What flavor of Superhero do you like?

[Tonguez]

Batman isn't a normal human though, I'd posit that he has superhuman will power maybe even at the Ultra-Super level. Its his will power that allows him to trump other supers and gives his best stories too.

I like the normals with a boost, spiderman fits that, so does Static and to an extent so does The Hulk, Bruce is just a guy with a big green problem to deal with. My favourite heroic character is Tarzan, who is the perfect normal with 18's in everything and an unnatural affinity with animals

Not sure where the Swamp Thing would fit on the scale, he started normal super monster with issues then became Ultra-Elemental time travelling god.

Then theres the more mysterious type like The Phantom Stranger and even the Silver Surfer...u

 

[Elf Witch]

My favorite are the normal heroes who become superheroes by training and in some cases cool toys. Maybe because I can relate to them easier than I can a hero like Superman.

 

[Cyclone_Joker]

Batman isn't a normal human though, I'd posit that he has superhuman will power maybe even at the Ultra-Super level. Its his will power that allows him to trump other supers and gives his best stories too.

Uh, what? Dude, he has no superpowers. There's never been any indication of superpowers beyond what any human can do in comic books.

And, anyways, he doesn't win through willpower, he wins from being smart. And lucky. And shoving the idiot ball down all his enemies' throats.

I like the normals with a boost, spiderman fits that, so does Static and to an extent so does The Hulk, Bruce is just a guy with a big green problem to deal with.

...The Hulk can literally hold a planet together. He's punched through time itself and the power of a reality warper. And he's a separate person who happens to be in Banner's head, anyways.

My favourite heroic character is Tarzan, who is the perfect normal with 18's in everything and an unnatural affinity with animals

Of course. I agree. I really liked the part where he casually lifted another gorilla above his head and then proceeded to do calculus in head.

Not sure where the Swamp Thing would fit on the scale, he started normal super monster with issues then became Ultra-Elemental time travelling god.

Dude, he's been a cosmic entity for ages. He was even the White Lantern entity for a while before New 52 came along.

Then theres the more mysterious type like The Phantom Stranger and even the Silver Surfer...u

How is he mysterious? We've gotten a complete biography of him on multiple occasions.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Buffalo wing spicy, with a hint of ranch.

I'm not a huge superhero fan; I find most to be silly (guess I need to turn in my geek card). I'd favor the tech-enabled ones if I had to vote.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I always thought the "super" kind of contradicted the "hero". That is, the more powers they have, the less meaningful their accomplishments are. Translates to D&D as well I think.

 

[Cyclone_Joker]

I always thought the "super" kind of contradicted the "hero". That is, the more powers they have, the less meaningful their accomplishments are. Translates to D&D as well I think.

...So Superman risking his life to fight Metallo or Darkseid isn't meaningful? You're trying to argue that someone making the right choice, at potential risk to themselves, isn't heroic because they're really strong or have super-smelling? What's next, this guy being totally unheroic because he can kick ass?

Heroism is about choice.

 

[Ahnehnois]

...So Superman risking his life to fight Metallo or Darkseid isn't meaningful? You're trying to argue that someone making the right choice, at potential risk to themselves, isn't heroic because they're really strong or have super-smelling? What's next, this guy being totally unheroic because he can kick ass?

Heroism is about choice.

In the case of Superman, he's so powerful that writers have to come up with ridiculous conceits to create those choices, to the point where the stories, as others have noted, are hard to relate to. And, in any case, Superman's becoming Superman was not a matter of choice, he was born that way. As opposed to Bruce Wayne, who created a superhero identity for himself. He's an example of someone who could very well have been completely a unheroic Gatsby type drowning in indulgence, but chose (against his own interests, really) to do something useful with his wealth and his talent. That's heroic.

 

[Umbran]

I go with the others, that ultimately the story is what matters.

However, I think I find that the middle-tier tends to have better stories. There's enough power that it becomes a real plot point to liven up the story, but not so much that you need weird conceits to make plausible risk.

 

[Tonguez]

Uh, what? Dude, he has no superpowers. There's never been any indication of superpowers beyond what any human can do in comic books.

And, anyways, he doesn't win through willpower, he wins from being smart. And lucky. And shoving the idiot ball down all his enemies' throats.

certainly no physical superpowers but on a number of occasions he has overcome mind control to which everyone else including superman and even the Martian Manhunter has succumbed to.

Batman is a sociopath and it is willpower that drives him to be a hero rather than a violent vigilante. He's not lucky, its his willpower that keeps him calm and focussed enough to trip his enemies up so that they swallow that idiot ball.

...The Hulk can literally hold a planet together. He's punched through time itself and the power of a reality warper. And he's a separate person who happens to be in Banner's head, anyways.

Dude, he's been a cosmic entity for ages. He was even the White Lantern entity for a while before New 52 came along.

Yeah Ive always preferred Banner to the Hulk solo, and I prefer the rage monster with occasional oneliners to his incarnations. I do like thst his limitless strength is constrained by his mania.

As to swampy his American gothic and Trials archs were the best ones

How is he mysterious? We've gotten a complete biography of him on multiple occasions.

Mysterioys from an ic perspective, the Surfers always best when he's disconnected and mysterious to the population he's interacting with

 

[Cyclone_Joker]

In the case of Superman, he's so powerful that writers have to come up with ridiculous conceits to create those choices, to the point where the stories, as others have noted, are hard to relate to.

Metallo, Zod, Darkseid, and so on are "ridiculous conceits?"

And, in any case, Superman's becoming Superman was not a matter of choice, he was born that way.

And? He has superpowers. He chose to be heroic with them.

As opposed to Bruce Wayne, who created a superhero identity for himself. He's an example of someone who could very well have been completely a unheroic Gatsby type drowning in indulgence, but chose (against his own interests, really) to do something useful with his wealth and his talent. That's heroic.

Uh, no. If anything, he was pushed into his role more than Superman. He had skin in the game, so to speak. Batman's career was originally about vengeance. Superman was altruism.

certainly no physical superpowers but on a number of occasions he has overcome mind control to which everyone else including superman and even the Martian Manhunter has succumbed to.

Which is a case of plot contrivance. Your point? If anyone has superhuman willpower, it'd be Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, or another Green Lantern. You know, people whose power is their willpower.

Batman is a sociopath and it is willpower that drives him to be a hero rather than a violent vigilante.

...I don't think that word means what you think it means.

That statement is so blatantly untrue, I don't need to say anything more.

He's not lucky, its his willpower that keeps him calm and focussed enough to trip his enemies up so that they swallow that idiot ball.

So it's not lucky that he's never been hit by a stray bullet? It's not a massive case of idiocy when Reverse Flash doesn't just break his neck?

Mysterioys from an ic perspective, the Surfers always best when he's disconnected and mysterious to the population he's interacting with

Except he's never been that. That's not his character.