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1/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanKathryn G., 32, visual artist, East Village"[A superhero should have] a penis and vagina. I feel that gender is constructed, so we both should have both and be both."

2/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanSophie A., 29, artist, Nolita"If I were a superhero, my special power would be to make anyone fall in love with me for as long as I want."

3/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanRachel X., 22, business-strategy consultant, Chelsea"My superhero would definitely have a lot of integrity, pride and loyalty---plus the ability to fly and read people's minds. Is that really clich? Also, preventing hurricanes."

4/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanAnna K., 28; corporate attorney, Gramercy/Flatiron"Invisibility, the power to fly and the ability to stop time, so you can sleep and do other things that you don't usually have time for."

5/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanMichael C., 19, student; Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn"He'd have to be someone with an unwavering sense of justice, who can follow through no matter what and believe in himself. I think that's most important. You can't just be half-assed about things---especially as a superhero. When lives are in danger, you can't hesitate; just find your principles and stick with them."

6/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanDimitris K., 19, student; Flushing, Queens"My ideal superhero would probably be someone courageous, even if it's not like a superman with actual physical powers. [For example, he could] have the ability to save someone from a burning building. He doesn't have to fly up there; he can actually go up the stairs. It can be anything, as long as he has the power and courage to do something that others wouldn't do."

7/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanFred G., 75, retired photographer and artist, Upper West Side "I'm in love with my friend's doggie, Sophie. She's so intelligent [and] beautiful; she enhances my life. A superhero should have the qualities of this little Maltipoo."

8/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanMoshe G., 23, student, Washington Heights"I've always wanted to fly because I really like Superman."

9/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanYuriy A., 33, artist; Midwood, Brooklyn"The self-awareness of how he relates to people that he saves. Because if you have that quality, you'll be able to be very efficient."

10/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanJustin T., 23; model; Astoria, Queens "I think it would be interesting to be able to communicate with animals, to maybe command them in some way."

11/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanNathaniel B., 23, unemployed; Bushwick, Brooklyn"The ideal superhero would have both super strength and super intelligence. With that lethal combination, he'd probably be able to solve any problem."

12/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanTim G., 22, student, Lower East Side "My ideal superhero would be an athlete. He'd be a basketball player who'd accomplish any task necessary for humanity by beating people at basketball. So I think he'd look a lot like LeBron James, but be a much kinder, more thoughtful person."

13/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanSarah M., 21, student, Gramercy/Flatiron"He or she would be really just. She wouldn't hurt people or kill them, but she would find an adequate way to punish them and make them realize their mistakes."

14/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanZach T., 21, student, Roosevelt Island "I've always wanted to be able to fly, and sometimes I wish I knew what people were thinking."

15/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanJames R., 26; caterer; Fort Greene, Brooklyn "I would like to be able to swim in the ocean very quickly and below crushing depths. Because honestly, what's down there? Nobody knows. Can't get cameras down there. Can't get submarines down there. I think it's an unsolved mystery. If I could patrol that area, I'd be the king of the sea."

16/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanJuLondre B., 23, nonprofit fund-raiser, Harlem"My ideal superhero would have the mind-control powers of Professor Xavier from X-Men, but he wouldn't be old and dry. But definitely mind control, because I feel like ideas are really powerful. A lot of people have stupid ideas that I could just change, and then everything would be okay."

17/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanJose M., 23, architect, East Village"To have more than one life, so you could do as many things as you want. Mostly just to not live in regret."

18/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanJack W., 33, "man of leisure"; North Bergen, NJ"[Someone] hot, strong and brave: Hot because it gives you something to look at, strong because they need to do things and brave because they're going to do shit I sure as hell am not going to do."

19/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanDina D., 25, real-estate broker, Gramercy/Flatiron"I want to be everywhere at any time---or be in two places at once. I would just want to fly."

20/20

Photograph: Marielle SolanYauheniya T., 23, student, East Village"I would really like to read people's minds. With so many lies in our world, it's nice just to know what's in people's minds."

Street survey: What's your dream super power?

These New Yorkers fantasized about telepathy and extra genitalia.

By Rebecca Fishbein Posted: Tuesday September 13 2011

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