how inclusive is the term "metahuman"?

[NetSpiker]

Is the term "metahuman" used only for humans with super-powers like the Flash, or is it also used for aliens like Superman and Martian Manhunter? Is Wonder Woman considered to be a metahuman?

[Addams]

I really don't see in what it would be pertinent to call an alien a "metahuman".

Same for Wonderwoman, strictly speaking she's not human.

Metahuman, for what i understand, simply means human with super-powers (and/or maybe mutation) so of course it's not working about someone who is not a member of this crazy specie.

[dupersuper]

Invasion coined the phrase, and frames it pretty well. For example, Starman (Will Payton) isn't affected by the gene bomb because he's no longer human, Robot Man isn't, the GLs aren't, Batman's not, but humans with inborn or accidentally given powers (Captain Atom, Fire, Flash, etc.) are.

Same for Wonderwoman, strictly speaking she's not human.

What is she? Aren't the Amazons human (if slightly enhanced), and she enhanced far more by her god-given boons?

[Addams]

What is she?

Unique my friend, unique.

Well joke aside i don't know many humans who have been made out of clay.

[Retro315]

I dislike the term, because really, it's just a gimmicky way of saying the same exact thing as "super-human", which just means more gifted than an ordinary human, and has been popular DC nomenclature that ties very nicely with "super-hero" and "Superman".

There's world's of difference between say, Batman, who wears body armor and kicks ass ... and Steel, who wears armor that gives him Superman-like powers. But they're both ordinary men. (Well, were. Steel has some nano-tech stuff lately and Bruce's mind is capable of processing and outmaneuvering god-curses.) Actually, Steel is vaguely similar in classification to Green Lanterns. Ordinary folks with awesome weapons.

And there's worlds of difference between Superman, who's not human at all ... and Flash, who is human but has an insane pseudo-science power infusion.

And then there's a guy like Aquaman, who has vague, barely quantifiable natural origins - which lean more toward terms like "Mutant" or "Sub-human" but may be supernatural in origin.

And then DEFINITE supernaturals, like Wonder Woman, and all other "Magic" characters.

I'd rather see it (For humans, at least) split in those four ways - Superhuman, Subhuman, Supernatural, and Augmented. They all fit under the umbrella of "Sci-Fi Heroes", which we could label "Metahuman" for quick reference, but it'd be a blanket term for extraordinary people.

[FHIZ]

I interpret it as a human born with powers. Off the top of my head, because I just read it, Misfit from Birds of Prey. She's just a kid who genetically has powers. Anyone who has been given their powers later in life, I don't consider a metahuman. Of course, people just wrap things all in to one more often than not.

Superman isn't human
Zatanna is magic
Wonder Woman's powers are from the gods (correct?)
Barry Allen got his powers from a freak accident.

[NetSpiker]

Are the Green Lanterns considered metahumans? They need to wear a ring to have super-powers but they use their own minds to generate those super-powers.

I read somewhere that Alan Scott can use super-powers without his ring. Does that make him a metahuman? Did he always have the ability to use super-powers without a ring or did something happen to him?

[Munkiman]

Are the Green Lanterns considered metahumans? They need to wear a ring to have super-powers but they use their own minds to generate those super-powers.

I read somewhere that Alan Scott can use super-powers without his ring. Does that make him a metahuman? Did he always have the ability to use super-powers without a ring or did something happen to him?

I don't think that they are considered metahumans, any more than a regular human with a gun is considered to have the superpower of firing bits of metal at high speed.

Alan Scott could use his powers without a ring when he internalized his magical battery, the Starheart. He didn't always have the ability, I'm not sure if he still does or not. But it's not natural, it's based on a magical artifact.

[NetSpiker]

In which story did he internalize the Starheart?

[Skaddix]

it depends because there are mutates and metahumans so I would say metahumans are any humans with powers that are not tech based. So no aliens or half gods but I would include magic based characters while mutates would be any human with powers that were caused after birth though dna modification.

[MFitzH2O]

So, going back to the origin of the term, 'humans with inborn or (accidentally) given powers', one might say a Green Lantern has 'Metahuman' abilities, but is not himself (or herself) a metahuman.

[zilch]

I've been doing some thinking about metahumanity....

Metahumanity is brought about by the activation of the metagene, found in about six percent of humanity (and higher mammals?). The gene is concentrated in white males found primarily in North America, but is present in all groups of homo sapiens (and homo sapiens magi). The metagene was possibly introduced in by the New Gods or another outside agency. Metagene activation shouldn't be confused with mutation, but probably some sort of non-mutant variant (NMV) of a baseline human.

All superhumans are metagene active, such as Hourman, so if a normal human would take Miraclo, nothing would happen, but since the Tylers are metagene dominant and active, the Miraclo is able to work on them.

[Skaddix]

I've been doing some thinking about metahumanity....

Metahumanity is brought about by the activation of the metagene, found in about six percent of humanity (and higher mammals?). The gene is concentrated in white males found primarily in North America, but is present in all groups of homo sapiens (and homo sapiens magi). The metagene was possibly introduced in by the New Gods or another outside agency. Metagene activation shouldn't be confused with mutation, but probably some sort of non-mutant variant (NMV) of a baseline human.

All superhumans are metagene active, such as Hourman, so if a normal human would take Miraclo, nothing would happen, but since the Tylers are metagene dominant and active, the Miraclo is able to work on them.

Lol this is good stuff especially the bolded part.

[glennsim]

Unique my friend, unique.

Well joke aside i don't know many humans who have been made out of clay.

Except she's not made out of clay. She's made out of flesh and blood.

She was made out of clay, but then that clay was transformed into flesh and blood. It's not clay any more.

[dancj]

Except she's not made out of clay. She's made out of flesh and blood.

She was made out of clay, but then that clay was transformed into flesh and blood. It's not clay any more.

Yeah - I think if Will Payton is able to not count because he stopped being human, Wonder Woman can go from being clay to being human.