IT’S A MIRACLE! IT’S A DRIFTER! IT’S … TEMPTATIONS MAN!The 1960s marked the birth of two of the comics industry’s first black superheroes: The Black Panther in 1966, and The Falcon in 1969. However, another African-American superhero came to life in 1969. He didn’t appear in the comics. He didn’t even have a name. He existed only in the lyrics of “I Can’t Get Next to You,” a hit song sung by the Temptations.If “Temptations Man” were an actual superhero, he would have a pretty impressive array of powers at his command. Check it out:“I can turn a gray sky blue. I can make it rain, whenever I wanted to.”This is weather manipulation, a power similar to that of Storm of the X-Men.“I can build a castle from a single grain of sand.”This is matter manipulation. Temptations Man can change not only the size of an object, but also its shape.“I can make a ship sail on dry land.”Looks like levitation here, similar to the power of the Jedi Knights in Star Wars.“I can fly like a bird in the sky.”So can about half the superheroes that were ever dreamed up, but flying is still not a bad power to have.“I can turn a river into a raging fire.”More matter manipulation … this time, transmuting substances from one form to another. Heavy-duty stuff here.“I can live forever if I so desired.”This could be immortality, invulnerability – or both.“I can turn back the hands of time, you better believe I can.”Now we’re getting into some really serious superpowers. The manipulation of time is something even Superman can’t do, although the Man of Steel does have the ability to time-travel – or at least he could many years ago, when I stopped reading comics.“I can make the seasons change, just by waving my hand.”This is similar to the weather-changing power, although in this case it seems more like the ability to raise and lower ambient temperature.“I can change anything from old to new.”Reversing the effects of wear, erosion and age … a hero with this power could put Botox out of business.Sadly, for all the powers he possesses, Temptations Man “can’t get next to” the woman he desires. But he sure could do just about anything else he wanted. Anyone trying to come up with a new superhero or super-team ought to give this old song a listen.
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