Potential contestants auditioned as their super hero selves. The final 10 selected were then placed in common quarters. The contestants were then tested for super hero traits.[4] Lee was the only judge and would instruct the eliminated contestant: “Turn in your costume”.[5] He also mentored the contestants and made appearances, primarily on TV screens, on a giant plasma at the top of a tower block, monitor resting in the middle of a pile of trash or on individually issued "communicators".[4] Winner's character concept would be the star of a Stan Lee scripted Dark Horse comic book and of a TV movie for the Sci Fi (SyFy) Channel.[3][1]
Production
Stan Lee and Bruce Nash developed the concept.[5] In 2004, MTV was considering televising the show, even holding the regional auditions. The show moved to the Sci Fi Channel two years later[6] with the pitch well-received when they were told that Stan would judge.[5]
The show was renewed for a second season with hints of another country might get a junior version of the show.[2] Jarrett Crippen, aka the Defuser, won the second season.[7]
US season 1
At the Los Angeles 2004 auditions, Matthew Atherton applied as Knightbeam, powered from artificial light. Atherton reapplied as Feedback and was originally selected as an alternative.[6]
Some filmed challenges were cut from the show.[6] The first challenge (1a) was from Rotiart, a plant from Lee, who talked to the contestants to find out who was there for the right reasons. The next challenge (1b) was to discreetly change into costume and then race to a finish line, with a secret part being to help a lost little girl.[1]
The three finalists had their potential comic book cover shown to them. Then they had the challenge of getting school children to vote for them after telling them their origin story. Fat Momma won the children's vote. The next challenge was to track down Dark Enforcer at Universal CityWalk via planned clues with Major Victory winning. Fat Momma wanted to quit, as she felt Feedback deserved it more, but was convinced to stick it out by the other two. Major Victory was then eliminated.[8]
Feedback won the first season over Fat Momma.[6] The top three, winner Feedback, runners-up Fat Momma and Major Victory, were made into action figures by Shocker Toys released along with the season two's figures.[9] Feedback appeared in the 2007 Sci Fi channel film Mega Snake.[10]
Matthew Atherton Software engineer 34 years old Las Cruces, New Mexico
Absorb powers from video game characters/generate a feedback field that disrupts electronics within 15 feet/computer genius
IN
IN
IN
NOM
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
WIN
Fat Momma ♀
Nell Wilson Online sales specialist/single mother 42 years old Los Angeles, California
Grows to 5X her normal size when angry/eating a doughnut activates other powers
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
NOM
NOM
IN
IN
OUT
Major Victory ♂
Chris Watters Disc jockey 38 years old San Francisco, California
Super strength/flight/super jump/survive without air/super vision/manipulate sound waves
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
NOM
NOM
OUT
Lemuria ♀
Tonatzin Mondragon Property manager/artist/sculptor 30 years old Los Angeles, California
Shoot lasers/shoot fireballs/levitation/drain energy from people, animals, and plants/throw orbs of solar energy
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
IN
OUT
Creature ♀
Tonya Kay Automobile mechanic 25 years old Coldwater, Michigan
Can heal others with fruit and raw foods/shoot fire beams/magical bullwhip/throws knives with unerring precision
NOM
IN
NOM
IN
IN
IN
OUT
Ty'Veculus ♂
E. Quincy Sloan Fire captain 34 years old Bakersfield, California
Super strength/super speed/fire resistance/lie detection
IN
IN
IN
NOM
IN
OUT
Monkey Woman ♀
Mary Votava Real estate investor 28 years old Seattle, Washington
Skills of a monkey/talk to monkeys/high-tech weapons disguised as bananas/bamboo staff
IN
NOM
IN
IN
OUT
The Iron Enforcer ♂
Steel Chambers Bodyguard 35 years old Brooklyn, New York
Densest bone structure of any human/death punch/various high-tech weapons
NOM
NOM
NOM
OUT
Cell Phone Girl ♀
Chelsea Weld Interior designer 22 years old La Crescenta, California
Teleport from one cell phone to another/eyes can take digital photos/mentally download information from a computer/use cell phone waves to move objects and shoot laser beams
IN
IN
OUT
Nitro G ♂
Darren Passarello College student/filmmaker 19 years old Staten Island, New York
Super strength/super speed/flight/energy manipulation
IN
OUT
Levity ♂
Tobias Trost Toy designer/animator 32 years old Lakeside, Montana
Force shields/aerokinesis
OUT
Rotiart ♂
Jonathan Finestone Business owner 27 years old Los Angeles, California
Two or three villains, Dr. Dark and Bee Sting,[13] were used in this season and there was an overarching story line.[2] In addition to the first season rewards of a Stan Lee written comic book published by Dark Horse and a Sci Fi Original movie appearance, the winning character would also get a Shocker Toys action figure.[14]
Jarrett Crippen's character was originally named Take Down, but as that name was trademarked by a wrestler, Stan Lee chose "The Defuser" after discussing his job as a police detective.[15] Crippen finished filming for his character's movie appearance by January 15, 2009. The movie, Lightning Strikes, also starred Kevin Sorbo.[16]
Key:
Superhero completed the task
Superhero was nominated for elimination
Superhero was eliminated
Superhero won
A plus sign indicates that the hero was singled out for praise by Lee in that episode.
