History ComicBook / Powerless

See also ''ComicBook/BulletPoints'' for a series that similarly turns the MarvelUniverse on its head, and as such, for example, in Italy got reprinted together with Powerless in a single book. The ''Noir'' books also tread a lot of the same ground but transfer the setting to the 1930s.

Marvel's ''Powerless'' is a 6-issue miniseries (August, 2004-January, 2005). It was co-written by Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson. The art was done by Michael Gaydos. The setting, in a nutshell, is a re-imagining of the whole Franchise/MarvelUniverse, with a twist consisting of - well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the lack of any superpowers at all.]] This may be mistaken as both inverting and playing the RecycledInSpace trope straight, but there's more than that. Let's just say it turns out to be a GenreShift from your usual SuperHero comic to some kind of thriller.

People such as [[ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} Matt Murdock]], [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Peter Parker]], [[ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} Logan]], [[ComicBook/ThePunisher Frank Castle]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]] and the like are all connected to their therapist, Doctor William Watts; after he awakens from a three-day coma spent dreaming of the main Marvel universe, Watts begins even [[MythologyGag hallucinating said people's Earth-616 analogues as soon as their name is mentioned]].

Please be sure to add tropes with spoilers, all ye Tropers who browse.

* KarmaHoudini: Wilson Fisk, obviously. [[spoiler: Until he has to "consider himself punished"]].
* KickTheDog: [[spoiler:Wilson Fisk does this to a MisBlamed Frank Castle, but beware...]]
** TheDogBitesBack: [[spoiler:Castle eventually kills Fisk.]]

* MiscarriageOfJustice: Frank Castle, very nearly.

* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Poor [[spoiler: Matt Murdock]], [[KilledOffForReal he didn't survive that one.]]

* RealityEnsues

* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler: Fisk shamelessly teases Matt Murdock with photos depicting his OldShame - namely, Matt doing drugs - ''right before killing him''.]]
* ShoutOut: Too many to count - but they're more like [[MythologyGag a certain similar trope you can see above]].

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The [[spoiler: Iron Man suit]].
* WhoopiEpiphanySpeech: Referenced by Peter Parker when he [[spoiler: asks Watts one]].
* WolverineClaws: Logan still has them but here they are bladed gauntlets instead of metal laced bone claws. It's the closest thing to a real superpower still existing in this universe. That, and the [[spoiler: Iron Man suit (if it [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse will ever be completed]])]].
* YouCantFightFate: [[spoiler: Matt Murdock]]; [[spoiler: [[ScrewDestiny averted]]]] with [[spoiler: Peter Parker and Logan]].

!!This MarvelComicsSeries provides examples of:

People such as [[Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} Matt Murdock]], [[Comicbook/SpiderMan Peter Parker]], [[Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} Logan]], [[Comicbook/ThePunisher Frank Castle]], [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]] and the like are all connected to their therapist, Doctor William Watts; after he awakens from a three-day coma spent dreaming of the main Marvel universe, Watts begins even [[MythologyGag hallucinating said people's Earth-616 analogues as soon as their name is mentioned]].

In this universe, when Peter Parker isn't bullied by a JerkJock, he's threatened by Norman Osborn simply for working for [[Comicbook/IronMan Tony Stark]] instead. And instead of getting superpowers, the spider-bite only made his right arm almost useless.

* AdaptationalNationality:
** All of the characters undergo massive status quo changes from their mainstream counterparts, but ComicBook/{{Magneto}} is one of the most drastic examples. Instead of an elderly European Holocaust survivor named Erik Lensherr (born Max Eisenhardt), he's a middle-aged American politician named Eric Magnus.

People such as [[Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} Matt Murdock]], [[Comicbook/SpiderMan Peter Parker]], [[Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} Logan]], [[Comicbook/ThePunisher Frank Castle]], [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]] and the like are all connected to their therapist, Doctor William Watts: after he awakens from a three-day coma spent dreaming of the main Marvel universe, Watts begins even [[MythologyGag hallucinating said people's Earth-616 analogues as soon as their name is mentioned]].

Essentially, this is what would happen if Creator/{{Christopher Nolan}} were to reimagine the Marvel Universe in the vein of ''Film/TheDarkKnightSaga''.

* DemotedToExtra: [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Reed and Susan Richards]], the prison inmates (see Mythology Gag below), [[Comicbook/DoctorStrange Stephen Strange]], [[ComicBook/AntMan Henry Pym]], [[ComicBook/XMen Emma Frost]], and to a lesser extent, Bruce Banner.

** Logan's plot is kicked off by the murder of Charles Xavier.

** [[spoiler: Logan kills Mystique after she tries to report back to her superiors, and then [[DisposingOfABody disposes of her body]]]].

* DisneyVillainDeath: in a ''[[VindicatedByHistory truly satisfying fashion]]'', this time is [[spoiler: [[{{Irony}} Norman Osborn the one who suffers Gwen Stacy's fate]].]] The trope alone, however, is subverted in that [[DiesWideOpen you get to see the outcome]].

* KarmaHoudini: Wilson Fisk, obviously. [[spoiler: Until he has to [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome "consider himself punished"]].]]

* DemotedToExtra: [[Comicbook/FantasticFour Reed and Susan Richards]], the prison inmates (see Mythology Gag below), [[Comicbook/DoctorStrange Stephen Strange]], [[ComicBook/AntMan Henry Pym]], [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Emma Frost]], and to a lesser extent, Bruce Banner.

** All of the characters undergo massive status quo changes from their mainstream counterparts, but SelfDemonstrating/{{Magneto}} is one of the most drastic examples. Instead of an elderly European Holocaust survivor named Erik Lensherr (born Max Eisenhardt), he's a middle-aged American politician named Eric Magnus.

Marvel's ''Powerless'' is a 6-issue mini-series (August, 2004-January, 2005). It was co-written by Matt Cherniss and Peter Johnson. The art was done by Michael Gaydos. The setting in a nutshell is a re-imagining of the whole Franchise/MarvelUniverse, with a twist consisting of - well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the lack of any superpowers at all.]] This may be mistaken as both inverting and playing the RecycledInSpace trope straight, but there's more than that. Let's just say it turns out to be a GenreShift from your usual SuperHero comic to some kind of thriller.

People such as [[Comicbook/{{Daredevil}} Matt Murdock]], [[Comicbook/SpiderMan Peter Parker]], [[Comicbook/{{Wolverine}} Logan]], [[Comicbook/ThePunisher Frank Castle]], [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]] and the like are all connected to their therapist, doctor William Watts: after he awakens from a three-day coma spent dreaming of the main Marvel universe, Watts begins even [[MythologyGag hallucinating said people's Earth-616 analogues as soon as their name is mentioned]].

In this universe, Matt Murdock is a blind, yet brilliant attorney, whose struggle against Wilson Fisk seems to be {{Unwinnable}} due to the latter having blackmailed a MisBlamed Frank Castle into admitting a crime he didn't commit, in order to get away with it. A [[TraumaCongaLine particularly traumatic experience]] is only [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished the first price the man will pay for doing his job.]]

See also ''ComicBook/BulletPoints'' for a series that similarly turns the MarvelUniverse on its head, and as such, for example, in Italy got reprinted together with Powerless in a single book. The ''Noir'' books also tread a lot of the same ground, but transfer the setting to the 1930s.

** [[spoiler: It's unclear, but it's possible Mort (Toad) was killed in the car accident Logan caused, since he's [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse never seen or mentioned again]]]].

** The prototype Iron Man is much more in line with real world modern military technology, as it lacks the ability to fly or fire repulsor blasts. It also apparently isn't powered by an arc reactor, meaning it'd likely have a much shorter battery life before shutting down.

Unrelated to the TV series ''Series/{{Powerless 2017}}'', about a non-powered CleanupCrew in [[Franchise/DCUniverse The DC TV Universe]].

* AdaptationalNationality / AdaptationNameChange/ AgeLift:
** All of the characters undergo massive status quo changes from their mainstream counterparts, but SelfDemonstrating/{{Magneto}} is one of the most drastic examples. Instead of an elderly European Holocaust survivor named Erik Lensherr (born Max Eisenhardt), he's a middle-aged American politician named Eric Magnus.
** Also, since he lacks slowed aging or a {{Healing Factor}}s in this continuity, it's safe to assume Logan [[OlderThanTheyLook wasn't born in the 1800's here]].
* BadassNormal: [[spoiler: Logan]], of course. Hell, he even has [[spoiler: what may presumably be considered the only artificial superpower of this universe, that is, WolverineClaws]]. Also, [[spoiler: Frank Castle]] fits the trope when he [[spoiler: becomes The Punisher]].

Unrelated to the TV series ''Series/{{Powerless}}'', about a non-powered CleanupCrew in [[Franchise/DCUniverse The DC TV Universe]].

* WolverineClaws: The only superpower still existing in this universe. That, and the [[spoiler: Iron Man suit (if it [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse will ever be completed]])]].

* ImportantHaircut: [[spoiler:Not as much as ain Important ''Mustache''cut, but there you go. That's how Watts becomes a carbon copy of the watcher (as noted below, see "The Watcher"), thus ending the series.]]

* RealityEnsues: Aside from the obvious lack of powers, a few more things are treated more realistically in this universe. For one, the prototype Iron Man is much more in line with real world modern military technology, as it lacks the ability to fly or fire repulsor blasts. It also apparently isn't powered by an arc reactor, meaning it'd likely have a much shorter battery life before shutting down.

* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[Spoiler: It initially seems like history is going to repeat itself and Gwen is going to be killed by Norman Osborn. However, Peter manages to catch her before she falls off the roof]].

* {{Elseworld}}: No duh.

See also "BulletPoints" for a series that similarly turns the MarvelUniverse on its head, and as such, for example, in Italy got reprinted together with Powerless in a single book. The ''Noir'' books also tread a lot of the same ground, but transfer the setting to the 1930s.

Marvel's ''Powerless'' in a nutshell - a re-imagining of the whole Franchise/MarvelUniverse, with a twist consisting of - well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the lack of any superpowers at all.]] This may be mistaken as both inverting and playing the RecycledInSpace trope straight, but there's more than that. Let's just say it turns out to be a GenreShift from your usual SuperHero comic to some kind of thriller.

* KickTheDog: [[spoiler: Wilson Fisk does this to a MisBlamed Frank Castle, but beware...]]

* KilledOffForReal: by the end of the miniseries, the body count is as follows: [[spoiler: [[TogetherInDeath Matt Murdock and Karen Page]], Wilson Fisk, Norman Osborn,]] and ''heavily'' implied with [[spoiler: Eric Magnus and Mystique.]]
* LampshadeHanging: of a MythologyGag - when leaving Peter alone, fellow scientist Curt Connors says he has to do experiments with reptiles, about which he comments, "Don't ask".

* MythologyGag: oh, ''all over the place''. This trope gets pulled off best when a panel shows a shot of various super-villains (another superimposed hallucination of Watts) and the next one shows their ''Powerless'' counterparts, who are simple jailbirds.

* RedRightHand: well, a whole right ''arm'' at that, but still, Peter Parker's epic ButtMonkey status has reached even this universe, this time with the spider not only [[ComesGreatResponsibility giving him problems as usual]], but even ''weakening him instead of giving him superpowers''. Poor boy, [[TheWoobie you'll just want to hug him]].

* ShoutOut: way, way, way, ''way'' too many to count - but they're more like [[MythologyGag a certain similar trope you can see above]].
* TitleDrop: as remarked [[spoiler: by Watts in the very last panel of the whole series]], "Sometimes we're just powerless".
* VFormationTeamShot: the cover of the first issue, as shown above.

* TheWatcher: [[spoiler: quite fittingly, the audiece discovers that Watts is an alternate version of The Watcher when [[TomatoInTheMirror he looks in the mirror]].]]

* WolverineClaws: the only superpower still existing in this universe. That, and the [[spoiler: Iron Man suit (if it [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse will ever be completed]])]].

Essentially, this is what would happen if Creator/{{Christopher Nolan}} were to reimagine the Marvel Universe.

* BadassNormal: [[spoiler: Logan]], of course. Hell, he even has [[spoiler: what may presumably be considered the only artificial superpower of this universe, that is, WolverineClaws]].
** Also, [[spoiler: Frank Castle]] fits the trope when he [[spoiler: becomes The Punisher]].

* ComesGreatResponsibility: referenced by Peter, [[MythologyGag when he tells Watts about something his uncle Ben said before dying]].
* CrapsackWorld: this series shows ''very well'' what living in the same city where either Osborn or Fisk, in a real world without superpowers, is like. But with this being the MarvelUniverse, this is a given.
* {{Elseworld}}: no duh.

* InSpiteOfANail: [[spoiler: Even in a universe without superpowers, Wolverine is still Weapon X and Frank Castle still becomes the Punisher.]]
* TheGwenStacy: [[spoiler: averted.]]
* HeroicBSOD: Poor Watts, when he saw the headlines announcing [[spoiler: Matt Murdock's assassination]], he didn't take it well. Doubles as OhCrap.
* [[spoiler: ImportantHaircut]]: [[spoiler: not as much as ain Important ''Mustache''cut, but there you go. That's how Watts becomes a carbon copy of the watcher (as noted below, see "The Watcher"), thus ending the series.]]

** ... [[spoiler: TheDogBitesBack]].
* KilledOffForReal: by the end of the miniseries, the body count is as follows: [[spoiler: [[TogetherInDeath Matt Murdock and Karen Page]], Wilson Fisk, Norman Osborn,]] and ''heavily'' implied with [[spoiler: Eric Magnus]].
** [[spoiler: Mystique too.]]

* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler: Fisk shamelessly teases Matt Murdock with photos depicting his OldShame - namely, Matt doing drugs - ''[[PlayerPunch right before killing him]]''.]]

* [[spoiler: WhatHappenedToTheMouse]]: the [[spoiler: Iron Man suit]].
* WhoopiEpiphanySpeech: referenced by Peter Parker when he [[spoiler: asks Watts one]].
* [[spoiler: WolverineClaws]]: the only superpower still existing in this universe. That, and the [[spoiler: Iron Man suit (if it [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse will ever be completed]])]].
* [[spoiler: YouCantFightFate]]: [[spoiler: Matt Murdock]]; [[spoiler: [[ScrewDestiny averted]]]] with [[spoiler: Peter Parker and Logan]].