Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. A superhuman is an entity with intelligence or abilities exceeding normal human standards DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company A shared universe is a Literary technique in which several different authors create works of Fiction that share aspects such as settings or characters and that are The DC Universe ( DCU) is the fictional Shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate (in the Marvel Universe) and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. A mutant within the Marvel Comic books particularly those of the X-Men mythos is an individual who possesses a genetic trait called an The term Mutate refers to most non- mutant superbeings in the Marvel Comics universe. The Marvel Universe is the fictional Shared universe where most of the comic stories published by Marvel Comics take place A posthuman or post-human is according to the Transhumanist intellectuals a hypothetical future being " whose basic capacities so radically WildStorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, (sometimes rendered Wildstorm) is a publishing Imprint and studio of American Comic book Ultimate Marvel is an Imprint of Comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's most popular Superhero Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R. Martin, first in the Superworld role playing system, and then later in his Wild Cards series of novels. George Raymond Richard Martin ( September 20, 1948) sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American Author and Screenwriter Superworld is a Superhero -themed Role-playing game published by Chaosium in 1983. Wild Cards is a Science fiction and Superhero anthology series set in a Shared universe [1]
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DC Comics: Invasion! Origins & Definition
Metahuman is a term coined by the fictitious alien Dominators (in DC Comics' Invasion! miniseries), and used to describe any human being with what are commonly described as "super powers". Invasion! was a three issue Comic book Limited series and crossover event published in late 1988 -early 1989 by Extraterrestrial life is Life originating outside of the Earth. The Dominators, collectively known as the Dominion, are a Fictional alien race from the outer cosmos of the DC Universe. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company In generalDO NOT ADD INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT CONCERN COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS The prefix "meta-" simply means "beyond", describing persons and abilities beyond human limits.
The Metagene
The series provided a concept for why humans in the DC Universe would survive catastrophic events and develop "super powers. In generalDO NOT ADD INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT CONCERN COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS " One of the Dominators discovered that some humans had a "biological variant" he called the meta-gene (also spelled "metagene"). This gene often lay dormant until a moment of extraordinary physiological stress activated it, and upon activation it would use the source of the biostress as a catalyst for "genetic change," resulting in metahuman abilities. The previous statement is a paraphrase of the explanation provided in the comic series. It should also be noted that DC does not use the "metagene concept" as a solid editorial rule, and few writers explicitly reference the metagene when explaining a character's origin.
DC also has characters born with superhuman abilities, suggesting the metagene can activate spontaneously and without any prior appearance in the ancestry. One well-known example involves Dinah Laurel Lance, the second Black Canary. Black Canary is a Fictional character, a DC Comics superheroine. Although her mother (Dinah Drake Lance, the original Black Canary) was a superhero, neither she nor her husband Larry Lance were born with any known metagenes. However, Dinah Laurel was born with a metagene, the famed ultrasonic scream known as the Canary Cry.
The prefix meta-, in this context, simply means "beyond"—as in metastable, which is beyond regular stability and ready to collapse at the slightest disruption, or metamorphosis, which is the state of going beyond a single shape. Meta (from Greek: μετά = "after" "beyond" "with" "adjacent" is a prefix used in English in order to indicate a concept Metastability is a general scientific concept which describes states of delicate equilibrium Metamorphosis is a Biological process by which an Animal physically develops after Birth or hatching involving a conspicuous and relatively In the DC comic mini-series Legends, the Dominators point out that the location of the Meta-gene is somewhere near the brain. (Of course, in reality every cell in the body would contain this gene. )
In the DC Comics universe, metahuman criminals are incarcerated in special metahuman prisons, like the one built on Alcatraz Island, which outfitted not only with provisions to hold criminals whose powers are science and technology-based, but even mystical dampeners to hold villains (including Homo Magi) whose powers are magic based. The following is a list of prisons asylums institutions planets and alternate dimensions which have been used to imprison humans superhumans and nonhumans in various fictional comic book universes The following is a list of prisons asylums institutions planets and alternate dimensions which have been used to imprison humans superhumans and nonhumans in various fictional comic book universes Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt Homo magi is a term to describe a sub-race of magic -using humans in the DC Universe. Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and Prisoners in this facility are tagged with nanobyte tracers injected into their bloodstream that allows them to be located wherever they are. This is an article about the rock music band "Circulatory System" [2]
White Martians
According to the storyline in Justice League of America (#4) by Grant Morrison, and the storylines in Martian Manhunter (#25 - 27) by John Ostrander, and Son of Vulcan (#5), the genetic potential for a future metagene was discovered in ancient human DNA by the White Martian race. The White Martians are a fictional extraterrestrial race native to Mars in the DC Comics universe The Justice League sometimes called the Justice League of America or JLA for short is a Fictional DC Comics superhero team. Grant Morrison (born January 31 1960 is a Scottish Comic book writer and artist Martian Manhunter is the Superhero alias of J'onn J'onzz, alternately known as John Jones or the Manhunter from Mars, a Fictional character John Ostrander (born April 20, 1949) is an American Writer of Comic books Originally an actor in a Chicago Theatre Vulcan, is a Fictional character from DC Comics, he is the second character to star in a book titled Son of Vulcan. The White Martians performed experiments on these primitive humans, changing the metagene.
Due to their experimentations, they actually altered the destiny of the human race. Whereas before evolution would have eventually made mankind into a race of superhumans similar to the Daxamites and Kryptonians, now only a select few humans would be able to develop metahuman powers. Daxam is a Fictional planet within the DC Universe. It is home to a race called the Daxamites who are descended from Kryptonian colonists Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. As punishment for this, the group of renegades known as the Hyperclan was exiled to the Still Zone, a version of the Phantom Zone. The White Martians are a fictional extraterrestrial race native to Mars in the DC Comics universe The Phantom Zone is a Fictional Prison Dimension featured in the Superman Comic books and related media [3][4]
Metavirus
The White Martians also created a metavirus, a metagene that could be passed from host to host via touch. This metavirus was responsible for the empowerment of the very first Son of Vulcan. Vulcan, is a Fictional character from DC Comics, he is the second character to star in a book titled Son of Vulcan. And from that time onwards the Sons of Vulcan passed the metavirus down in an unbroken line, sworn to hunt and kill White Martians.
Population
The terms "meta" and "metahuman" does not only refer to humans born with biological variants. Superman and Martian Manhunter (aliens) as well as Wonder Woman (a near-goddess) and Aquaman (an Atlantean) are referred to in many instances as "metahumans. Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon Martian Manhunter is the Superhero alias of J'onn J'onzz, alternately known as John Jones or the Manhunter from Mars, a Fictional character Atlantis is a fictional location in the DC Comics Universe The city first appeared in Adventure Comics vol 1 #260 (May 1959 and was created by " It can refer to anyone with extranormal powers, no matter the origins and including those not born with such power. According to Countdown to Infinite Crisis, there are roughly 1. DC Countdown, referred on the cover as Countdown to Infinite Crisis, is a one-shot Publication and the official start of the 3 million metahumans on Earth, 99. 5% of which are considered "nuisance-level" (such as kids who can bend spoons with their mind and the old lady "who keeps hitting at Powerball"). Powerball is an American Lottery game sold through US lotteries as a shared Jackpot pool game The other 0. 5% are what Checkmate and the OMACs consider alpha and beta level threats. Checkmate is a fictional Covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. For example, Superman and Wonder Woman were categorized as alpha level, while Metamorpho was considered a beta. Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon Metamorpho (real name Rex Mason, also called The Element Man) is a Fictional character, a Superhero in the DC Universe.
Exo-gene
The 52 mini-series introduced a toxic mutagen called the Exo-gene (also referred to as the Exogene). This is a list of Fictional performance enhancers serums trigger chemicals booster drugs and mutagenic foods in the various comic book universes that were used to give a specific hero It is a toxic gene therapy treatment created by Lexcorp for the Everyman Project which creates metahuman abilities in compatible non-metahumans. Gene therapy is the insertion of Genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat a Disease, and Hereditary diseases in which a LexCorp (originally styled Lexcorp) is the Fictional company founded by billionaire Lex Luthor in the popular DC Comics Superman Infinity Inc is a team of Comic book Superheroes in the DC Comics universe, mostly composed of the children and heirs of the Justice First appears in 52 #4, first announcement of the Everyman Project in 52 #8. The project was controversial, creating a lot of unstable heroes and gave Luthor an "off switch" for their powers, creating countless mid-flight deaths. However the energies employed in activating the Exogene are powerful enough to affect the metagene itself, as several former heroes, like the new Infinity Inc. and their enemies have now genuine metahuman powers stemming from their subconscious. Infinity Inc is a team of Comic book Superheroes in the DC Comics universe, mostly composed of the children and heirs of the Justice
Homo Magi
DC also suggests that some humans have inherent ability to utilize magic, and these humans are part of a branch or offshoot of humanity referred to as the Homo magi, who have interbred with normal humans. Homo magi is a term to describe a sub-race of magic -using humans in the DC Universe. Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and Homo magi is a term to describe a sub-race of magic -using humans in the DC Universe. As with aliens and mutants with superhuman powers, Homo magi are also often classed together as Metas by the general public of the DCU.
Metahumans and mutants
A common rule of thumb in fandom is that Marvel has mutants and mutates, while DC has metahumans. A mutant within the Marvel Comic books particularly those of the X-Men mythos is an individual who possesses a genetic trait called an The term Mutate refers to most non- mutant superbeings in the Marvel Comics universe. However, both DC and Marvel have made use of the terms "metahuman" and "mutant" within their own universes. DC's Captain Comet and Tempest I were initially described as being mutants. Captain Comet ( Adam Blake) is a Fictional character, a DC Comics Superhero created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Joshua Clay (Tempest is a Fictional character, a member of the Superhero team Doom Patrol in Comic books published by DC Comics. In the televised DCU, the Justice League Unlimited episode "Fearful Symmetry" explicitly references both Mutants and Metahumans in a single sentence. Justice League Unlimited (or JLU) is the name of an American animated television series that was produced by and aired on
The term metahuman was first used by DC in 1989 in the Invasion! mini-series written by Keith Giffen and Bill Mantlo, as part of the main plot. Invasion! was a three issue Comic book Limited series and crossover event published in late 1988 -early 1989 by Keith Ian Giffen (born November 30, 1952) is an American comic book illustrator and writer Bill Mantlo (born November 9, 1951) is an American Comic-book Writer, primarily at Marvel Comics, and an Attorney It was Mantlo's first work for DC following a long career at Marvel Comics. Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc
In Amalgam Comics, a collaboration between Marvel and DC Comics, metahumans are combined with mutants to form Metamutants. Dc2005svg|New DC logo from 2005|125px|right]] Amalgam Comics was an American Comic book publisher of Metafiction; it was a collaboration between Marvel A metamutant ( Homo Superior) according to Amalgam Comics continuity is a human being with superpowers usually by some form of mutation or from hereditary status
Usage
City of Heroes
In the MMORPG City of Heroes, the Illuminati-like Malta Group refers to super-beings as metahuman. A massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG) is a genre of Computer role-playing games (CRPGs in which a large number of players interact with City of Heroes (CoH is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the Superhero Comic book Genre, developed by "Illuminata" redirects here For the 1998 John Turturro film see Illuminata (film. When spotting a player, its paramilitary operatives will often report an "MHI" or Meta-Human Incursion to their squad.
GURPS
GURPS International Super Teams, the 1991 worldbook for the "house campaign" for the GURPS Supers rules, uses "metahuman" as the formal scientific/academic term employed within the setting for a human with super-powers. List of GURPS books is a listing of the publications from Steve Jackson Games and other licensed publishers for the GURPS Role-playing game.
Marvel Comics
In Marvel Comics, metahuman is a term used in the Marvel Universe to describe an attribute of a character that possesses a high degree of superhuman durability. Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc A character possessing metahuman level invulnerability can withstand virtually all puncture wounds, temperature extremes of hot and cold, and corrosives without sustaining damage. The various tissues of their bodies; skin, bone, muscle, etc. , are essentially as hard as a diamond. As a result, they are practically invulnerable to injury by conventional attacks or weaponry. This classification system is not commonly used within the comics themselves, being mainly limited to supplemental materials.
The word Metahuman has also been used by Marvel characters to refer to superhuman beings on rare occasions. In Ultimate Fantastic Four #24, Reed Richards calls the Ultimate version of Namor "possibly the most powerful metahuman on Earth". Ultimate Fantastic Four is a Superhero Comic book series published by Marvel Comics. Mr Fantastic ( Reed Richards) is a Fictional character, a Marvel Comics Superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four.
The first use of the term 'metahuman' in the Marvel universe was in the New Mutants Annual #3, written by Chris Claremont, released in 1987. The New Mutants is the name of two defunct Marvel Comics Superhero teams as well as the title of two series featuring those teams Chris Claremont (born November 30, 1950) is a writer of American Comic books known for his 16-year (1975-1991 stint on Uncanny X-Men In it, a Russian security officer describes the protagonists as "metahuman terrorists".
Shadowrun
Metahuman is also used in the Shadowrun universe to describe elves, dwarves, and the like. Shadowrun is a pen-and-paper Role-playing game set in an imaginary future where huge corporations control the lives of their employees and the return of magic has These metahumans are described as being subspecies of Homo sapiens who began emerging following the return of magic in 2011 and generally have been the targets of racism throughout their existence. In game terms, metahuman characters generally have abilities beyond those of normal humans, such as increased strength or agility, improved vision, etc.
Static Shock
In animated versions of the DC universe, the term metahuman is sometimes used, most commonly this is true for the animated series Static Shock (a series which intersects and interacts with the main animated DC Universe, including the Batman and Superman shows of the nineties, as well as the JLU). Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon Justice League Unlimited (or JLU) is the name of an American animated television series that was produced by and aired on Static Shock is a show in which all superpowered characters are granted powers by a large chemical explosion later nicknamed "the Big Bang" are dubbed "Meta-Humans" or "Bang-Babies". Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros A few strange facts and differences are presented by this version of the term:
- Despite being used regularly in the DC Comics universe, the term metahuman was not commonly used at the time Milestone Comics' first 4 books (Static being the fourth) were published (if at all). Milestone Media is a company best known for creating the Milestone Comics Imprint (that was published through DC Comics) and the Static Shock
- Metahumans in Static Shock have no latent metagene, but rather a mutated genome due to a common chemical accident. These mutations often reflect previous attributes (many such attributes paradoxically personality related)
- "Metahuman" is first presented in the show by Virgil Hawkins the main character of the show Static Shock as an alternative to the word "Mutant" because it sounded "degrading. Static is a Fictional Superhero created by Dwayne McDuffie, John Paul Leon, and Milestone Comics and published by DC Comics "
- Bang Baby/Metahumans can be cured by chemical antidote, a fact separating them from other Superbeings in the Animated DC Universe.
- The expression is rarely used in the show's sibling shows despite sharing the same continuity.
- It is suggested that bang baby/metahumans' powers are subject to change due to the unstable nature of their origin.
Wild Cards
"Metahuman" is used for the first time in 1986 by George R. R. Martin in an altered version of the Superworld role playing system, and later in the Wild Cards anthology series as the formal scientific term describing both superhuman powers and those that possess them, as seen in the appendices to Volume I (the general public of the Wild Cards universe commonly refer to such individuals as Aces). George Raymond Richard Martin ( September 20, 1948) sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American Author and Screenwriter Wild Cards is a Science fiction and Superhero anthology series set in a Shared universe There are certain broad classes of characters in the Wild Cards universe of Superhero novels started by George R [5]
Smallville
On the television series Smallville, metahumans can be naturally occurring, but the majority of them on the show are the result of exposure to kryptonite, which in the Smallville universe can have the effect of turning people into super-powered "meteor freaks", often with psychotic side effects. Kryptonite is a mineral from the Superman mythos originating in the Superman Radio show series
Non-kryptonite metahumans include the Smallville versions of Aquaman and the Flash.
See also
Notes and references
External links
- DCU Guide History: 14 Million B.C.
- Monitor Duty: Profile on the Martian Manhunter
- Wildcardsonline.com: Wild cards origins - Origin of the comic book term "Metahuman"
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