#SuperheroProblems: So You’ve Decided to Up and Quit

If being a superhero were easy, they wouldn’t beryllium excessively “super,” would they? Not galore radical tin withstand the physical, emotional, and societal strain of protecting a city, world, oregon postulation nighttime aft night, often with small designation oregon adjacent outright hostility from the public. Sometimes, it’s adjacent excessively overmuch for our heroes. And erstwhile that happens, you amended marque definite your homeowner’s security is paid up, due to the fact that things are astir to get disfigured astir town.

Now I’m not talking astir heroes who spell connected a small interruption for a while, similar the Invisible Woman taking maternity permission oregon whatever. I’m lone looking astatine heroes who woke up 1 time with the impulse to propulsion their full costume retired of a ten-story model and spell fly-fishing successful the Pacific Northwest, and past really went and tried it. They don’t mostly win for much than a fewer pages, but it’s the cognition that counts.

This taxable is particularly due arsenic this volition beryllium my past #SuperheroProblems for a while. I’m not quitting completely, but it volition present beryllium a sporadic happening alternatively than a monthly series. So work dilatory and savor each word, existent believers, of this already-classic postulation of heroes who person conscionable had it.

Experiment connected Yourself

Given however miserable Marvel’s heroes are astir their powers, it’s not astonishing that they effort to discontinue connected a regular basis. Spider-Man did truthful successful Amazing Spider-Man #100, erstwhile helium drank a homemade potion designed to destruct his powers truthful helium could wed Gwen Stacy without the guilt oregon complication of a concealed identity.

Unfortunately for our luckless wall-crawler, the potion ends up giving him 4 other arms. It takes him 2 days (and 2 issues) to find a cure with the assistance of Curt Connors, a.k.a. the Lizard — and immoderate overmuch much reluctant assistance from immoderate caller feline named Morbius.

Get Involved successful Shady Nonsense

In Teen Titans #25, our inferior heroes are accused of murdering a Nobel Peace Prize victor for perfectly nonsense reasons. They header by ditching their costumes and going on with a weird affluent feline who insists the authorities has wholly recruited him to bid young radical for…something.

Why would trained superheroes hold to get much grooming from immoderate weirdo? Why is the affluent feline doing each this? I don’t know! No 1 knows! But if you privation much accusation connected this bizarro section successful Titans history, here you go.

Hold a Garage Sale

In Batman #191, Gotham City is stunned to perceive that Batman is calling it quits. Not lone that, he’s going to auction disconnected everything related to his crime-fighting (except for Robin, who is inactive upset by this announcement).

So what’s the punchline? Batman was irradiated by a wackadoo idiosyncratic who threatened to “intensify” that radiation and termination him if helium didn’t quit. (That is precisely however radiation works.) Batman pretends to comply, past dons a protective clay suit to combat the scientist, who conveniently irradiates himself to death.

Go to Another Universe and Also the Future

In Flash #159, Kid Flash is horrified erstwhile Barry Allen declares that helium doesn’t person capable accolades arsenic the Flash and truthful he’s quitting. He does it precise dramatically too, leaving a elephantine enactment connected a histrion adjacent to his abandoned costume.

Not knowing what other to do, KF takes Barry to different beingness to consult with Dr. Mid-Nite. Mid-Nite determines that Flash was brainwashed by a aboriginal bull truthful that the Flash’s vibration wouldn’t accidentally acceptable disconnected a weaponry near successful the 20th period by a aboriginal crook. Fortunately, clip question is casual for speedsters, and they propulsion the feline astir until helium cuts that out. (By “the guy,” I mean the crook, but the bull deserved a fewer slaps too, to beryllium honest.)

Pass the Torch (and Get Really Drunk)

Tony Stark has discontinue a fewer times for assorted reasons. One peculiarly disturbing hiatus started successful Iron Man #169. By this point, he’d been disconnected the wagon for a portion and his beingness was going consecutive down the toilet.

When Tony is excessively drunk to combat a villain attacking his ain company, his champion bud James Rhodes has nary prime but to get into the Iron Man armor. After Tony sobers up, helium realizes it would beryllium champion for everyone to conscionable fto Rhodey support the armor, which helium does for implicit 2 years (our time, not comic publication time). It takes that agelong for Tony to propulsion himself unneurotic and beryllium mentally acceptable capable to beryllium a leader erstwhile again.

Previous #SuperheroProblems:

So Your Family Was Erased From Reality
So You’ve Been Retconned into a Scumbag
So You’ve Been De-Aged Against Your Will
And more.