Batman. He's the one I grew up with. He is the one whose origin story most resonates with me. His rouges are the ones I find most fascinating. A lot of other heroes are great, in ways Batman isn't, but Batman is the standard by which I measure every other hero.



Edit: Since I got first post, I want feel I should go more in depth.



All the above is true, but I feel that a lot of posters are going to pick the hero that just kicks the most ass, or is the most badass, or has the most heartwarming moment. Of course, everyone is free to chose what standard they want, but I would suggest that they ask themselves: What is the most compelling story that you have read with a superhero? And why is it compelling? I feel that question in particular is the best way to evaluate who is the most compelling in my eyes. Because I don't see Batman as the strongest or coolest superhero. On the contrary, I often find myself feeling sympathetic for him, because as I see it, the core of his character is someone who is perpetually miserable. He's not a wishfulfillment fantasy, he's sad. I wouldn't be Batman for all the money in Wayne's bank account. But that is a compelling narrative to me. Someone who has been wounded in such a way that he is unable to get over it, so he is put in this Sisyphean task of trying to rid the city of crime, but he never quite completes himself as a person. From that basic premise, a thousand narratives have sprung forth, from the triumphant to the tragic. And I feel we relate to it because many great decisions are spurred on by a great tragedy in our lives. Batman represents growth from pain, as well as the presence of evil and how we deal with it. And I've just seen too many compelling stories spring from this particular narrative well to say that any other superhero is the best.



I do have something to say about other heroes though.



Whereas Batman is a tale of heroism sprung from tragedy, Superman is a tale of heroism for it's own sake. It's not that Superman doesn't have tragedy in his life, but the core of his compulsion to do good is simple empathy. He wants to do good because he sees doing good as a worthy cause in and of itself. For me, the most compelling story of Superman was Birthright, where he enters a cynical city that seems to reject his good hearted nature. But he stays determined, despite hundreds of set backs and even a loss of faith, and by the end, makes a real difference to Metropolis. The story of superman is the story of how goodness can and does make a difference in the world, and it paints an idealistic picture that humanity is worth helping. The real world is an extremely complex thing that I feel we often forget that such a simple concept, the act of good for it's own sake, is not only a possibility, but desirability, and it can make a difference. This is a powerful symbol of how Superman can truly represent hope (unlike a certain film I could mention).



Wonder Woman is a recent example for me, because the fact is, since I didn't grow up with her, I often thought that she was just an addition to the Big 3 of DC because they wanted a token female representation. I still feel that this is the way DC sells it, but reading Greg Rucka's run on Wonder Woman showed me she definitely can be on equal footing with Batman and Superman as a character. Rucka wrote her as a complex heroic figure (with a frankly kick ass rogues gallery, believe it or not), and probably one of the few heroes that, by the time I finished a book, I thought to myself "Man, I want to be like her." I stopped short when I realized what I had just thought. I realized this is only the first or second time I ever thought that about a woman, I wanted to emulate their character because I found them so noble. I've definitely liked female characters before, but I never found myself thinking I want to BE like them. I have never heard any guy say this either. And this is something that informed my current feminist beliefs to a great degree. I want more men to find female characters that they believe in so strongly that they actually aspire to be like them, and for me, Wonder Woman represents the ideal feminist achievement, where both men and women recognize the strength in one another on equal terms, not of body, but of character. I honestly feel like the day we are able to speak about female characters in these terms is the day that we'll have eliminated much of the cultural poison of sexism in our culture. That I discovered this in Wonder Woman has made her tied with Superman as my 2nd favorite superhero after Batman, and honestly, I am a freaking GEEK over mythology, so any writer that captures the mythic feel of the Gods like Rucka does, she might actually edge out Superman for second spot.



I may add more later, and I realize I am lacking in Marvel stuff, but that's it for now.



Edit 2: Spider-man. I don't know how I forgot about him. Definitely the greatest Marvel hero for me. He's the ultimate relatable hero to me, with how he is just a regular kid genius with dozens of crazy hot women after him, just like me!.......yeah, okay, but you know what I mean. And his powers are probably the coolest. Swinging from building to building is way more stylish and interesting way to travel, he's hilariously quippy and his rogues gallery is second only to Batman's. He is known to have started the whole "Flawed hero" concept, which is something I think the whole world will be eternally grateful for. While Batman is probably the most compelling narrative, Spider-man is the narrative I feel we are all most comfortable slipping into. Also, Spectacular Spider-man may be the best superhero cartoon of all time, edging out even Batman TAS. I may get some hate for this.