text: Poll Position: Being the Big Cheese | HeroMachine Character Portrait Creator
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  Poll Position: Being the Big Cheese
  Posted on January 6, 2009 by AFDStudios | 7 Comments
  This week's little thought experiment involves you, Superman's powers, and only 24 hours to live:
  Part of the problem with writing a Superman story is that the guy can do anything. So why doesn't he? I think it's easy to sit back in our little mortal armchairs and quarterback Big Blue's life, thinking how much better we'd do if we were him. But it's not as easy as you might think. Want to destroy all the world's nukes? Someone would be the first to build new ones, and then what? You've got one nation that can nuke anyone else, and it would HAVE to be tempting for them to use that power. Nuclear deterrence is also a real thing, what would India and Pakistan do if annihilation were no longer a threat?
  Big actions are scary because it's almost impossible to know what their results would be. And with only 24 hours to live, you wouldn't be in any position to fix whatever goes wrong.
  So think long and hard about it, and if you come up with something better, add it to the list. I'm curious to see what you all come up with!
  7 Responses to Poll Position: Being the Big Cheese
  Honestly Jeff, If I only have 24 hours to live and the ability to travel at super speed then it is going to be the hedonistic life style for a full day. Got to Amsterdam for some brownies. Vegas for some gambling. Maybe rob a few banks and give the money to people…
  Hmmm… I'm thinking anyone that didn't vote for #4 is lying. 😀
  Nope! On the other hand, my idea of hedonism is sleeping late, and spending way too much time on the Computer once I do get up…
  And I hardly need Superman's powers to do that! :->
  I'd reverse global warming. Probably by using my cold-breath and starting an ice age. People would curse my name as they shivered and starved in the aftermath.
  Huh. Who would have suspected hedonism would be the more heroic path?
  i think i'd destroy all the nukes and then embrace hedonism for however much time is left
  I think I'd go Samaritan. (The Superman expy in the Astro City series.)
  Samaritan's basic powers are built around Superman's set, and he's so concious of the passage of time that he determines his assisting others by who's closest. If I literally had only 24 hours left to live, I'd want to do as much as possible that I could be proud of before it ran out.
  Also, incidentally – is the process by which we received the powers the reason for the 24h-to-death limit?
  I would save the lives of as any people as I could with small-scale heroic act (getting people out of a burning building, stopping burglary, rescuing cats from tree), then I would go say bye to everybody I love, then I would fly ot the moon and die here, looking at the earth…