I think getting powers or at least solving what may be blocking it would certainly work. Even with your mundane setting a little bit of power is to be expected in the Marvel setting, and that is a lot of its charm.<br/><br/>As to your first post, please ignore this if its not as you want it to be but i figured i would throw in my 2 cents on characters that might be around. Marvel like other super hero based universes has a LOT of heroes and even More Villains. Unless you are going for an almost no more heroes around, here would be my suggestions.<br/><br/>Heroes / Groups likely to be alive (please note these are all suggestions)<br/><strong><br/>Spiderman</strong>: I would place him as a probably still around one, but hes a big one so its more on what you want. If he is gone, someone might have taken up his mantle. He tends to deal with a lot of street level enemies.<br/><br/><strong>Avengers</strong>- While some of the avengers may be gone / dead, it is a good bet that other heroes would step in to fill those roles. Its a team that will pretty much exist in some capacity. (perhaps pulling from the young avengers and current teen teams / new heroes to fill in a lot of the spots).<br/>Probably someone running around in Iron man gear.<br/><strong>Captain America</strong>and<strong>Thor</strong>are easy targets to be gone<br/><strong>Captain Marvel</strong>(aka Ms Marvel) If alive likely to be the new leader<br/><strong>Hank Pym</strong>- If alive likely to stay in a more brains capacity since ya never know when the next huge attack will occur.<br/><strong><br/>Hulk</strong>: A character very hard to actually kill, though its completely possible that he is in hiding and wants to be left alone.<br/><br/><strong>X-men</strong>: Another one of those, that would exist in some capacity, people would fill the roles. I would expect a few main survivors,<strong> Beast (Hank McCoy), Kitty Pryde</strong>, and maybe a handful to still be running some kind of school.<strong>Wolverine</strong>is always a nice guy to keep around, hes street level and its fun to play a grouch.<br/><br/><strong>Fantastic Four </strong>: They are a hard one to nail down, not usually in the middle of a fight until its required. They are super explorers. I could see at the very least<strong>Sue Storm</strong>and her kids<strong>Franklin</strong>(Franklin may very well be the replacement in the FF considering he is the most powerful mutant alive)and<strong>Valeria</strong>being alive. As well as some of the now grown up people that make up the Future Foundation. Though if it was peaceful they would probably still focus on science not superhero-ing.<br/><br/>Also note that often others would come and fill in rolls with the FF when needed. Such as<strong>Scott Lang aka Ant man</strong>(2nd ant man)<br/><strong><br/>Sorcerer Supreme</strong>- This might no longer be<strong>Doctor Strange</strong>, but one of the casters would have to take the mantle as it is a job that gets automatically passed on to worthy magic based people, as they need to protect the dimension from the others.<br/><br/><strong>Ghost Rider </strong>-  Another one of those passed one mantles. So old one could very well be dead but likely there is a new one running around.<br/><strong><br/>Guardians of the Galaxy</strong>: Probably unharmed, also probably non involved unless aliens show up. (though there are a lot of aliens)<br/><br/><strong>Heroes for Hire / Defenders / Mighty Avengers</strong>: A lot of these are stickly ground level guys and more likely to be outside of a big war.<br/><strong>Iron Fist</strong>- probably more in a mentor capacity<br/><strong>Luke Cage</strong>- probably more in a mentor capacity<br/><strong>Powerman</strong>- new guy<br/><strong>White Tiger</strong><br/><strong>Misty Knight</strong><br/><strong>Spectrum </strong><br/><br/>Other Heroes: There are probably quite a few little heroes that might be still around.<br/><strong>Squirrel Girl </strong>: Most people dont know her, and she tends not to get involved in most fights. But the silly thing is, She is feared across the universe, Thanos and Dr Doom have lost to her, several times. One of those i cannot believe she won persons. But like i said doesnt fight 99.9% of the time.<br/><strong>Punisher</strong>- If alive, hes doing his punishing thing. If not im sure there are more psychotics available.<br/><strong>Red Hulk / A-Bomb / She Hulk</strong>- Other Hulky like guys and gals who tend to fill in wherever a lot of the time.<br/><strong>Blade</strong>: Likely killing vampires...<br/><strong>Deadpool </strong>: I would love him to be around - As it currently stands he is still cursed that he cannot stay dead.<br/><strong>Captain Britain / England Superheroes </strong>- Probably got mixed in the war but i would imagine like the USA there are still some of the kicking around. Captain Britain actually defends the Multiverse as one of many alternate version of himself.<br/><br/><strong>SHEILD</strong>: I would likely expect is working in some fashion and it has quite a big roster of knowns and unknowns. So even if most of the characters are gone likely more would take to the agency. Well known ones are:<br/><strong>Maria Hill</strong>-  Currently in charge of shield<br/><strong>Nick Fury</strong>- current one is the son of the original (one to make it more in line with the movies)<br/><strong>Agent Coulson</strong><br/><strong>Mutant Liaison Alison Blaire aka Dazzler</strong><br/><br/>Other Characters in the world<br/><strong>Namor</strong>- Might just be in Atlantis with his people<br/><br/>Like i said, i dont want to step on toes, i just thought i would throw in my bit. Too often ill read comics where its kind of like a bad future and too many heroes are just plain missing without explanation. Im sure i could find a bunch of the lesser guys as well. And if you need anything villain wise i know a lot of those. hopefully this helps you out.