Superboy Prime is traveling from world to world with an alleged 'Monitor' called Max Pickles (who's rather short, wears a purple derby, and calls him MacGurk - Clark isn't fooled, but its something to do, and it lets him keep an eye on the imp), and maybe one or more others, like Laurie, selecting and empowering a 'Superman' or equivalent on each Earth that lacks one - Prime generally does the selecting, as he's mostly not qualified to do the empowering. The selection is not always who would be best, sometimes its who would be most amusing, but it isn't generally someone who'd be the worst.
The powers, or the process of empowerment, tends to be something that fits that world, unless there's nothing established that would fit.
For example, on the Nasuverse Earth, Shirou has an ambition to be a Champion of Justice, and is far less of a dick than nearly all the local magi, and other such beings. Also, his Origin allows Kal, with Zelretch's help, to use a local variant of one of the cheesy Silver Age concepts that he thought was cool as a kid: the <a href='http://www.comicvine.com/superman/29-1807/sword-of-superman/92-568654/' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Sword of Superman</a>.
(I'm working on a thread for the above example.)
On the world of <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empowered' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Empowered</a>, Elissa Megan Powers receives a package in the mail, that will grant her far more impressive abilities than it at first appears - well, once she gets her self-esteem worked out.
On Lovecraft's Earth, a young boy gains great power when he speaks the mystical word "Tekeli'li".
In Mundus Magicus, during the Lifemaker Arc, Negi Springfield receives a gift of, among other things, unending stamina. He's going to need it.
EDIT: It needn't be the main character, either. For example, you could have Haruno Sakura as the Supergirl of Naruto's world, or Xander and Willow being the Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel of BtVS-Earth.
So, thoughts? Suggestions? There are a whole bloody lot of other Earths out there.
The powers, or the process of empowerment, tends to be something that fits that world, unless there's nothing established that would fit.
For example, on the Nasuverse Earth, Shirou has an ambition to be a Champion of Justice, and is far less of a dick than nearly all the local magi, and other such beings. Also, his Origin allows Kal, with Zelretch's help, to use a local variant of one of the cheesy Silver Age concepts that he thought was cool as a kid: the <a href='http://www.comicvine.com/superman/29-1807/sword-of-superman/92-568654/' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Sword of Superman</a>.
(I'm working on a thread for the above example.)
On the world of <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empowered' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Empowered</a>, Elissa Megan Powers receives a package in the mail, that will grant her far more impressive abilities than it at first appears - well, once she gets her self-esteem worked out.
On Lovecraft's Earth, a young boy gains great power when he speaks the mystical word "Tekeli'li".
In Mundus Magicus, during the Lifemaker Arc, Negi Springfield receives a gift of, among other things, unending stamina. He's going to need it.
EDIT: It needn't be the main character, either. For example, you could have Haruno Sakura as the Supergirl of Naruto's world, or Xander and Willow being the Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel of BtVS-Earth.
So, thoughts? Suggestions? There are a whole bloody lot of other Earths out there.