Download creating a genetic superhero

Name________________________________________ Date_________________
BIOLOGY – SPEAKMAN
CREATING A GENETIC SUPERHERO
The editors and creative directors at Marvel Comics are
looking for a new superhero. They have grown tired of their
own and have established a national wide search for the next
great marvel character, whether hero or villain.
Marvel Comics should be very well known to you. They have
countless movies, comics, and numerous collectables, which
are distributed and bought by millions around the world.
Directions:
For your assignment you will be designing a proposal to Marvel Comics design editors. You must
create a new super hero or villain that will be the son or daughter of 2 all ready well-known
superheroes or villains. In order for Marvel to read your proposal, you must prove the genetic
relation to the 2 Marvel Characters, create a story for your character and explain the source of
their special powers.
You will be submitting your proposal WITH ONE of the following:
-Short Story
- Comic Strip
-Theme Song
-TV commercial
PART 1: Researching the Parents
1. Go to the following website and search through Marvel Comics character profiles.
Pick a male and female character to be the parents for your character.
http://marvel.com/universe or if that does not work;
http://marvel.com/universe/Category:People or type it into google. Then copy and paste
your search now into the url.
MOM___________________________
DAD_____________________________
2. Choose at least 5 genetic traits.
 DO NOT USE SUPERPOWERS!
 Create a data table of the genetic traits (please see my example)
 Use the online character profiles to determine the parents’ phenotypes for the 5
traits you choose.
 Record their phenotypes in the table.
EXAMPLE
Character
Mother’s Phenotype
Father’s Phenotype
Eye Color
Blue eyes
Brown eyes
3. Determine the alleles for the 5 genetic traits.
 Add 2 columns at the beginning of your data table for the dominant allele and
recessive allele.
 Go to www.flip-coin.com .
If it is heads = mother’s allele is dominant
If it is tails = mother’s allele is recessive.
 “Flip” the coin. Record mother’s allele in the matching column of your data table.
 Record father’s allele in the other column.
**if father’s allele is the same as mother’s, make up the second allele.**
 Assign a letter to represent the alleles for each of the 5 traits.
EXAMPLE
Character
Eye color
Dominant allele
Blue eyes (B)
Recessive allele
Brown eyes (b)
4. Determine the parent’s genotypes for the 5 traits.
 Add columns for mother’s genotype and father’s genotype.
 Record the parents’ genotypes in each column.
 If a parent has a dominant phenotype, “flip” the coin.
If its heads = homozygous dominant
If its tails = heterozygous
EXAMPLE
Character
Mother’s
Father’s
Genotype
Genotype
5. Draw and complete Punnett Squares for the 5 genetic traits.
 Include the probability for all possible offspring pheotypes.
 Write a one sentence caption summarizing what the results of each Punnett Square
mean.
6. Determine the parent’s superpowers.
 Use the online character profiles to determine whether or not each of the parent’s
superpowers are the result of genetics, environmental factors or both.
 Explain what each parent’s superpowers are and what they result from or of.
PART 2: Creating your superhero.
7. Add your superhero to the data table of genetic traits.
 Add columns for both genotype and phenotype.
 For each punnett square, pick one of the possible outcomes for each new character
to have.
 Add the phenotypes and genotypes you choose to the data table.
EXAMPLE
Character
Mother’s
Genotype
Father’s
Genotype
Baby’s Genotype
Baby’s
Phenotype
8. Determine your new superhero’s Superpower.
 Explain your superhero’s superpower and how she/he got it; was it genetics, the
environment or both?
 Did she/he inherit it from one parent or both? Did something in the environment
cause the superpower and if so then what happened?
9. Draw your new superhero according to the traits she/he inherited from her/his
parents.
 Go to the following website to create your superhero using the computer. You may
draw by hand if you so desire.
http://marvel.com/games/play/31/create_your_own_superhero
 DON’T FORGET TO NAME YOUR SUPERHERO!
PART 3: Creating your proposal.
10. Create a written proposal(final draft) to present to the Marvel Comic’s editors.
 Your proposal MUST include all completed data tables as well as ALL information
from steps #1 – 9.
 Your proposal must be neat/professional and very well organized, but should also
catch the editor’s attention. You want them to choose your character and read your
proposal!
 Millions of proposals are being sent in to the editors. Therefore only neat,
organized, well-prepared and CREATIVE proposals will be considered.
11. Create a short story, comic strip, theme song or TV commercial that the Marvel
Comics editors can use in the first edition of your superhero’s/villain’s first comic
book, movie or TV show.