Comic books are full of superheroes with common powers such as flight, punching anything into outer space and blasting any energy through their hands. Still, many characters have abilities that are way more original than that. These strange powers make them stand out, even if they don’t make them as popular as other comic icons.
Superpowers like prehensile hair or urban symbiosis sound way less cool than heat vision and super strength, but Medusa, the Queen of the Inhumans and the King of Cities, have shown that they’re just as great. These skills may be uncommon, but they’re often as useful as the most basic sets of superpowers. The characters that use these powers prove it is not about the power itself but rather the one wielding it.
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Updated on February 6, 2025 by John Curtin: People often resort to classics such as flying or telekinesis when thinking of superpowers. The mere concept of superpowers is limitless, however. Some of the greatest heroes and villains stand out for their unique powers that aren’t often seen in superhero variations. As such, this list has been updated to include even more cool powers.
25
The H-Dial Lets The User Become Some Strange Superheros
Dial H For Hero had multiple mystical phone dials that unleashed superpowers
One of the wildest superpowers in DC Comics comes from the Dial H For Hero franchise. Several mystical devices resembling rotary phone dials can be manipulated to create fantastic effects. The series’ heroes carry the H-Dial, allowing them to take on random strange super-personas like The Iron Snail or The Human Starfish. Each iteration of the series has deepened the lore of the strange devices and delved even deeper into bizarre power sets.
While not a comics household name by any stretch of the imagination, Dial H For Hero has its place in DC canon, with crossovers involving The Flash, Superman, and even a storyline where the entire Justice League takes on new forms from the H-Dial. As each generation of Dial H For Hero brings the series deeper into a strange and surreal multiversal storyline, the powers introduced become more imaginative and unique, making this comic a fount of derivative strange superpowers and a fitting start to the list of the most unique superpowers.
24
Anything Reader Reads Comes True
This Inhuman warrior manifests what he reads into existence
Art-based powers are rare, but Reader’s unique literary manifestation is a step stranger than even other artistic heroes. Anything Reader reads manifests – if he reads “fire,” a fire starts nearby. This power was viewed as so dangerous by his fellow Inhumans of the Lor tribe that they cut out his eyes to protect themselves. Reader, however, showed himself to be more clever than their attempts to curtail his power – he taught himself Braille and created cards that he reads to manifest his powers even without sight.
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Reader’s powers do have both significant strengths and limits. His cards have allowed him to freeze, rewind time, kill instantly, and alter reality. However, he can only “read” three manifestations daily, and they weaken as he uses them. This singular superpower makes Reader one of the most interesting Inhumans and potentially one of the strongest.
23
Blood Makes Vange Whedon Turn Into A Dragon
This shapeshifter can’t fully control her power
As if being a lawyer for the X-Men wasn’t already hard enough, Evangeline Whedon has to balance her own mutant power with her prosecutorial career. When she touches blood, “Vange” morphs into a dragon. She doesn’t fully control this power either – in her initial debut in X-Treme X-Men #21, blood from someone else’s wound causes her to shapeshift into her draconian form. The process seems disorienting and traumatic, as the X-Men Sage and Bishop were forced to intervene and calm Vange down before she could return to her human form.
As a secondary X-Men character, we haven’t seen much of Vange’s powers and weaknesses in her dragon form. After the events of House Of M, she kept her powers and is considered a significant potential threat to national security. While this power seems like it should stem from the magical corners of the Marvel universe, this mutant power makes Vange Whedon a fascinating and one-of-a-kind hero.
22
It’s Not Super-Hearing, It’s Parabolic Hearing
Auran was an Inhuman detective who could pinpoint anywhere a chosen word was spoken
While super-hearing isn’t a common superpower, it isn’t such a far-fetched concept to earn a role as one of the most unique superpowers on its own. Parabolic hearing sets the Inhuman Auran apart – the ability to choose a word and hear where it is said, anywhere on Earth. This incredibly specific ability has incredible power when used smartly, and Auran used it to become the finest investigator in all of Attilan.
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The specific limits of this ability remain untested, as Auran was killed soon after being introduced in Inhuman #7. We don’t know, for example, whether Auran could hear things said off-planet. When the original Auran died and a duplicate was brought back, her power changed, so while we may not learn more of parabolic hearing’s specifics yet, there’s still a chance to explore Auran’s new powers further later.
21
Isca Is Simply Unbeatable
Isca’s power never lets her lose, even if she turns traitor to win
Isca The Unbeatable is an ancient mutant with an incredible power: she cannot lose. This incredible power changes with the circumstances – in games of chance, it manifests as luck manipulation like Domino or other aleatoric heroes. Isca might gain new skills and abilities to overcome her opponents in battle or peril. She even gets a sixth sense when she is outmatched, letting her choose the right time to turn traitor and join the winning side, continuing her millennia-long winning streak.
That doesn’t mean Isca can’t be cleverly disposed of in a pinch. While many heroes tend to teleport her somewhere inaccessible so she’s out of the battle, Sunspot once cleverly bet Isca that her love and comrade-in-arms Tarn The Uncaring would win a battle against Magneto, turning Isca’s powers against her best interests and making her win despite herself. Of course, Isca returned the favor by immediately killing Sunspot. It certainly never pays to bet against Isca.
20
Absorbing Man Can Match His Body’s Properties to Whatever He Touches
This Applies to Animate and Inanimate Objects
Altering the properties of one’s body isn’t exactly an unseen power, which is why it takes last place on this list. However, Absorbing Man can turn his body into anything that he touches. This applies to living things but also objects like metal or glass. His entire body can be altered, even down to his brain. On the bright side, Absorbing Man retains his intelligence and sentience even when his brain becomes a pile of splintery wood.
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The power to completely alter the very atoms of a body is limitless in reality. Absorbing Man isn’t confined to just solid materials, either. He can turn his body into snow or fire. While it’s way too easy to make a mistake with this power or not utilize it fully, Absorbing Man has many options at his disposal. He transcends solid matter, which makes Absorbing Man’s powers so incredible.
19
Fourth Wall Breaking Knowledge Is Godlike
A Comic Book Character Who Knows They’re In a Comic Can Be Unstoppable
Fourth-wall character commentary isn’t brand new; it’s a tactic used primarily for comedy and rarely for any benefit to the actual characters. However, Gwenpool is built around the fact that she knows that she is inside a comic. Gwenpool is not the same as Spider-Woman AKA Ghost Spider AKA Gwen Stacy. It’s something of a joke that people mistake Gwenpool for Gwen Stacy, as Gwenpool has to clarify that Gwen Pool is her full legal name.
Gwenpool’s metaknowledge is her greatest strength. She can pop between worlds, pages and really anything. She can alter the very fabric of the comic reality because she understands that it’s a fictional world. Gwenpool can not only “control” other characters but also has difficulty figuring out character weaknesses and the like. In terms of the comic worlds that Gwenpool resides in, she’s basically a god. Taking the concept of wall breaking and making it a major part of Gwenpool is vastly interesting and seriously cool.
18
Quiz Can Use Any Superpower Her Opponents Don’t Think Of
Her Power Has a Lot of Downsides, But the Concept Is Amazing
Quiz can essentially have any superpower that she wants, so long as it isn’t spoken aloud. That means that Quiz has an unlimited arsenal of abilities going into any new fight. At least until her opponent thinks of a superpower. The moment Quiz’s opponent thinks of a superpower, Quiz loses the ability to use that power. Considering the vast multitude of powers and abilities, it seems rather overpowered.
Germaphobe and a member of Doom Patrol’s Brotherhood of Dada, Quiz has extraordinary power. So long as Quiz is fighting someone who has a terrible memory or performance anxiety, she can wipe the floor with them. That being said, she can be rendered powerless rather quickly. On the bright side, Quiz’s powers are based on encounters. So, once a fight ends and Quiz enters into battle with a new opponent, her power resets. Quiz might have an easy counter, but her superpower is undeniably cool and unique.
17
Lack of Sleep Doesn’t Seem Like It’s a Good Thing
But Max Damage Uses His Exhaustion to Fuel His Strength
Unless it’s for late-night gaming or cramming work, most people typically want to avoid being sleep-deprived. Aside from getting extra hours in a day, the negatives greatly outweigh the positives. Being sleep-deprived is miserable and cognitive abilities start going out the window. Now, imagine being sleep-deprived but being stronger than ever because of it. That’s exactly how Max Damage works.
Max Damage gets stronger the longer he goes without sleeping. His powers boost his longevity when it comes to missing sleep, but that doesn’t mean Max Damage doesn’t need sleep. Eventually, the mental wear and tear takes a toll on him, which is when it’s time for sleep. While sleeping gives him a clearer head and much-needed rest, Max Damage’s strength actually resets every time he sleeps. It’s an incredible concept for powers, but for the nappers of the world, it might not sound like much fun.
16
Being Made Up of Plant Matter Gives Interesting Abilities
Alec Holland Is No More, But Swamp Thing Has a Sweet Arsenal
Aside from poisonous plants or Venus flytraps, plant matter isn’t typically seen as scary. Poison Ivy might be the first name comic readers default to when considering plant control, but Swamp Thing takes it much further. A chemist and botanist known as Alec Holland merged his consciousness with an entire swamp after being coated in the Bio-Restorative Formula he created to prevent global food shortages. Thus, a new lifeform made from the swamp formed: Swamp Thing.
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Being made entirely of plant material, Swamp Thing can consistently regenerate and grow from any plant form. Swamp Thing can make a new body from any plant life. He can even choose what parts of himself to grow, and when he discovers that he doesn’t even need lungs as he can photosynthesize, he decides to stop wasting time growing a pair. The versatility of Swamp Thing’s abilities and the creative love that went into fleshing out his powers make Swamp Thing a very unique character.
15
Detaching Limbs Doesn’t Grant Many Advantages
Doing So Extends Reach, But the User Loses a Limb
The ability to detach limbs doesn’t seem very useful at first glance. The Legion of Super-Heroes certainly didn’t think so, as they rejected Floyd Belkin, otherwise known as Arm Fall Off Boy, when he tried out to join the organization. Granted the ability to detach and re-attach his limbs at will, Floyd could extend his reach and leverage at the cost of fully using his limbs.
Floyd Belkin is not the only character to have this power, however. Cory Ptizner, also known as The Detachable Kid, had the exact same abilities. Unlike Floyd, however, Cory decided to put his powers to use for villainy, even briefly joining the Suicide Squad. While both characters were relatively successful in their fields, with Floyd even occasionally assisting the Legion of Super-Heroes despite his rejection, this power is obviously more hindersome than helpful. As such, it has earned a lower spot on this list.
14
Creating Portals Through Punches is Unusual
While Portal Creation Isn’t Unusual On Its Own, The Method Is Strange
Created by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta, America Chavez is famous for her super strength but possesses an even better ability. She can kick or punch open portals to other dimensions, making her very useful in multiversal adventures. Miss America’s power isn’t that uncommon on the surface. Many heroes can open portals to other realities, but they tend to do it through gadgets, such as Doctor Strange’s ring, and the portals tend to be in an ovular shape.
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America’s portal opening method distinguishes her from others with the same ability. Additionally, the other portals are never star-shaped like America’s. This is very on-brand with her superhero name: Miss America. The combination of her unique method and the presentation of the portals has made this ability of America’s a bit unusual.
13
The Emotional Spectrum Power Results In Mood Swings
An Unclear Power Strengthens Rainbow Girl
Rainbow Girl has a very unique ability — the power of emotions. In her first appearance, Rainbow Girl created a pheromone field that resembled a rainbow through her power of emotions. This field caused everyone near her to like her. While this didn’t continue in future iterations of the character, it was an interesting addition to a somewhat confusing ability. Unfortunately for Rainbow Girl, however, she also suffers from mood swings due to her abilities.
One concrete use of her abilities is that she can fairly easily use different types of Lantern Corps rings. She has been shown using the Red Ring, which is based on anger, the Blue Ring, which runs on strength, and the Green Ring, which relies on willpower. Presumably, she can use the others as well. So, her power clearly augments that of other devices when applicable. Even though Rainbow Girl doesn’t understand the full extent of her power, she uses it for good as much as she can.
12
Prehensile Hair Stands Out
Most superheroes have super strength when using their limbs, but few stand out because they have control over their hair, which works as an extra limb. Since hair has no muscles, this is particularly strange to look at but still incredibly useful. An additional way to restrain or combat opponents comes in handy, especially as they aren’t typically expecting it.
Characters like Medusa, the Queen of the Inhumans, Rapunzel from Marvel: The Lost Generation, and Nocturne use this ability to their advantage differently. For example, Medusa and Nocturne use their prehensile hair to punch or trap their enemies, while Rapunzel grows her hair at will and can even mesmerize her opponents. There are many ways that prehensile hair is advantageous for the user despite its strangeness as a concept.
11
Matter Ingestion Results in Eating Everything
The Circumstances of Its Usage Can Look Strange
Matter ingestion is the power that allows Matter-Eater Lad to consume all kinds of materials, which is definitely something that seems strange. However, the power is surprisingly useful. Matter-Eater Lad can not only eat any type of gas, solid or liquid, but he can do so at a superhuman speed. This is due to his heritage as a Bismollian, though it is certainly surprising to any civilians who see him use his power.
Since he can eat all types of substances rapidly, Matter-Eater Lad once saved the Earth from a meteor. His power is more useful than it seems at first glance. It is also worth mentioning that this power is different from invulnerability or super strength, as it is based on the fact that he produces different digestive enzymes.
10
Omniligualism is Surprisingly Helpful
Though It’s Not a Power That Immediately Comes to Mind
Omnilingualism is the ability to speak any language in existence. With this ability, characters like Thor (who calls it All-Speak) and Shazam (who also goes by Captain Marvel), show how strength goes beyond muscles. Other characters, like the mutant Cypher, also possess it. Having omnilinguialism connects characters such as these to the people they’re helping, making them more approachable in their respective universes.
Omnilingualism is uncommon, and it’s sadly rarely mentioned. This power is an excellent narrative device for communication amidst different cultures – especially regarding characters from other planets. That’s why it makes sense for characters that frequently interact with other aliens and cultures, such as Thor. Although it is a useful ability, it is not the most unique nor powerful, which is why it is number ten in the rankings.
9
The Staff of One Is Uniquely Powerful
The Weapon Demands Creativity
Only a handful of Marvel characters have used the Minoru family’s Staff of One. This staff used to be an ancient magical entity called the One, but Tokiko Minoru (Nico Minoru’s ancestor) conquered it and turned it into a magical weapon that has gone through many generations in her family. The Staff of One is a unique weapon because it only works if its user sheds blood – even bleeding gums would work. The spell’s strength also seems directly tied to the amount of blood shed.
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Furthermore, it can only cast each spell once per user. Any attempt at the same user repeating a spell results in a complete failure or an unpredictable magic result. This means Nico has to be very creative whenever she uses it. There isn’t any other staff like this one in comics. The staff is almost limitless in its powers, with even Dormammu being wary of its wielders.
8
Imperceptibility Leads to a Lonely Existence
It’s Good For Stealth But Bad For Making Friends
Xabi, also known as ForgetMeNot, is an underrated mutant with one of the most unique abilities ever. He is completely forgettable. Villains fail to perceive him even when paying attention, and nobody remembers him, not even his teammates. Despite this, he is highly motivated to help others as he feels it is better to do good and not be remembered than not to do good at all.
ForgetMeNot’s imperceptibility is very handy during secret missions because it makes him invisible, even in plain sight. However, it also affects his civilian life since he can’t form real connections with people. Thus, his power is a double-edged sword as he can do a lot of good but suffers personally from it. Until now, ForgetMeNot is the only character in comics with this ability.
7
Superior Adaptation is a Life-Saving Superpower
Although It’s An Uncontrollable One
Homo Superior is considered the next step in evolution by some in the Marvel universe, but Armando Muñoz took this to the next level. Known as Darwin, he has superior adaptation, which means his body changes immediately to ensure his survival. If Darwin is surrounded by fire, his skin becomes fire-proof; if he falls into water, he develops gills.
This power is so adaptive that when he tried to end his life after his mother’s rejection, his body became light as a feather, allowing him to land on the ground. Thus, his abilities will counter anything he tries to do to himself, not just outside forces. This does reveal that this power is not necessarily voluntary. Thanks to this unique ability, Darwin is invincible, as much as he might not wish it were so at times.
6
Pheromone Control Equates to Mind Control
The Power of Suggestion Influences the Unwilling
While mind control is a fairly common superpower, the method through which Persuasion controls others’ minds is distinct as she releases pheromones to control others. Formerly known as Purple Girl and Purple Women, Persuasion’s real name is Kara Kilgrave, and she is the daughter of Zebediah Kilgrave. As such, she inherited her mind control abilities from her father.
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However, releasing pheromones to control others isn’t the only unique aspect of Kara’s powers. Those affected by Kara’s powers temporarily turn purple as a side effect. This makes her power less helpful, as others will notice something off about the controlled person, and it distinguishes her abilities from other super-powered beings in comics. Due to the unique way that Kara controls people when she is at the height of her power, she can control multiple people simultaneously and thus has established herself as an exceptionally strong mind controller.
