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Since Marvel Comics has created thousands of characters with unique abilities and personalities, sometimes it becomes clear that some writers had run out of ideas.
10) Butterball
Ermery Schaub, aka Butterball, is similar to the rotund mutant supervillain the Blob, but without the perk of possessing superhuman strength. A recruit into the superhero Initiative program, Butterball is completely impervious to harm and can’t be killed. Unfortunately, his ability also means that he can’t gain or lose muscle mass, leaving him stuck as an unhealthy and overweight man. This weakness means Butterball is reduced to a punching bag for supervillains, as he lacks the strength and endurance to fight back. While being invincible is a nice power, it doesn’t make up for him being a weak, slow, and uncoordinated crimefighter who’s only useful in very specific situations.
9) Starfox
There are few superheroes in Marvel Comics with more problematic superpowers than Eros, aka Starfox. The hedonistic younger brother of Thanos, Starfox, decided to become a hero unlike his genocidal sibling. Starfox’s main abilities are that he can telepathically manipulate people through his speech and psychically stimulate the pleasure centers of their brains. These abilities, along with Starfox’s promiscuous lifestyle, led to many unsettling ethical concerns regarding consent. Starfox was even taken to court over sexual assault allegations. Although it was later proven that Starfox didn’t commit the crimes he was accused of, his gross powers still made him a liability. While it wasn’t the original writer’s intention, Starfox became an extremely creepy character, leaving many readers understandably uncomfortable.
8) Razorback
Just by looking at Buford Hollis, aka Razorback, you would probably assume he has some boar-like ability, given the massive and impractical boar helmet he wears. However, Razorback’s mutant ability is that he just instinctively knows how to drive any vehicle. While this ability is perfect for doing well on a driver’s exam, it’s a pretty lackluster skill to have when fighting supervillains. Even though the mane of his suit can release bursts of electricity, the costume’s overall design is too goofy to be taken seriously. Razorback was part of a weird time in Marvel Comics history when they tried to appeal to a trucker audience, which obviously hit some bumps in the road and crashed out.
7) Gin Genie
A member of the fame-obsessed mutant superhero team X-Statix, Beckah Parker, aka Gin Genie, can create powerful seismic waves that can destroy walls and even generate earthquakes. While this sounds like an incredibly useful and potent ability, there’s one big flaw in this power that makes Gin Genie a greater danger than the villains she fights. Gin Genie can only make shockwaves equal to the amount of alcohol in her system. The more plastered she is, the more destructive her powers become, which is anything but a good combination. Gin Genie, along with most of X-Statix, dies horribly from a helicopter attack. Since she’ll likely never make a comeback, it’s only fair to pour one out for this alcoholic time bomb of a hero.
6) El Guapo
Robbie Rodriguez, aka El Guapo, was a mutant stuntman who was recruited into the team X-Statix because he was saved from a villain. However, his only power is a telepathic link with his sentient skateboard, which he shares a symbiotic bond with. Even worse, El Guapo gets weaker the longer he’s away from his skateboard. And yet, even with this handicap that literally forces him to always remain with his skateboard, the board will sometimes go rogue and start striking him. El Guapo was also an incredibly selfish showboat who constantly got into trouble because of his own arrogance. El Guapo proved to be so pathetic that he rode off this mortal coil when he was killed by his own skateboard, which impaled his heart.
