What's with all the powerups?

Has any one else noticed the need writers have to have whatever character their writing have a sudden jump in power? I mean, Rune King Thor, the current SHAZAM, Omega Level Mutants, etc.. What is with this inability to leave well enough alone? Is it just so that the characters will suddenly be able to curbstomp their respective Marvel/DC counterparts? Seriously, did Thor or Shazam really NEED to be amped up? They were both among the most powerful heroes in their company, why make them suddenly able to decimate multiple teams of established heroes? Are the writers suffering from penis envy?

I personaly prefer the days when the hero had to WORK for the win. That's what signified a good hero, was the character overcoming adversity through determination and guts, not by pulling some new ability out of their ass. The last time things got this bad, the had to launch Crisis On Infinite Earths, just to make the books readable again.

So anyone else have any thoughts or opinions regarding the surge in Superhero Steroids?

PS
Sorry about the rant but I've need to get all this off my chest for a while now.

Thor needed the power up in order to understand what his father was preparing him for and end the cycle of life and death for Marvel's Norse Gods.... he hasn't even been seen since then until Civil War #3 .... and it looks like he's back to normal (if it really is Thor that is)

And you have to admit.... Thor pulling both his eyes out then killing himself should count as "earning" his power (it was good enough for Odin)

Originally posted by Scoobless
Thor needed the power up in order to understand what his father was preparing him for and end the cycle of life and death for Marvel's Norse Gods.... he hasn't even been seen since then until Civil War #3 .... and it looks like he's back to normal (if it really is Thor that is)

And you have to admit.... Thor pulling both his eyes out then killing himself should count as "earning" his power (it was good enough for Odin)

Yes that and Thor needed to look more badass then ever, in his final battle.

Originally posted by Scoobless
Thor needed the power up in order to understand what his father was preparing him for and end the cycle of life and death for Marvel's Norse Gods.... he hasn't even been seen since then until Civil War #3 .... and it looks like he's back to normal (if it really is Thor that is)

And you have to admit.... Thor pulling both his eyes out then killing himself should count as "earning" his power (it was good enough for Odin)

Well as long as they don't start going DBZ with powerup after powerup I'll be fine with it.

I don't mind powerups as long as they keep them for more than one issue. Iceman being an Omega level makes sense. Its just using your powers intelligently. However, I don't like it when they just boost someone up for the sake of making them win a fight - nor do I like this whole Squirrel Girl thing lol.

i like it when they power up characters for an issue or two, as long as they don't do it too often.

Originally posted by darthgoober
Look I wasn't trying to single Thor out or anything, he's just one of the more high profile heroes(as well as being one of the more powerful), that's why he got used as an example. If there hadn't been so many other heroes going through upgrades and it was just him, i wouldn't have a problem with it. But even you have to admit that the timing was convenient, happening right around the time when all these other heroes are going through major upgrades themselves. And even though he's back at regular strength now, I can all but guarantee, that sometime in the future, some lazy ass writer will bring him back just to boost sales, and have him beat someone that he shouldn't be able to.

I think the majority of the power ups can be attributed to both Marvel and DC trying to one-up each other. DC had and still have herald to skyfather level guys walking around Earth. So Marvel had to give Iron Man Hulkbuster, Thorbuster, and Spectrebuster armor. They moved Spidey from street leveler to whatever he is now. Invisible Woman went from fainting under the strain of a 40 ton guy hitting her shields to being oone of the most powerful heroes in MU. And the mutants...wow...

DC in turn had crap cosmic characters so they give WW the Godwave, come up with Blue-Energy Supes and so on. Kyle Rayner goes from a GL to Ion, etc...

As far as Thor, this guy in Civil War is Donald Blake. I've got a feeling the real Thor (RKT) is going to reboot Asgard and rule from their as Odin did for a while and let Blake patrol Earth with Classic Thor's powerset.

These things are cycles. Characters go up, then come back down. Thor's change isn't permanent, and Billy won't be playing the Wizard for good. Superman took a big power cut post-crisis, and he's gotten up again (not to pre-crisis levels, thankfully.) Hulk came down when he was grey, went back when he became Professor Hulk.