SUPERHERO STUDY -- Please Post YOUR Opinions. Thanks!

[Gpoliceman]

Hello everybody,

I am conducting a survey for a class of mine. What I am looking for is for all you awesome superhero fans to write down 3-4 traits about your favorite superheroes which would explain why you cherish them so much. For example:

Why I find BATMAN fascinating:
-Ambition: Bruce Wayne did not choose to lead a normal life. Since his youth he's been training to become a crime fighter. He has no superpowers; He did everything on his own - he is who he is because of a drive and determination.
-Psychological: Batman is a very psychological hero - he'd have to be, since dressing up as a bat is not a normal thing to do. He fights due to survivor's guilt - he wishes to rid the world of the injustice he experienced as a child - his past is overshadowed by tragedy - he feels guilty for his parents' death.
-Flawed yet Heroic: Batman is a flawed individual. He's gruff at times, harsh with others, arrogant, brooding, depressed, and has a gigantic ego. Yet when push comes to shove, he's proven himself time and again to be a true hero.

I know it will be difficult to narrow down why you love a character to three or four elements, but please try to be as concise as possible. I am going to use the information collected in order to compare and contrast characters.

Thanks a lot,
Greg

[Ontir]

Wonder Woman

She was the first, and remains among the only female characters to be an iconic entity unto herself. She's not the "girl" to a "______man," she's THE woman.

She's the only character to run from the 40's to the 80's without cessation, and then, after a brief hiatus for re-launch, continues on to present. I can't think of any other heroine who can even claim a run from 86 to present.

She had her own set of ideals, similar to Superman's "Truth, Justice, and the American Way." She was about defending those who couldn't defend themselves, and while she is quite powerful, she relied more on defense, than offense, extolling the virtues of peace and love.

She had as many gadgets as Batman. The magic lasso, which obeyed her telepathic commands, compelled people to tell the truth, and do her bidding. The boomerang tiara, which also allowed her to mimmick voices, and when plugged into her little temple statue, allowed her to telepathically communicate with Paradise Island. The Girdle of Gea which gave her her strength, the earrings which created a bubble of warmth and air around her, her telepathically controlled invisible plane/jet, and of course, the always amazing bullet deflecting bracelets.

What I liked about her attitude, is that she didn't stand on the sidelines while some guy got beat up, she stepped in. She didn't wait for someone to suggest, or ask for approval, she knew her mind, she knew her strengths, and did what needed to be done. I think she was the first woman in comics who was anything like the women I grew up around, and that's not bad.

As a kid in the seventies, reading the stories from the forties, with all the slave girls in the S&M/Bondage scenarios, I always knew there was something a little salacious and forbidden about it, and I liked that too!

[stealthwise]

Green Lantern (Hal Jordan):

- Fearless, meaning that he's able to overcome any anxieties and apprehensions and get the job done, regardless of the personal risk.

- Highly skilled. Hal can do anything that needs to get done, regardless of whether he's got his ring or not, or whether he's facing an impossible threat.

- A true leader. He's brought the Corps together on numerous occasions and is respected, if not admired, by many.

- Just pure heroic. He does what he needs to and does it admirably. When well-written, the perfect hero.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Green Lantern (Hal Jordan):

- Fearless, meaning that he's able to overcome any anxieties and apprehensions and get the job done, regardless of the personal risk.

- Highly skilled. Hal can do anything that needs to get done, regardless of whether he's got his ring or not, or whether he's facing an impossible threat.

- A true leader. He's brought the Corps together on numerous occasions and is respected, if not admired, by many.

- Just pure heroic. He does what he needs to and does it admirably. When well-written, the perfect hero.

And his day job is to fly through the air at Mach 3 in an untested peice of machinery....just to see if he can.

I'm sorry, but that's pretty cool.

[Kevin Street]

Okay, I'll bite.

Superman

1. His moral center. Have you ever heard the saying that "Absolute power corrupts absolutely?" Well, it doesn't have to be that way. Morality is a choice we make every day, and for me Superman's morality is the most endearing aspect of his character because he doesn't have to do the right thing. Unlike other characters in superhero fiction, he isn't obsessed or psychologically scarred, and if he wanted to do something evil, no one could stop him. He stops himself, just as we all stop ourselves from doing the wrong thing when temptation strikes. Superman is a metaphor made real, and a pure example of how to lead a good life.

2. His empathy. Superman spends nearly all his time in both identities helping other people, because he understands their pain and wants to help them feel better. Once again, he doesn't have to feel empathy at all. You could hit him with a guided missile and it would barely ruffle his hair. He doesn't need to eat or drink and barely needs to breathe, but he has never forgotten what it means to be mortal and in pain, because he chooses not to forget. When we're happy and safe it's so easy to forget about the feelings of others, but Superman never does that.

3. Flight and invulnerability. Wouldn't it be so cool to just step off the roof and fly into the air? What if you could leave all your problems behind and soar into space, or take on the worst monsters in existence and come out of the fight smiling? While Superman chooses to burden himself with the problems of others, his powers also give him a kind of freedom that real people can never know. But it's still fun to vicariously experience that freedom through Superman.

[Arvandor]

Batman will always be my favourite.

(1) He has no superpowers, yet he can stand alongside the most powerful of them, and has earned their respect. This says to me that you don't have to be the strongest, to be the best. You can be whatever you want, so long as you want it bad enough.

(2) The semi-gothic tone and attitude of his stories. I like these kinds of stories, set inthe darkness and shadows, where evil is pervasive and innocence is nothing but prey, and where a hero must fight all the harder against his own darkness and fears, as much as against the villains in front of him.

(3) His hardass attitude. Batman really doesn't care if you like him or not. He is in this to save lives, not make friends. He doesn't waste time kissing babies and holding press conferences. He just gets on with the job, and to hell with what anyone thinks. He doesn't take shit from anyone, and he is afraid of no one.

(4) Of all of them, he just looks the coolest and the most badass.

[Beastfan07]

Green Arrow

A true everyman- Now I don't like heroes I can relate to and I can't relate to Ollie. The everyman part comes in with the fact where anyone could probably be him. He's an insect among gods. Even Batman is a god but Green Arrow is a real person in The League.
Humble- The reason he quit the League is because he needed to protect his city and nothing more. He doesn't want spotlight all he wants it to look out for the little guy.
All around good person- He may have slept around in his day, but he's still a great dad and he's really good to Dinah. That goes along way.

[Ontir]

Green Arrow

A true everyman- Now I don't like heroes I can relate to and I can't relate to Ollie. The everyman part comes in with the fact where anyone could probably be him. He's an insect among gods. Even Batman is a god but Green Arrow is a real person in The League.
Humble- The reason he quit the League is because he needed to protect his city and nothing more. He doesn't want spotlight all he wants it to look out for the little guy.
All around good person- He may have slept around in his day, but he's still a great dad and he's really good to Dinah. That goes along way.


I just wanted to tag-on:

One of the things I really like about Ollie, is the journey his life's taken. He was a son of privilege, who lost everything, then found he'd only lost things he didn't need in the first place. When offered the opportunity to regain the money, position, and even the family home, he turned it down, it no longer mattered to him.

He's got a strong political stance, and whether or not you agree with it, he's true to it. He doesn't just want to stop the bad-guy from destroying the world, he wants to stop people from falling through the cracks. I think he's among the most moral of super-heroes.

[Adem]

Nightwing

Individuality- Dick could of just stayed as Robin,but instead he chose to follow his own path. Plus he has a pretty bold statement with his hair alone.

Leadership- Dick is a natural born leader he led the Teen Titans and up until a little while ago lead the Outsiders.

Fighting Skill- I personally think Dick is pretty high up there with the rest of the DCU's top fighters and seeing how he is still young he could become the best.

Heroic- I guess this could be said for all heroes meta or non, but I still had to mention it.

[SpaceBooger]

add to superman:
A. The fact that he has the ability to save everyone in every situation, but he knows he cant. The fact that he is able to but never does, and he still gets up every day to go at it again... the guilt would keep me in bed everyday for fear of failing

add to batman
A. he is as psyco as the psyco's he goes after, only his psycosis tend to lean on the good/moral side of the scale

[Mia]

Batman will always be my favourite.

(1) He has no superpowers, yet he can stand alongside the most powerful of them, and has earned their respect. This says to me that you don't have to be the strongest, to be the best. You can be whatever you want, so long as you want it bad enough.

(2) The semi-gothic tone and attitude of his stories. I like these kinds of stories, set inthe darkness and shadows, where evil is pervasive and innocence is nothing but prey, and where a hero must fight all the harder against his own darkness and fears, as much as against the villains in front of him.

(3) His hardass attitude. Batman really doesn't care if you like him or not. He is in this to save lives, not make friends. He doesn't waste time kissing babies and holding press conferences. He just gets on with the job, and to hell with what anyone thinks. He doesn't take shit from anyone, and he is afraid of no one.

(4) Of all of them, he just looks the coolest and the most badass.


You stole my thunder! How can I possibly improve on this.

Okay let me add some people who haven't been spoken for. I hope it's okay to include Marvel Characters even though this is the DC board.


Emma Frost:

1). Highly intelligent.

Brilliant strategist. She's also a business woman running her families corporation.

2). Independent

She dresses like a porn star. Why? Because she can. She's completely and totally her own woman. She trusts herself and does not base her self worth on the approval of others.

3). Pragmatic & Rutheless.

She does not live a world of black/white morality and sees things as they are not as she wishes them be. Has no problems with doing what needs to be done. Even if that is ugly.

4). Compassionate.

Yet behind the wall of ice and arrogance she hides behind. She cares for others, and really wants to do the right thing.


Huntress:

1. Pride/Self-Respect

Huntress has vowed to be her own woman. And will not put up with anyone disrespecting her. While everyone may be content to put up with Batman's arrogance she won't. Oh and she's not prepared to sit back and be a victim of life.


2. Faith

Like me she's a Christian and clings to it. It helps sustain her.


3. Intelligent

Huntress is an educated woman and always strives to improve herself. She's not content to rest on her laurels. I've always maintained that she seeks Batman's approval not because she views him as a father figure. But because she knows he's the "best". And that's what she wants to be and work with the best.

4. Class

Huntress likes the arts and culture. And will even go to the opera by herself.

5. Realistic.

She doesn't have a black and white, or self-righteous view of the world. She's fully aware that sometimes ugly things need to be done for the greater good.


Daredevil:

1. Perseverance

Took his handy cap and did something with his life. Not only that rose above his working class roots to be one of the most successful lawyers in NYC.

2. No Self-Pity

One thing I like about Matt is that even though he does not always feel good about himself. He still does the right thing, he doesn't sit in the corner and sulk.

3. Brave

Doesn't hide from the world. Faces his problems head on.

*One thing I like about all of them collectively is that they are not perfect. Actually they are extreemly flawed but they all do the right thing, because it's the right thing to do. Not out of self-righteousness.

[fumetti]

Hal Jordan.

Fearlessness shouldn't manifest itself only behind a mask. Hal was a frickin' test pilot. Even as a normal man, Hal is a role model (pre-Helfer alcoholism).

Willpower is also a trait we should all have, not just those in masks. Doing the right thing is a matter of willing yourself to do it. And Hal showed us we can be as successful as we want to be, if we're willing to put in the effort.

Decency. Hal was a good guy. It was no question for him that he would use his ring for the benefit of others. "Self-interest" was not in his vocabulary, as a man or as a hero. Did I mention he was a test pilot? Not exactly the highest risk-reward ratio careerwise.

Growth. The "relevant" issues showed that Hal could learn to see things differently, that maybe there's more to the world than his own philosophies. Simple narrowmindedness is no great virtue.

And what I enjoy about the concept of a Green Lantern is that you can "turn off" the powers. Superman is Superman even dressed as Clark Kent. He can never be normal. Hal had the power of a god, but could still take off the ring and have a normal day.

I must add though, that I didn't think writers after Denny O'Neil handled Hal very well. They just didn't know what to do with such a well-rounded decent guy. Notice that DC had that problem with many of the more rational and sane Silver Age heroes. They killed Barry (after making him a killer), turned the Atom into a barbarian (killer), then a kid. And they've jacked up Hawkman beyond all recognition--after "darkening" him with Hawkworld. So I don't blame the character of Hal Jordan for his weak and misguided stories that so many writers have burdened him with. Hal's not a drunk, and he's not a lunatic killer. Thankfully, we're seeing some of this being corrected.

[Gpoliceman]

Hey!

I just wanted to thank everybody for their wonderful replies!

Thanks a lot! This will really help me out.

Gpoliceman

[Beastfan07]

I just wanted to tag-on:

He's got a strong political stance, and whether or not you agree with it, he's true to it. He doesn't just want to stop the bad-guy from destroying the world, he wants to stop people from falling through the cracks. I think he's among the most moral of super-heroes.

Yep. I'm the exact opposite of his views but I'm glad he sticks with them.