Power Creep and 1985

I'm working on Stalwart Phile #7, which is dedicated to technology and gear. I'm formalizing some bits about trick weapons and utility belts, and providing an alternate system for battle suit generation... I'm also creating a specific list of gifts that would be just for generating battle suits, and wanted to make sure I left no stone unturned. Therefore, I decided to check out the abilities of Iron Man's armor, and see what he can do (in current comics), to see if there was anything worth adapting. 

And... wow. The question isn't what can Iron Man do, it's what CAN'T he do? He has as much magnetic control as Magneto did in 1985. And he has as much strength as Hulk did in 1985. Maybe more. I mean, he's basically got everyone's powers from all of 1985 in one suit. I don't read any current comics, but I see this in online debates in the superhero groups on FB... can Flash beat Superboy Prime? Well, Flash can move faster than thought and can travel the Multiverse in a few seconds, but Superboy Prime can lift the entire universe and is strong enough to bend reality to his will, so it's a tough match.

I mean, really? Is this what we've come to? Thank goodness I don't read current comics. That's just stupid.

And it is impossible for gaming. I mean, you're trying to put Captain America on the same sort of scale with someone who can reshape the multiverse to his will in a heartbeat, and somehow they are on the same team? I'm glad that I set the game in 1985, because power creep was only beginning to set in. Back then, 100 tons was a LOT of weight to pick up. The heavy hitters like Thing and Colossus could lift about 70-80 tons. Now, Solomon Grundy can lift "200 quintillion tons". 1 quintillion has 18 zeroes. Mm-kay.

Plus, I just Googled this - Spiderman once held up the Daily Bugle. Um. I remember when Gladiator picked up the entire Baxter Building, and it was one of the greatest feats of strength that the world had ever seen. Now Spiderman can do that. Yeah. No. Sorry.

Anyhow, back to game design. I just needed this reminder that Stalwart '85 is set in 1985, which means that the power scaling is also set in 1985 (and specifically Marvel Universe 1985, because DC had already given itself over to ridiculous power creep, which was part of the reason for Crisis on Infinite Earths - to scale Superman back a bit, and to make him the upper benchmark going forward - that didn't last very long). Good for me, it's 1985 forever.