What Happened To Stan Lee's Superhero Reality Show Who Wants To Be A Superhero?
Reality TV has a long and unique history on the small screen. History remembers the best of the best, but the full story of the genre can only be told when everything is accounted for, even the forgotten shows of yesteryear. Be it a celebrity piece, or a wild and crazy competition show, reality TV's history is checkered, to say the least.
In the 2000s, Marvel legend Stan Lee brought his own reality show to the small screen, and it was all about finding new superheroes. Few remember the show, as it had a short shelf life on the air.
Let's take a look back at this forgotten reality show.
Stan Lee Is A Marvel Legend
As one of the most important figures in the history of comic books, Stan Lee is a name that millions of fans are familiar with. While not everyone reads comics, many love comic book movies, and Lee's works in the pages gave way to what fans enjoy on the big screen.
The creator spent decades with Marvel, and he was responsible for some of the biggest heroes ever created. Because of Lee, we have heroes like Spider-Man, Black Panther, Daredevil, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the X-Men, Hulk, Iron Man, and a whole lot more. Lee was also the man behind iconic villains like Doctor Doom, Green Goblin, Kingpin, Loki, Magneto, and Vulture.
Without his contributions, we wouldn't enjoy the movies we do today. We also wouldn't have seen Lee make countless cameos, which helped make him a mainstream star.
Now, most people are familiar with what Stan Lee did on the big screen by way of his legendary cameos, but few people remember that the legendary creator also had his own reality show, and it was a truly bizarre affair.
He Had A Reality Show Called 'Who Wants To Be A Hero'
During the 2000s, Stan Lee was partially responsible for Who Wants to be A Superhero, a show that, you guessed it, was looking for fresh heroes.
"Who Wants to Be a Superhero? is a reality show hosted by Stan Lee. Contestants dress up as comic book superheroes of their own invention. Lee challenges the contestants to represent what "superheroes are all about". One or more of the superheroes deemed the least deserving is eliminated per episode," the show's profile reads on SyFy.
This sounds like utter insanity, but this was the 2000s, meaning that reality TV was basically throwing anything and everything up against the wall to see what would stick.
During the events of season one, fans were introduced to heroes like Fat Momma, Feedback, Major Victory, and Lemuria. Each hero brought something unique to the table.
Dark Horse conducted interviews with the cast members, who all gave some insight on what made the unique.
"What sets me off from my superhero roommates is the ability to make people laugh. Laughter is the key to your heart. And as a plus size Superhero I can take whatever comes my way and have fun with it. I am very loud, confident and easy going. Another thing that sets me apart is the gift I give to others. Everyone has insecurities and I show them how to have confidence in themselves while having fun at it. You can't change who you are so you may as well look for the good in it and deal with it," Fat Momma said.
Over the course of the season, contestants were weeded out, and a winner was evnetually crowned.
It Only Lasted Two Seasons
Overall, the reality show would only last for two seasons in the United States. There was a U.K. season, as well, but overall, this show had limited shelf life.
Feedback was the winner of season one, and his powers were laid out by Dark Horse.
"Feedback has the ability to absorb special abilities and powers by playing certain video games. He possesses a "feedback field" which disrupts electronic equipment within 15 feet. His expertise at computer systems is unmatched. Power lines cause him headaches, and microwaves cause nausea. He is driven to find out why he is losing his memory in addition to fighting crime," the site wrote.
The Defuser was the winner of season two, and he was all about functioning at 110%.
Who Wants to Be a Superhero is a show that likely wouldn't get made today, and it's not an interesting piece of reality TV history. The episodes are available online for those willing to spend some time with real heroes.
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