It's been a hot minuet sense I last really played, so reviewing the rules I've seen some new things but this new mechanic that came in during TMT has me second guessing how to do some special objects.

The question is: Do objects via trait count towards object limit?

Example, Beetle
"SIGNATURE EQUIPMENT: BEETLE POD: Beetle may start the game with EX#s001 Beetle Pod equipped."

SO Beetle Pod is a special heavy object. Let's say I run 4 Beetles just because. If I am thinking correctly only 3 of the 4 can have pod, as each team only gets 3 objects during force construction. Am I correct?

No, pre-equipped objects don't count. Characters which say they let you "include" an object would count toward it, but if they already start equipped, it's fine.

From the World's Finest Fast Forces Batman:This would count for the object limit.

Technically, those would be 'post-equipped'. Objects that appear when the game 'starts' don't count towards force construction.

Neato! That makes thing's a little bit easier.

Another question that I just thought of because I plan to play him soon

IIM Absorbing Man
"MYSTICAL ABSORPTION: When Absorbing Man is adjacent to a character with a relic attached to them, give Absorbing Man a free action to copy the current effects of one of those relics until your next turn."

Being how thing's have changed alot are special objects and relics one in the same now? Just to keep up with Beetle, can he copy the Beetle Pod? My guess is not and relic's being how they are now he's kinda boned... Which is okay because we're getting a new one soon.

Special objects is a very wide category that does include relics. All relics are special objects, but not all special objects are relics. In the modern game most special objects you'll see are equipment and Absorbing Man's power does not interact with equipment.

Relics are assigned. Equipment is equipped. This game cares about that difference.

This exactly. You could have a figure with a resource assigned to it, also roll to put a relic on their card, and then equip a piece of equipment during the game and all of them would be in effect at the same time once they're all on. However, you can't equip more than 1 piece of equipment at a time (with a couple exceptions, which are listed on those cards).

The different terms are very specific in this game and the only "off the map" things that have been errata'd to be anything else are entities and similar... they are "equipment characters" now so they would replace any equipment or be replaced by any equipment.