SciFi Channel has added a new dimension to the second season of its campy hit Who Wants to be a Superhero?, and this angle is a little more down to earth.  The show currently courts individuals who create a character for themselves, complete with super power, who then compete through elimination trials.  The winner gets a comic book based on their character and presumably a made for SciFI channel film.  With the second season, SciFI will be opening the contest to at-home creators as well.

Using Planetwide Media's Comic Book Creator, Who Wants to be a Superhero? fans can create their own character for themselves and design a comic book detailing their adventures in righting wrongs and defending the earth from the forces of evil.

The grand prize for the contest is a spanking new Westingtonhouse 42" HDTV, the SciFI Channel DVD collection, and a full copy of the Planetwide Media Comic Book Creator software suite.  The first runner up will receive a 24” LCD monitor, also from Westinghouse, as well as the Comic Creator software.

Season Two of Who Wants to be a Superhero? begins one hero light of the first season, with an even ten hopefuls set to burn their names into comic book history. Among the, um, colorful cast of characters is The Defuser, Ms. Limelight, Hyper Strike, Whip-Snap, Mindset, Basura, Mr. Mitzvah, Braid, Parthenon, and Hygena.  Their powers range from super cleaning powers to the ability to control small animals.

Matthew Atherton, who won last year's contest as ‘Feedback,’ is set to star in a movie based on his character and the comic book version is expected to be released at some point strategically near the airing of Who Wants to be a Superhero season two.

The initial outlook for the show was bleak last year, but the campy fun wound up turning the show into a huge success for the SciFI channel.

- Jon Lachonis, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy SciFI.com)