SPOILER: General World Reactions
Contents
Countries[edit]
Goverments are going to publicly "stand down" as these people have yet to do anything wrong - but I do see them keeping tabs on all 283. Maybe try to recurit a few into "service" The New Universe comics did something along these lines with "The Draft". Should be utter terror. Instead, it will be some bluster and pomp and whatnot. Some of the supers (since its DC) will undoubtedly be "patriots" and form some sort of American super team. Depending on their political bent, they likely terrorize the country, weeding out whatever elements they feel are "dangerous."
Corporations and the Media[edit]
can see Corps looking to cash in on super powered spokesmen. It could be totally serious (Ultraverse hero Choice and the whole Choice cola thing comes to mind) or kinda campy (think Mystery Men super Captain Amazing). Of corse once you sign on the dotted line whos to say the Corp doesn't see you as less spokesmen and more properity. As for the Media - think American Idol and Hollywood Insider or any of a dozen other "celeberity" shows and thats just for "normal" people - Add Super powers and its gonna be a media blitz! If Nike can get a speedster to shuck its shoes it will. Otherwise, they take out extra insurance against superbattle damage. Probably varies with the individual hero and media group. If those patriots above are right-wingers FOXNews will bow down in worship.
Religious groups[edit]
Some will see it as some sign of the end of the world, while others will see it as the hand of god at work. There will be groups who fear them as "demons" and groups who will want to worship them as "gods". By and large I can see religious groups being just as eager to exploit any number of the 283 just like the Corps and the Media. Most predictable of all. Any supers that agree with me = Gift From God. Any supers that don't = Satan's work. No matter what: "These supers are punishment from God because not enough people donate to my church." The real terror is if one of the supers is a fanatic.
General public[edit]
The public will handle this in one of three ways in general - Fear (which leads to hate and jealousy) Awe (which leads to idolizing - obession and any number of positive and negative responses) Disbelife (Some think its just some hoax or media stunt - until they see it first hand and then that can lead to either of Fear or Awe or just Acceptance as it doesn't seem to effect them as far as they can see). Probably initial amusement, followed swiftly by terror.
Politically[edit]
It could be a very bad thing as the other countries might see it as an unfair advantage that the US now has this resorce. It could very well start a new "Cold War". And what if the 283 "get fed up with goverment interferance" and wish to create a "country" of their own? This sort of "Super Nation" could very well start another World War. And who knows what the fear of the supers doing something like this might spark politically, both at home and abroad.
Economically[edit]
I don't really see this being to effected at first - but if later some super starts giving out super tech and the cures for major ills in the world. The economical face of the free world could very well crash and burn. If the supers kill each other off quickly and don't destabilize society, then not much would change. If they don't, then society destabilizes, the economy collapses because "capitol is a coward." Check out the period between world wars and before WWI for examples of what I'm talking about.
Sociologically[edit]
Hummm well I think I have that covered in the points I made above - but think about this. We the amercian public were more interested in voteing for who would be the next American Idol as opposed to who would be the next American president. The "super" factor would cause alot of chaos but I think after the shock wore off it would be goverment/croprate/media who would set the new tone and the majority of the people would follow their lead.
