Body Part Disembodied – The ability to exist as a disembodied body part. Body Part Disembodied is also known as Body Part Mimicry, Body Part Physiology, Limb Mimicry, Limb Physiology, Organ Mimicry and Organ Physiology.
Literary Critique of Body Part Disembodied
This is only a superpower if the disembodied state makes the disembodied entity more powerful. Giant eyes generally can see more and/or shoot rays. Giant hands can punch with superhuman strength and of course hands are pretty strong and a blow to a hand is less effective than a blow to the stomach or head. This is a good example of a power that can be identified inductively. Comic books are filled with powerful disembodied body parts but I think this is the first and for now the only list that includes this state of being as a superpower. Jack Jawbreaker is a disembodied arm that goes around punching crooks while yelling “Jack Jawbreaker Fights Crime!!”.
The Hand appeared in Speed Comic #13 (Harvey) and mostly fought crime by pointing not punching.
Superboy (DC) had to fight some disembodied arms in Superboy V1 #131.
Devil’s Heart (Marvel) was a giant disembodied heart that was a foe of Dracula (Marvel Legacy: The 70’s Handbook #1)!
The Blue Beetle fought a disembodied eye, the Eye of Horus, in Blue Beetle V3 #54 (Charlton).
The Eye (Centaur Publications) is a disembodied eye that floats around gaining information which it shares with the appropriate person for the cause of justice. If a giant eye started talking to me I would of course not run in terror but have a good chat instead (Keen Detective Funnies V1 #23).
The human race must deal with a jeweled disembodied eye in Strange Adventures #25 (DC).
There is a disembodied Evil Eye in Strange Tales #4.
Basil Wolverton has created a particularly disturbing race of Venusian disembodied eyes in Eye of Doom, Mystic V2 #6 (Atlas).
Doctor Solar fights a disembodied hand in Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #08 (Gold Key).
Krypto (DC) fights a couple of disembodied hands created by Mister Mxyzptlk in Action Comics #467.
Luthor (DC) battles Batman in Batman V1 #130 with a giant mechanical disembodied hand.
Silver Age anthologies loved disembodied hands
Adventures into Terror #5 (Marvel)
Forbidden Worlds #102 (ACG)
House of Mystery V1 #45 (DC)
House of Secrets V1 #1 (DC)
(DC)
Strange Adventures V1 #110 (DC)
Strange Adventures V1 #168 (DC)
Strange Adventures V1 #22 (DC)
Uncanny Tales #20 (Atlas).
In Mister Miracle V1 #10, the Head gives the hero a hard time.
In Adventure Comics V1 #292 (DC), Lex Luthor uses technology to follow Superboy around Smallville as a disembodied head.
The Brain in Adventures into Terror #4 and #6 (Atlas) is actually a disembodied head and is still waiting to return.
Occasionally disembodied body parts appear but we then discover the bodies are hidden. In Action Comics V1 #284, Supergirl enters the “Valley of Hands”!
Supergirl battles giant feet, actually part of the Infinite Monster, in Action Comics V1 #285. Maybe the Valley of Hands in the previous issue generated a lot of fan mail!
The Brain-Child is a disembodied brain that inhabits the Savage Dragon Universe.
Black Bolt #3 (Marvel)
Donovan’s Brain (1953)
Futurama – Heads in a Jar
Handy – Little Dracula #3 (Harvey)
The Brain of Colonel Barham – Outer Limits
The Running Ghost – Haunted Horror #27 (IDW)
Thing – Addams Family
Triskelions in Who’s Who in Star Trek #2 (1987)
The Flameskull can launch fire balls (D&D 4th Edition – Monster Manual 1).
Crawling Claws – WTC11832 – Monsters of Faerun
Crawling Claw – TSR 2140A Monstrous Manual
Deryth – Creature Collection II. Dark Menagerie
Gallows Eyes – Creature Collection II. Dark Menagerie
Lumi – D&D 3.5 – Monster Manual III
Lurking Strangler – D&D 3.5 – Monster Manual III
Menace of the Floating Head – Tales to Astonish V1 #8
Arcane Head – TSR 2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 3
Break #6
Dept of Monsterology – The Trouble with Harry (Renegade)
Herman von Klempt in B.P.R.D. The Devil You Know #1 (Dark Horse)
Iron Man Brain – Dark Avengers #189
Judge Dredd – “Crusade” – 2000 AD #937
Judge Dredd – “Part Exchange” – 2000 AD #903
Mambo – “The New Flesh” – 2000 AD #890
ORCOM – Outcasts #10 (DC)
Orpheus (Vertigo) – The Sandman-Fables and Reflections V6
Revere – “Finders Edge” – 2000 AD #745
Sam Slade Robo-Hunter – “Escape from Bisleyland” – 2000 AD #753
Slaine – “Lord of Misrule” – 2000 AD #958
“The Hunting of the Veks” – Tales of Telguuth (2000 AD)
“The Monster Maker” – Challengers of the Unknown V1 #2
The Twilight Zone #16 (Gold Key)
Valla deals with person with a disembodied head in Dark Fang #1 (Image)
Vargouille – TSR 2016 Monster Manual II
Vector 13 – “Chill Out” – 2000 AD #1079
Ward of Swords – Sandman Presents-Petrefax #3 (Vertigo)
Weird Fantasy #13 (EC)
Witch World – “The Anatomist” – 2000 AD #1056
Robot (Image) has been turned into a brain in a jar as a precaution against his evil genius in Invincible #142 (2017).
Tath Ki (Marvel) has been decapitated by Warlock in Infinity Countdown Prime #1.
Day of the Flying Head #2 (Hollow Press)
“The Devil’as Hand” – Eerie #31 (1971)
WereVerse Universe Baby!
Foxhugh Superpowers List 