What do you love most about superheroes?

[R0rschach]

Principles, Morals, Ethics and Super Powers.
I like the idea, that those with power take care/protect the weak/innocent.
It's Nature upside down and inside out when it comes down to it, it is what makes us human.

 

[Breogan]

I like the idea that allot of these characters reinvent themselves to overcome insurmountable odds.
Sometimes they do it by their own means, by adopting another identity, for others it's a fantastic (super/godly/magic/cosmic/science) gift, others times a curse, but they take what they are given and "own" it, and use it to change (recreate) themselves and by extension the world around them.

 

[Still Wynning]

I love Spider-Man because of his ability to have a sense of humor, have an optimistic outlook on life and his wanting to help others and do good, despite all the troubles constantly trying to bring him down. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of me. I've had my bad days, but I always try to look at the positive things and what I'm thankful for in life, and it usually makes me feel better.

I think if I had Spider-Man's powers, I would more or less probably be a lot like him.

 

[Beardan]

how much my son enjoys them...

 

[Spider-Aziz]

how much my son enjoys them...

Hi Beardan
So, what was your view of them before your son's love for the characters?

 

[Ms. Marvel]

It's weird, every time I read a comic book or watch a CBM, I kind of forget that they are superheroes and they are just cool characters to me.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

...but they take what they are given and "own" it, and use it to change (recreate) themselves and by extension the world around them.

This.

 

[The Silent Traveler]

Although superheroes are not my type, I generally like the idea that they protect weak, vulnerable people from the evil/cynical side of humanity. I sometimes wish that the ideals itself apply to all people in the real life. People can be thrived to be a better person if they live up to these superheroes' ideals and make the world a better place.

 

[DeGenerate10]

I think it's mainly seeing what these people do with these incredible gifts. It's such an interesting character study really. Bruce losing his parents then turning himself into something that can stand next to the gods like Superman, Wonder Woman, etc.

 

[the last son]

I love that they put aside their own wants and needs and go against the norm to be great.

 

[Senator Pleasury]

They embody problems and myths that are timeless and universal.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

All I know is that of the Superheroes that already exist, Spider-Man, Batman, the primary other Marvel heroes (The Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, X-Men), Superman and Green Lantern are the ones that interest me most. I tend to grow attached to more and more others as I see them interact with my favorites, but it would be most prudent for me to look at those ones specifically to answer your question.

It all started with Spider-Man. Between the 90s cartoon and the Ultimate comics, Spider-Man was my dude. He was the teen I wanted to be as a child. Smart, good, responsible, and despite all his hardships, he was still happy and people in his life still liked him. Batman, Superman and X-Men were also there back then. With cartoons and movies and coloring books and action figures and video games. Couldn't go wrong with the icons. But Spidey was always at the forefront. At least at first.

Then Nolan took over Batman while I was transitioning from Middle School to High School and things took a darker turn. I began to obsess over Batman and what drove him to be who he was. I read thousands of pages worth of his comics. He was the adult I wanted to be as a teen and I realized it was actually possible for me to be him. When I was 15 or 16 I even entertained the idea of going out with a blue ski mask and stun knuckles, calling myself the Blue Knuckle and looking for trouble (glad I didn't though).

So then time went on and I continued to read. Green Lantern and The Avengers sparked a particular interest to me after High School. Mostly in the background because I've had a life unlike the "stereotypical nerd." I love the movies and the games and the comics to this day. But now with the MCU it seems like everyone does. So I'm cool with that. It's nice to have people to talk to about the heroes without going to the comic shops.

I'd say each individual superhero deserves an explanation of why I like them. But I wholeheartedly believe Stan Lee managed to stumble on the majority of the greatest concepts for heroes, Batman and Superman notwithstanding. I know I don't purely find the concept of superheroes in general cool. Because things like Sky High, My Super Ex Girlfriend and Hancock are all disgustingly silly to me.

But the right characters, with the right villains and the right plot... that's when I take a serious interest.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

I'd like to answer with some of my favourite comic quotes:

"You have shown them the face of the man of tomorrow. You have given them an ideal to aspire to, embodied their highest aspirations. They will race, and stumble, and fall, and crawl... and curse... and finally... They will join you in the sun, Kal-El. In time you will no longer be alone"

Clark, Bruce, J'onn.

"All we've ever tried to do is save Krypton or Mars, save our parents and loved ones over and over again, but we never will..."
"We never did."
"No matter how many we save, we'll never make it right... We'll always be too late to save those we most needed to save... Better to die... Just die... Let it all die... We can't defeat this... Can't win against this oblivion... The end of it all"
"Shut up Clark, we always win!"...
"I don't care if it can destroy every god in every heaven, it's never faced us! Clark, are you listening to me?"...
"Fight it Clark!"...
"Last chance, and I can't believe I'm trying to convince you. Fight it Clark! We can do this together. REJECT MAGEDDON! Humanity's last stand, Clark! Thousands are dying right now! Billions more will die in minutes! Save them SUPERMAN, or, God help me I'll hound you through the afterlife until you beg for mercy!!!"
"... I... Really hate that lecturing tone, Bruce... But it's always when I need to hear it most"
"Clark, this is the essence of Mageddon. You can't handle this alone!"
"I'm not alone, I have you and J'onn with me. You're never alone in the JLA Bruce. Here it comes"....
"We're with you, Clark. CLARK!"
"He's gone. J'onn! where is he?"
"He's in pain, in shadow. I can't feel anything... Superman is gone"
"Doomsday is cancelled until further notice"...
"I knew you'd say that Clark, just wasn't sure when..."

"Superman Prime... Ten billion sentient suns stand silent for a span. Entire constellations pause in their tracks to acknowledge the return of truth's greatest champion."

"This guy had circumnavigated the universe, wrestled evil gods fought battles we can't imagine... This being... Some things you just can't put in to words, man."

"I found a better story; one created to be unstoppable, indestructible! The story of a child rocketed to Earth from a doomed planet"

"First we tried to imagine a champion, a thought powered redeemer capable of saving the world. A made up messiah. I called our creation Superman after Nietzsche and Bernard Shaw. Our first attempt lived for a glorious twenty-five minutes. Not a single second of his brief life was wasted as he used it to articulate a code of ethics so pure and simple we all wept."

 

[Zanham]

I think it's because they're real people, not like all the faces on the internet and on the television.