There are always some teething problems in bringing a new superhero into the world. Especially when the genre was in its early days creators had trouble knowing where to draw the line, which is how Superman got to the point of being a near-omnipotent god who also wielded the ability to knock people out with kisses and threw his symbol like a Frisbee. Early issues of Thor saw him using such one-time powers as rubbing Mjolnir really such that it creates such intense friction that it emits sparks, as hot and blinding as a blast furnace! That allow him to escape without fighting anyone, and smacking things with his hammer so hard it makes them vibrate to pieces. Perhaps weirdest of all are the stories where he emulates Superman's odder powers, unleashing a hurricane breath that literally blows people away (never again used since), and an episode where he distracts a gangster holding Jane Foster hostage by using his super-developed vocal chords to throw his voice across the room and pretend the place is surrounded by cops.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
