Superman. Spider-Man. Wonder Woman. Captain America. We love our superheroes and love to envy them too. We imagine what it would be like to be in their shoes or have their powers. We can imagine them because they aren't even real people to begin with. What if real people you knew, or knew of, suddenly developed superpowers? What if your local news station anchors and reporters developed superpowers?
I've been working at WNEP for just about three years and I've come to know most of the people that work there and they are a fantastic group of people (I'm totally unbiased). It's a great work environment and I get along with everyone there. Although this article doesn't cover everyone, I chose 10 on-air anchors and reporters based on what type of people they are, their interests, and just general criteria they happen to fall into.
Scenario:
A normal day for Newswatch 16 when a truck hauling nuclear waste explodes nearby the station. All the the employees are infected. The following people create a team of superheroes in order to fight crime. vanquish evil and continue to deliver the news.
Scott Schaffer
Superpower: Super Intelligence
Superhero name: The Human Encyclopedia
Scott is a brain already, but the exposure to the nuclear waste taps into the remainder of his unused cognitive abilities, granting him the power of super intelligence. When not anchoring the nightly news, Scott can be answering the worlds toughest questions...or become the ultimate Jeopardy contestant.
Scenario:
A normal day for Newswatch 16 when a truck hauling nuclear waste explodes nearby the station. All the the employees are infected. The following people create a team of superheroes in order to fight crime. vanquish evil and continue to deliver the news.
Scott Schaffer
Superpower: Super Intelligence
Superhero name: The Human Encyclopedia
Scott is a brain already, but the exposure to the nuclear waste taps into the remainder of his unused cognitive abilities, granting him the power of super intelligence. When not anchoring the nightly news, Scott can be answering the worlds toughest questions...or become the ultimate Jeopardy contestant.
Sarah Buynovsky
Superpower: Telepathy
Superhero name: Sarah Buynovsky
If you know Sarah, you know that she is e extremely nice and kind person. But you don't want to get on her bad side because she can also be brutal if she needs to be. With her telepathy ability Sarah can manipulate villain's minds to make them stop or even prevent terrible events from occurring by learning from people's minds. She could also obtain great news stories and not even have to interview the person or even prove that some people are lying about their stories.
Superpower: Telepathy
Superhero name: Sarah Buynovsky
If you know Sarah, you know that she is e extremely nice and kind person. But you don't want to get on her bad side because she can also be brutal if she needs to be. With her telepathy ability Sarah can manipulate villain's minds to make them stop or even prevent terrible events from occurring by learning from people's minds. She could also obtain great news stories and not even have to interview the person or even prove that some people are lying about their stories.
Kurt Aaron
Superpower: Ability to talk to and control animals
Superhero name: Grizzly Aaron
By now I think everyone on the planet has heard about the bears in the backyard during a weather segment one evening. Kurt's new super power allows him not only to communicate with animals (kind of like Dr. Doolittle I guess) but to gather and influence them. Can you imagine an army of bears, raccoons and other critters at his side? Hunters may be in trouble. Also, at least now he can do the weather bear-free. They could also keep him company while doing the forecast too.
Superpower: Ability to talk to and control animals
Superhero name: Grizzly Aaron
By now I think everyone on the planet has heard about the bears in the backyard during a weather segment one evening. Kurt's new super power allows him not only to communicate with animals (kind of like Dr. Doolittle I guess) but to gather and influence them. Can you imagine an army of bears, raccoons and other critters at his side? Hunters may be in trouble. Also, at least now he can do the weather bear-free. They could also keep him company while doing the forecast too.
Michelle Rotella
Superpower: Ability to control the weather
Superhero name: Tempest
This may be an obvious choice for a power, but it works. Not only will Michelle dawn a new age where Meteorologists are always 100% correct, she can control the weather, allowing warm weather, sunshine and the occasional rain storm. Gone are the days of constant Talkbalk 16 calls complaining that our Meteorologists were off by one centimeter. Also, she can foil evil-doer's plans with nasty ice-storms and lightning.
Superpower: Ability to control the weather
Superhero name: Tempest
This may be an obvious choice for a power, but it works. Not only will Michelle dawn a new age where Meteorologists are always 100% correct, she can control the weather, allowing warm weather, sunshine and the occasional rain storm. Gone are the days of constant Talkbalk 16 calls complaining that our Meteorologists were off by one centimeter. Also, she can foil evil-doer's plans with nasty ice-storms and lightning.
Joe Snedeker
Superpower: Super Speed
Superhero name: The Blur
After Joe is exposed to the nuclear waste, he becomes the universe’s fastest organism. He can do Go Joe across the globe every single day, allowing more people to donate money to St. Joe’s and allowing millions of people to be helped in the process. Not to mention he will also be able to do weather forecasts from anywhere, at any moment, and hit his actual time cues.
Superpower: Super Speed
Superhero name: The Blur
After Joe is exposed to the nuclear waste, he becomes the universe’s fastest organism. He can do Go Joe across the globe every single day, allowing more people to donate money to St. Joe’s and allowing millions of people to be helped in the process. Not to mention he will also be able to do weather forecasts from anywhere, at any moment, and hit his actual time cues.
Sharla McBride
Superpower: Super Strength
Superhero name: Calamity
Not the largest or most brawn girl in existence, Sharla would gain extreme super strength. Matching her spunky attitude, she would be able to pick-up and throw cars, smash through buildings and pack a wicked punch. Although since she wouldn’t be used to these new powers, she would accidentally wreck things with ease. Hence her name: Calamity. But beating up bad guys to a pulp? No problem.
Superpower: Super Strength
Superhero name: Calamity
Not the largest or most brawn girl in existence, Sharla would gain extreme super strength. Matching her spunky attitude, she would be able to pick-up and throw cars, smash through buildings and pack a wicked punch. Although since she wouldn’t be used to these new powers, she would accidentally wreck things with ease. Hence her name: Calamity. But beating up bad guys to a pulp? No problem.
Jim Coles
Superpower: Ability to control and manipulate Fire
Superhero name: Charcoles
During normal hours at the news station, Jim sometimes get flustered when his computer decides to not work, his scripts don’t print, or his video doesn't come in and ends up running around the newsroom. So its only appropriate that Jim gets the power of fire. Creating fireballs, controlling fire or just being able to engulf himself in flames. Now he will have no trouble when covering a story about a sports team on a “hot” streak...and his tan matches the superpower nicely too.
Superpower: Ability to control and manipulate Fire
Superhero name: Charcoles
During normal hours at the news station, Jim sometimes get flustered when his computer decides to not work, his scripts don’t print, or his video doesn't come in and ends up running around the newsroom. So its only appropriate that Jim gets the power of fire. Creating fireballs, controlling fire or just being able to engulf himself in flames. Now he will have no trouble when covering a story about a sports team on a “hot” streak...and his tan matches the superpower nicely too.
Sofia Ojeda
Superpower: Super Senses
Superhero name: React
Sofia may or may not have a knack for being easily startled. So compensating for this, she develops super senses. Heightened senses allow her to not be startled and even anticipate and react before it happens. Also she has enhanced taste, can see farther, smell more, hear and feel even the most miniscule vibrations allowing her to gain the upper-hand on any opponent or news story.
Superpower: Super Senses
Superhero name: React
Sofia may or may not have a knack for being easily startled. So compensating for this, she develops super senses. Heightened senses allow her to not be startled and even anticipate and react before it happens. Also she has enhanced taste, can see farther, smell more, hear and feel even the most miniscule vibrations allowing her to gain the upper-hand on any opponent or news story.
Jon Meyer
Superpower: Super Elasticity
Superhero name: Mr. Stretch
I mean, he’s already halfway there. Jon becomes a real version of Stretch Armstrong. He would be able to stretch his body for miles, not allowing any bad guys or good news stories get away. Stretching to different college stadiums each Saturday, he wouldn’t ever miss a single Penn State game again.
Superpower: Super Elasticity
Superhero name: Mr. Stretch
I mean, he’s already halfway there. Jon becomes a real version of Stretch Armstrong. He would be able to stretch his body for miles, not allowing any bad guys or good news stories get away. Stretching to different college stadiums each Saturday, he wouldn’t ever miss a single Penn State game again.
Andy Palumbo
Superpower: none
Superhero name: The News Owl
Since Andy was not present at the time of the nuclear waste explosion, he was not exposed. But much like Batman or Iron-Man, Andy decides to use the resources he already has to become a vigilante of the night, joining the forces of his recently super-powered fellow employees under a secret identity. He would use his already stunning wit and knowledge to best his villainous adversaries while still maintaining his normal persona at work. He now stalks great news stories that thrive at night while at the same time clearing the streets of evil.
Superpower: none
Superhero name: The News Owl
Since Andy was not present at the time of the nuclear waste explosion, he was not exposed. But much like Batman or Iron-Man, Andy decides to use the resources he already has to become a vigilante of the night, joining the forces of his recently super-powered fellow employees under a secret identity. He would use his already stunning wit and knowledge to best his villainous adversaries while still maintaining his normal persona at work. He now stalks great news stories that thrive at night while at the same time clearing the streets of evil.
Written by: Kyle Cicilioni
