Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes

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Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes
Surge of Power The Stuff of Heroes poster.png
Directed byMike Donahue
Written byVincent J. Roth
Produced byVincent J. Roth
StarringVincent J. Roth
John T. Venturini
Joey Bourgeois
Robert Hurt
CinematographyMatt McFarland
Greg Kimble
Edited byPeter Gahan
Music byKen Fix
Production
company
Surge of Power Enterprises LLC
Distributed byAriztical Entertainment
Release date
  • 2004 (2004)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes is a 2004 American independent superhero comedy film directed by Mike Donahue and written by Vincent J. Roth. The film is known for featuring cinema's first openly gay superhero.

Contents

It premiered at festivals in 2004, received a limited theatrical release in 2006 and is available on DVD and for streaming on some platforms. The film launched the Surge of Power franchise and was followed by the sequel Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel (2018).

Plot

Gavin Lucas, a corporate attorney and comic book fan, gains superhuman abilities after a sabotaged laboratory experiment involving scientist Ronald Richards and Richards’ former partner Hector Harris. With Richards’ reluctant assistance, Gavin designs a battle suit and becomes the superhero Surge of Power, defending Big City. Harris, transformed by the same accident, develops the ability to control metal and becomes the villain Metal Master. Their conflict escalates into a series of confrontations that culminate in a final showdown. [1] [2] [3]

Cast

Main roles

Cameos

Background, production and release

The project was developed by Vincent J. Roth, a California attorney and comic book fan, who conceived the idea of combining a superhero narrative with a gay lead character. Roth also wrote the script, served as executive producer, and starred as Gavin Lucas. The film was directed by Mike Donahue and produced by Ray Quiroga and Tom Tangen alongside Roth. [12] [14] [15]

Filming took place primarily in California with cinematography by Matt McFarland. The film was edited by Peter Gahan, with music composed by Ken Fix. Production used digital effects typical of low-budget films of the early 2000s, and relied on community support, volunteer contributions, and rented sets. [16]

The film also features cameo appearances by notable figures from science fiction and comic book media, which reviewers observed as a way of connecting the production to established fan culture. [12] [17]  

Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes premiered at film festivals in 2004 and received a limited theatrical release in March 2006. A DVD release followed in May 2006, with later streaming availability including Netflix between 2009 and 2013. [3] [4] [18]

Reception and criticism

The film received a mixed critical response. Reviewers criticized its limited budget, simplified special effects, and performance that was below industry standard. In a 2018 review of the sequel, The Hollywood Reporter referred to Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes as “a film that virtually no one has heard of,” noting its limited recognition outside niche audiences. On the other hand, some acknowledged its cultural significance as one of the earliest films to present an openly gay superhero. [19] [20]

Sequel

Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel

References

  1. ↑ "Johnny's Movie Club: Surge Of Power". Fanboys of the Universe. 2020-05-22. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  2. ↑ Etemesi, Philip (2024-08-21). "10 Indie Superhero Gems That Aren't Marvel or DC". MovieWeb. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  3. 1 2 "DVD Talk". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  4. 1 2 Nichols, Larry (2017-04-05). "Sequel to indie superhero flick screened at Philly Comic Con". Philadelphia Gay News. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  5. ↑ "Review: 'Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel' ineptly parodies superheroes". Los Angeles Times. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  6. ↑ "Joey Bourgeois". FilmAffinity. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  7. ↑ Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes (2004) . Retrieved 2025-09-18– via MUBI.
  8. ↑ Murthi, Vikram (2016-07-05). "Noel Neill, First Actress To Play Lois Lane On Silver Screen, Dies At 95". IndieWire. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  9. 1 2 Patta, Gig (2024-12-20). "Surge of Power: Where There's Smoke – Vincent Roth on Comic Book Movies, 20-Year Franchise, and Nichelle Nichols". LRMonline. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  10. ↑ "Bruce Vilanch Appears In The New Gay SuperHero Movie, "Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel"". 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  11. ↑ "Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes - Film (2004)". SensCritique (in French). Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  12. 1 2 3 Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes (2005) . Retrieved 2025-09-18– via Letterboxd.
  13. ↑ "Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Surge of Power: Where There's Smoke". Film Threat. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  15. ↑ Couch, Aaron (2017-04-01). "'Surge of Power' Star on Creating an Indie Gay Superhero Movie Years Before 'Power Rangers'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  16. ↑ "Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes review (2004) - Qwipster's Movie Reviews". Qwipster. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  17. ↑ Zonkel, Phillip (2018-01-03). "Surge of Power, first gay superhero in a movie, returns in a sequel". Q Voice News. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  18. ↑ Michael (2025-02-05). "In Conversation with Vince Roth on Surge of Power: Where There's Smoke". Indieactivity. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  19. ↑ Scheck, Frank (2018-01-04). "'Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  20. ↑ "The Independent Critic - "Surge of Power: Revenge of the Sequel" Brings in the New Year". The Independent Critic. Archived from the original on 2025-08-25. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
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