Pop Culture 2

[bryant]

"I draw energy from the area around me in order to fuel my powers, creating a zone of cold." Where's the first instance of this trope? I know I've seen it in Warhammer 40K but I don't think that's the origin. Blame head58 for this; he asked me and I can't get it out of my head.

Comments

[bruceb.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. I'm sure it predates WH40K, but darned if I can pin it down further. Legion of Super-Heroes?

[bryant]

Not that I recall. I keep thinking Stephen King, maybe Firestarter.

[kodi]

I think the original Killer Frost counts.

[head58.livejournal.com]

There was one guy in a DC Heroes game I ran back in the 90s who had kinetic energy manipulation and tried to argue to let this trick charge up his Power Reserve. So maybe he got the idea from another media source? I don't think it was in Squadron Supreme, which was the only place I'd seen somebody with that power.

[bryant]

I dunno. I'm not talking cryokinesis here, I'm talking that sort of chill in the air thing?

[kodi]

Well, so I guess there's really three things - there's Iceman style cryokinesis, where they "make cold," there's Killer Frost style cryokinesis, where they absorb heat, and then there's what you're talking about?

[kodi]

Ok, four things - the three I mentioned, and server rooms.

[heart-of-stars.livejournal.com]

Drawing energy/heat from the area in order to power up some kind of mystic juju is also a very common part of poltergeist stories (faithfully represented in many movies and shows, such as Supernatural). One minute you're fine, the next you suddenly can see your breath, then POW! Flying furniture everywhere.

I know you were looking more in the supers realm, but that's what triggered first for me.