Who Is Your Favorite Superhero?

What a great question for discussion.  I cannot wait to hear from the rest of you.  Certainly there are a lot of favorites out there such as Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Green Lantern, Captain America, Iron Man and more.  The subject of  favorite Comic Book hero is quite sensitive to some.  In conversations and in listening to conversations I have found that some are quite opinionated over who is the best, the most powerful, who would beat whom on any given day.  The latter has been the theme of some storylines like The Hulk vs Wolverine, JLA vs The Avengers, Hulk vs Thing, Batman vs Superman, etc.  Of course we know it's all in fun and that is an aspect of what makes comic books fun, at least for me.  I love the characters, the stories and the possibilities.  So who is my favorite superhero?

When I was a teenager and began reading comics I quickly became a Batman fan.  I had Batman painted on my wall and had all sorts of Batman memorabilia and collectibles, some of which I still own.  I loved Batman because he is dark.  He is human.  He is a guy just like the rest of us.  He has no superpowers, no alien strength, no power ring, no genetic alterations, no super serum or any of that stuff.  He is just a rich guy who has the money to fund his heroism.  Batman is believable because we can all see ourselves doing what he does, if we had the money and the training.  What makes Batman even more special is that he is a genius an avid student.  He thinks his way through things and plans well in advance for all the possibilities.  He can examine another's weakness and then exploit if necessary.  Let's face it, Batman is just plain cool!

For that same reason I became a Green Arrow fan.  He, like Batman, is believable and is just a normal guy.  He believes in what he does, works to perfect his talent and has the bankroll to back it up.  Plus, who doesn't like green and archery.  Most of us as kids, especially guys, enjoyed the fantasy and medieval worlds in which archery played a big role.  Robin Hood easily comes to mind.  Some of us may have even had a bow of some kind with which we played.  It was possible to be Green Arrow and certainly he is still a fan favorite today.  Let's face it, Green Arrow is just cool!

As I got older, however, my favorite hero changed.  I began to be more involved in comics and my appreciation grew far beyond the story and character development.  I began to appreciate the history of comic books and their role as a fantastic pastime.  I dislike the fact that too many comic books today have become too violent and graphic.  Blood and gore are not necessary to tell a great story.  What bothers me even more is the fact that some of this extreme violence has spilled over even into the stories of  iconic characters.  It simply is not necessary.  I am more of a traditionalist.  I love the history, the art and the hobby of comics.  A hero is one who not only sacrifices himself for the benefit of others but fights to keep himself pure despite what goes on around him and the pressure to be more like an ever growing violent world.  It's for these reasons and others that my favorite superhero is the first superhero of our modern era.  My favorite superhero is...Superman!

Superman represents a wholesome purity.  He was the first of all the superheroes and it was his character that really began all of what we know today.  Superman does not kill, he values life and he works to build up mankind rather than tear it down further.  He accepts his responsibility as a champion of justice.  His very nature is iconic even among other superheroes.  He is respected and his judgment trusted.  He is one who is willing to sacrifice himself for the benefit of the rest, even for those who fail to appreciate him.  I think Alex Ross's depiction of him in Kingdom Come helps drive this idea home.  Although he does not have all the answers, he acknowledges that he has a responsibility to humankind and metahumankind.  One to protect, the other to train.  In the end it's his own love for humanity that wins.

Although not all of the Superman stories written through the years have been great, in fact some I despise, Superman is a hero on which others depend.  He is a stabilizer in storylines and in the industry.  DC Comics has a huge responsibility to take care of this character and that for which he represents.  There is no other character like Superman, at least not in the comic book world.

Who is your favorite superhero?  Why not share it with us?  Please visit us at http://www.kryptoknightcomics.com.