when battling bad guys, they fall into this from time to time, still owing to the show's comedic [[SlapstickKnowsNoGender nature]]. [[TheKlutz Moon]] [[ButtMonkey herself]] tends to get this the worst.

* The First American, a notably useless and stupid costumed hero created by Creator/AlanMoore for his America's Best Comics title ''ComicBook/TomorrowStories''. As [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_American_(comics) says]], "Given his incompetence, he demonstrates below average physical abilities." Which is to say, he can perform multiple backflips in rapid succession and knows how to pop a bad guy in the face -- he is just really ''bad'' at it.

* Captain Hero from ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'' is what happens when you combine the powers of Superman with the personality of [[WesterAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce Master Shake]]. He's cowardly, selfish, and extremely stupid, and as a result spends more time committing crimes than stopping them.

%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheAwesomes''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' has The [=AntAgonizer=] and The Mechanist, two crazy losers who are constantly battling with each other. While the former is hardly anything to worry about since her power is the ability to control GoddamnedBats in a society where everyone is armed to some extent, the latter is a skilled engineer capable of making MechaMooks that are a bit more troublesome to deal with.

* ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' produces three losers, Ren Amagi, Motoyasu Kitamura and Itsuki Kawasumi. Despite having many advantages the protagonist Naofumi Iwatani lacks, such as powerful magical weapons with actual offensive power [[note]]Naofumi's "weapon" turns him into a StoneWall, so he relies on his teammates for offensive power[[/note]], parties of various specialized fighters, and the backing of the king, they all show themselves to be hilariously incompetent heroes. Their only noticeable accomplishment is defeating the boss of the first wave outside of the audience's view, leaving nothing else but a ''downright abysmal'' track record. Not helping their case is Naofumi frequently having to fix the messes they unwittingly make in their little solo adventures, how they proved to be highly ineffective against the boss of the second wave, got curbstomped by Glass ''in a single move'' (Naofumi also loses against her, but his defeat [[CurbStompCushion is far more dignified]]), [[RunningGag proved to be highly ineffective against the boss of the third wave]] (and to add insult to the injury, they expected to loot the boss' drops even though they literally did no damage from their attacks to the Wave Boss itself) and got curbstomped by [[spoiler:L'Arc]] ''in a single move, again''. It's no wonder that Glass and [[spoiler:L'Arc]] both see Naofumi as the only one of the four cardinal heroes worthy of any respect.

* ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' produces three losers, Ren Amagi, Motoyasu Kitamura and Itsuki Kawasumi. Despite having many advantages the protagonist Naofumi Iwatani lacks, such as powerful magical weapons with actual offensive power [[note]]Naofumi's "weapon" turns him into a StoneWall, so he relies on his teammates for offensive power[[/note]], parties of various specialized fighters, and the backing of the king, they all show themselves to be hilariously incompetent heroes. Their only noticeable accomplishment is defeating the boss of the first wave outside of the audience's view, leaving nothing else but a ''downright abysmal'' track record. Not helping their case is Naofumi frequently has to fix the messes they unwittingly make in their solo adventures, how they proved to be highly ineffective against the boss of the second wave, got curbstomped by Glass ''in a single move'' (Naofumi also loses against her, but his defeat [[CurbStompCushion is far more dignified]]), [[RunningGag proved to be highly ineffective against the boss of the third wave]] (and to add insult to the injury, they expected to loot the boss' drops) and got curbstomped by [[spoiler:L'Arc]] ''in a single move, again''. It's no wonder that Glass and [[spoiler:L'Arc]] both see Naofumi as the only one of the four heroes worthy of any respect.

** An episode with this trope title has the girls decide to adopt identities based on the superheroes in their favorite comics. Blossom becomes [[Franchise/WonderWoman Liberty Belle]], but since [[FridgeLogic she now drives the "Morality Mobile"]], she gets stuck in traffic. Bubble becomes [[{{Manga}} Harmony Bunny]] who travels by pogo stick and attacks by throwing stickers. Buttercup as [[ComicBook/{{Spawn}} Mange]] won't do anything because of the [[WeaksauceWeakness sunlight]]. They take an extremely long time to actually get to where a monster is attacking, and their attacks have no effect. The monster eventually gets fed up and tells them to lose the identities.

* Principal Damocles from ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', a big comic book fan, tries to become a costumed hero in the episode "Dark Owl". Unfortunately, he is ''not'' a BadassNormal, nor does he have a Miraculous to give him superpowers. Even innocent things like saving a cat in a tree are beyond him, requiring Ladybug and Cat Noir to intervene before he gets hurt. By the end of the episode, he decides to focus on more mundane good-doing like community service, although he still keeps his costume.

* The Majestic Twelve from ''Manga/ZatchBell''. They actually do have some pretty cool powers (or at least, some of them do), but they're never seen to do anything particularly useful unless you count Big Boing being funny.
* Radar Man from ''Anime/ParanoiaAgent'' is a tragic [[SubvertedTrope subversion]]. [[spoiler:Admittedly, he was doing pretty well up until the point he tried attacking Shonen Bat head-on.]]
* Mister Satan from ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' is a variation; he's not a superhero, but the series stresses how the main characters all outclass him (up to and including a six-year-old kid and his own daughter). And he does get the plot about saving the day against Buu. It should be noted, that Mister Satan ''is'' the [[BadassNormal strongest non-ki user in the world]], has won the World Martial Arts Tournament several times over, and is widely popular and celebrated among the population, all through his own hard work. He just happens to share a universe with people who can spam mountain-destroying ki blasts.

* ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'' produces three losers, Ren Amagi, Motoyasu Kitamura & Itsuki Kawasumi. Despite having many advantages the protagonist Naofumi Iwatani lacks, such as powerful magical weapons with actual offensive power [[note]]Naofumi's "weapon" turns him into a StoneWall, so he relies on his teammates for offensive power[[/note]], parties of various specialized fighters, and the backing of the king, they all show themselves to be hilariously incompetent heroes. Their only noticeable accomplishment is defeating the boss of the first wave outside of the audience's view, leaving nothing else but a ''downright abysmal'' track record. Not helping their case is Naofumi frequently has to fix the messes they unwittingly make in their solo adventures, how they proved to be highly ineffective against the boss of the second wave, got curbstomped by Glass ''in a single move'' (Naofumi also loses against her, but his defeat [[CurbStompCushion is far more dignified]]), [[RunningGag proved to be highly ineffective against the boss of the third wave]] (and to add insult to the injury, they expected to loot the boss' drops) and got curbstomped by [[spoiler:L'Arc]] ''in a single move, again''. It's no wonder that Glass and [[spoiler:L'Arc]] both see Naofumi as the only one of the four heroes worthy of any respect.
* Played With in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''. In a world where EveryoneIsASuper, naturally not everybody is going to have a super-awesome power. Or even a ''good'' one. But then, not everyone is even trying to be a superhero. Subverted in that there are entire schools dedicated to discovering the true possibilities of one's Quirk, and how best to use it, so people with seemingly worthless powers can prove to be surprisingly effective heroes.

* ''ComicBook/PS238'' is largely a subversion -- no matter what powers a meta-prodigy has, the school tries to find some useful way to employ those powers, and they largely succeed. A possible case of this trope being played straight appeared in an early strip, when a mother was trying to pick out a costume for her superpowered son, who turned out to have the ability to animate balloon animals.

** The Masked Whitewasher's debut story implies that Duckburg has this as a CyclicTrope, with some superhero appearing, getting some fame and then having to retire because he ca not keep up, with only Paperinik (who is actually an UnscrupulousHero) remaining permanently in service (the Red Bat takes long periods of vacations, and Paperinika explicitly retired for a while).

* Bailey Hopkins, AKA "X-Ceptional", the protagonist of the miniseries ''Worst X-Man Ever'' is a mutant who discovers that he has the mutant power to explode, which would kill him if he were to actually use it. While Forge builds him a suit of PoweredArmor, after a cowardly Purifier [[FrivolousLawsuit sues him for "emotional damages"]] he loses it and gets tossed around various B-lister teams, all of which he fails to fit in due to his lack of any useful skills, inability to stomach extreme violence and general social awkwardness. Eventually, he ends up settling into a team composed of fellow classmates where he is relegated to snack duty.

* The ''ComicBook/WildCATS'' had a resident Super Zero in the form of Voodoo, whose ability to spot people possessed by the evil aliens was actually pretty useful, but countered by her lack of the most basic combat skills. She was such a load that she was briefly kicked off the team before a convenient PlotTailoredToTheParty reminded everyone that they needed her.

* The eponymous protagonist of ''ComicBook/{{Rat-Man}}'' is an almost totally useless cretin and coward, whose attempts at being a superhero tend to end with his total humiliation. Keyword: almost. Once in a while he'll pull something worth of actual superheroes, like jumping on the head of a [[EldritchAbomination Shadow]]-possessed villain while being ''forced on an electric wheelchair'' (apparently there's the right sequence of commands for that) or ''[[SummonBiggerFish summoning freakin']] Creator/ChuckNorris'' on a [[HeroKiller killer robot designed specifically to kill superheroes]]. Also, [[HeroKiller Valker]] treats him with (grudging) respect since he managed to be the only superhero savvy enough to survive a hostile encounter with him: most heroes think he won't shoot or that [[BulletCatch they can catch bullets with their hands]] and get killed, but Rat-Man ''stole his gun''.

* Illumina of ''Webcomic/SidekickGirl''. She can float and glow, but she looks the part and in her [[TheVerse Verse]], that's what matters. Her boyfriend, Malestrom, is just as bad. But when Val takes over her body via FreakyFridayFlip, she shows what Illumina's powers can do in the hands of someone competent (i.e. use her floating powers as a "feather fall" spell and glow bright enough to stun a crowd of mooks into helplessness). Subverted recently when she TookALevelInBadass, as she discovered she had [[spoiler:flight and other gravity powers]] while fighting [[spoiler:her brother Declan]].

Many people feel that the SuperHero is an inherently silly concept. And certainly, many of the genre's conventions -- such as the use of strange, skintight costumes -- might look silly in RealLife. However, within their own setting, superheroes are usually accepted and admired.

* Principal Damocles from ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', a big comic book fan, tries to become a costumed hero in the episode "Dark Owl". Unfortunately, he is ''not'' a BadassNormal, nor has he a Miraculous to give him superpowers. Even innocent things like saving a cat in a tree are beyond him, requiring Ladybug and Cat Noir to intervene before he gets hurt. By the end of the episode, he decides to focus on more mundane good-doing like community service, although he still keeps his costume.

** An episode with this trope title has the girls decide to adopt identities the superheroes in their favorite comics. Blossom becomes [[Franchise/WonderWoman Liberty Belle]], but since [[FridgeLogic she now drives the "Morality Mobile"]], she gets stuck in traffic. Bubble becomes [[{{Manga}} Harmony Bunny]] who travels by pogo stick and attacks by throwing stickers. Buttercup as [[ComicBook/{{Spawn}} Mange]] won't do anything because of the [[WeaksauceWeakness sunlight]]. They take an extremely long time to actually get to where a monster is attacking, and their attacks have no effect. The monster eventually gets fed up and tells them to lose the identities.

** An episode with this trope title has the girls decide to adopt identities the superheroes in their favorite comics. Blossom becomes [[Franchise/WonderWoman Liberty Belle]], but since [[FridgeLogic she now drives the "Freedin Mobile"]], she gets stuck in traffic. Bubble becomes [[{{Manga}} Harmony Bunny]] who travels by pogo stick and attacks by throwing stickers. Buttercup as [[ComicBook/{{Spawn}} Mange]] won't do anything because of the [[WeaksauceWeakness sunlight]]. They take an extremely long time to actually get to where a monster is attacking, and their attacks have no effect. The monster eventually gets fed up and tells them to lose the identities.

** An episode with this trope title has the girls decide to portray the superheroes in their favorite comics. Blossom becomes [[Franchise/WonderWoman Liberty Belle]], but as [[FridgeLogic she now drives]] the Freedom Mobile, she gets stuck in traffic. Bubble becomes [[{{Manga}} Harmony Bunny]] who attacks the monster by placing stickers on him. Buttercup as [[ComicBook/{{Spawn}} Mange]] won't do anything because of the [[WeaksauceWeakness sunlight]]. The monster eventually gets fed up and tells them to lose the identities.

''ComicBook/PowerAndGlory'': A-Pex is a [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction National Intelligence Agency]] agent who was given superpowers. Unfortunately, his neuroticism, [[TerrifiedOfGerms extreme mysophobia]], and general cowardice make him useless as a superhero, so the NIA has a BadassNormal agent named Michael Gorsky do the actual crime-fighting while A-Pex takes credit.

* From ''WebAnimation/LesKassos'', The I-Men are trying to audition to be accepted by the Franchise/XMen, but they all have lame costumes, names, and especially powers. Polystiro is a mutant of class 1.5 with control over Styrofoam. Brise can create small gusts of wind (strong enough to close a window). Graviton experiences 25 times Earth's gravity (which makes him barely able to move). Irrito is a ManChild with the most irritating voice in the world. And finally Pr. Genealogio can read in your family tree. The Professor X and Wolverine parodies aren't impressed, although not-Storm gives them points for trying.

** The super-team "The Civic-Minded Five" is made up five superheroes of varying levels of competence. Jungle Janet, a JunglePrincess archetype character, is an AmazonianBeauty and the most conventionally capable of them all. Team leader Four-Legged Man has no superpowers beyond having two pairs of legs, but is brave and a reasonable competent leader. Captain Mucilage uses head and finger-mounted goo blasters to launch a super-sticky chemical adhesive, which is... well, not the greatest superpower, but can be useful (it works for ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', after all). Then there's Feral Boy, who seems to be just a teenager with the mentality of a pet dog, and the Carpeted Man, who uses a shaggy bodysuit to build up surprisingly powerful static electricity shocks... but who tends to overheat and faint after being out and about for more than a few minutes, because he's going around wearing a shag rug bodysuit. Even his own team-members have called him out on how it's kind of a lame gimmick.

* ''Creator/HarryPartridge'': "Dr. Bees" is an ineffectual superhero [[YourAnswerToEverything whose solution to everything]] is to release "[[LargeHam a large influx of BEES!]]", which almost always just makes things worse.

* Rainbow Raider is a member of Franchise/TheFlash's RoguesGallery who dates back to the UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks. His gimmick? He's a color-blind would-be artist who uses goggles that, somehow, let him shoot colored beams of light with a variety of effects. When originally he introduced he was actually very effective, but he was so ridiculous that even Creator/GeoffJohns, a self-professed Silver Age AscendedFanboy (note: Despite his silver-age silliness he was from the Bronze Age) who brought back and revamped many of the Flash's other rogues from that era (like The Turtle), couldn't think of anything better to do with him than have him be killed off by a new villain for "being so obnoxious".\\\
Later, a ''team'' found and divided his gear. They were even ''more'' pathetic now they each had a single color to wield. Eventually, during the ComicBook/BlackestNight, they had the brilliant idea of killing themselves to allow the black rings to possess them and thus gain a measure of revenge. However, the black rings ''only'' choose people with close attachments to those who have cheated death (heroes, mostly). Ergo, they died for, well, nothing.

There are several types of "super zeroes". There's the character who might actually make a good superhero... if he had [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway anything resembling useful powers or skills]]. Often their powers will also be (or make them) [[WhatMeasureIsANonCute bizarre]] or [[LovecraftianSuperpower disgusting in appearance]]. Real heroes will try to [[NeverBeAHero dissuade them from fighting crime]], but usually they insist on trying anyway, getting themselves (and others) in danger. They usually end up scolded by other heroes and retiring after causing a particularly bad mess, though other times they continue being a thorn on an established hero's side, especially by trying to become that hero's {{sidekick}}. Often they [[TheWoobie inspire pity in fans]], and might even become an EnsembleDarkhorse. In such a case, they might actually get better with time, evolving into true heroes. Creator/DCComics' [[ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes Legion Of Substitute Heroes]] is an example of this type.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:FanWorks]]

* Illumina of ''Webcomic/SidekickGirl''. She can float and glow, but she looks the part and in her [[TheVerse Verse]], that's what matters. Her boyfriend, Malestrom, is just as bad. But when Val takes over her body via FreakyFridayFlip, she shows what Illumina's powers can do in the hands of someone competent. (i.e. Use her floating powers as a "feather fall" spell and glow bright enough to stun a crowd of mooks into helplessness.)
** Subverted recently when she TookALevelInBadass, as she discovered she had [[spoiler:flight and other gravity powers]] while fighting [[spoiler:her brother Declan]].

* The entire cast of ''Webcomic/LeagueOfSuperRedundantHeroes''. Particular mention must be made of Lazer Pony, who can fire powerful [[EyeBeam Frickin' Laser Beams]]from behind his eyes. Yes -- ''behind.'' His first use of his powers resulted in permanent blindness. His hero uniform features a set of handlebars on his helmet so that others can aim his beams.

* [[https://www.xkcd.com/1394/ This]] ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' is about a version of Franchise/{{Superman}} where the adjective "super" is intended to be just as impressive as it is in the astronomical term "supermoon", [[TakeThat meaning not very.]]

** The most extreme example is certainly Lose-Man. His superpower is to attract and absorb ambient"lose" -- meaning at the best of time he's extremely unlucky, and people slap or hit him without even meaning to. Sure, he can release all this energy in a devastating blast... about once a month.

* The {{WesternAnimation/Supernoobs}} are this mainly because they're a bunch of tweens given supersuits with special abilities and have no idea how to use them all yet and their trainers aren't much better what with the baking obsession and phobia of butterflies amongst other things.