Suerpowers = Super Hero??

[theantiquetiger]

Do you consider Batman, Robin, Green Arrow, and any other characters without supernatural powers a superhero or just a Super Crime Fighter?

I was never a comic reader and I have always wondered. I know they fall under Mego's WGSH line of toys, but are they really "Superheroes"?

Superman, Shazam, Spiderman, Aquaman, Fantastic 4, Silver Surfer, all have super human powers (or are not even human). Batman and the others just have fighting skills and great gadgets. In this same fame of mind, James Bond would be considered a super hero because of all his gadgets.

One other thing, what about the ones that fall kind of in the middle, Wonder Woman, Captain America, etc?

[Bo8a_Fett]

Those you mentioned (and others), have trained themselves to be at the peak of human condition and use it to protect those who cannot, which certainly makes them heroes...as to the super bit...sure why not if sports stars who achieve peakness(is that a word) in thier chosen area can certainly be called superhuman (in as much as the effort and record breaking abilities go)...also fire, police and rescue workers can certainly be considered superheroes by most people. Bond is considered a superhero by some people...
Cap falls into this area due to being created by science to the extreme limits+ of human condition (in the case of cap) and Wonder Woman was created by the gods...much as Thor being one of the gods or Mr Miracle etc...godly powers appear superhuman to the norm.

[HardyGirl]

I've had a few thoughts on this subject:

Superheroes usually meet 3 criteria:

1) They have super powers
2) They work in disguise (like a flamboyant costume of some kind)
3) They are vigilanties (they uphold the letter of the law, but don't work w/ the police)

To me Batman (at least the Adam West version) only meets one of these criteria, he works in disguise. Is he a superhero? Only compared to policemen, fire fighters and the like. Without his cool gadgets and car, he'd be just another guy dressed in a funny costume.

I don't consider the Hulk a superhero, either. He's an accident of science. He didn't ask for this. He can't control it. (though in some of the comics he can) He doesn't go around fighting crime and seeing citizens are safe. Though he does dish out his own brand of justice, I think if he could, he'd just go back to being a regular person.

I don't consider the SMDM/BW superheroes, either. (although TVLand would say otherwise). They fall more into the secret agent category. They are products of science. They're employed by the OSI, therefore, what they do is their job. Although they work undercover, they don't work in outlandish disguises, or have secret identities.

I know that a lot of you might disagree w/ my reasoning, but hey, it's cool.

[theantiquetiger]

I guess SMDM/BW would just be regular people with VERY fancy gadgets, so no, they are not superheros.

If you say Hulk is not one because "He's an accident of science. He didn't ask for this.", then Spiderman falls in the same group. Do you consider him a superhero?

While we are on the superhero subject, who is the most powerful superhero, Superman, Silver Surfer, another?

[toys2cool]

They are all superheroes to me they've fought super villains with super strength and won,so that's enough for me

[HardyGirl]

I guess SMDM/BW would just be regular people with VERY fancy gadgets, so no, they are not superheros.

If you say Hulk is not one because "He's an accident of science. He didn't ask for this.", then Spiderman falls in the same group. Do you consider him a superhero?

Yes, I do, b/c he does fight crime. He does take on the super villains. He does protect citizens and fights the good fight. The Hulk has no control over his transformations. Spidey fights crime b/c he chooses to. Hulk mostly runs from the military and other people. He's occasionally been abducted from bad guys and fights to get away, but that's not the same thing as taken them on to uphold the law and justice. Spider-Man is like Batman b/c he fights crime to avenge the death of a relative and never wants that to happen to another person. The name of the game w/ the Hulk is survival.

[BlackKnight]

Batman does have a Super Power...
His Superior Intellect. He is Smarter than any other Super Hero, & Knows how to beat everyone, & has on most occassions. He is also Trained in like 10 different Martial Arts. He has even cheated Death a few different times taking a Lazorith pit bath. Folks, He has Super Powers.

[jds1911a1]

Interesting question to me a "superhero" doesn't need powers. the fact they wear the disguise and fight for the good of others without reward (except for Booster Gold). They usually work within the constraints of the law but some will bend rules (liek when Bats beats info out of someone) when necessary wihout resorting to murder (hence punisher is out). I guess that was why I really liked the 40's term Mystery man more than superhero.

Bond is not he is an authorized agent of his government. I also agree about Steve and jamie same reason.

[Captain]

In my book, anybody who sticks their neck out on the line to protect the innocent is a super hero!

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

For me; "sueprhero" describes the overall handling of the story more than the specific characters. A superhero is someone who engages in over the top, larger than life stories. They don't just rescue someone from a burning house; they save the world from alien invasions too. And not only do they capture bank robbers, they stop the guy trying to steal the moon too. And we BELIEVE it; 'cos that's what superheroes do. Powers, gadgets, magic, psionics... whatever; it's not the point. It's what they DO that makes them a superhero more than what they ARE. It's circular logic for sure, but that's how it seems to work. Is Batman, or the Hulk, or Green Arrow a superhero? Of course they are! Ask (almost) anyone. Most people would probably wonder why you have to ask in the first place.

The costumes are a part of it to; 'cos they help differentiate the superhero from everyone else. Nobody in real life could be taken seriously while wearing their undies on the outside of their tights. NOBODY. And no character presented in a semi-realistic way could get away with a cape and knee-high boots. It's too outrageous, too incongruous with what we know. But take away Superman's costume and people freak! Because they're so far above the average person nobody finds it weird that Supes wears blue longjohns. It's a part of who he is. There's some ingrained subliminal effect that not only allows the reader to accept the weird duds; we EXPECT it.

Don C.

[thunderbolt]

Wonder Woman doesn't really fall in the middle. She has super strength, can fly, and possesses mystical objects.

[theantiquetiger]

Wonder Woman flies? Like I said in the opening post,I was never a comic book reader. The only exposer I had to superheros was Saturday morning's "Superman & Friends" (or what ever it was called) in the 70's (or Linda Carter ). I know she has the invisible plane, magic lasso, Amazonian strength, and her crown did something (I forget what), but I don't remember her flying on her own.

I figured she fell in the middle because she had magical gadgets and great strength (but still human strength since Amazon women are still human).

[jwyblejr]

Ever since her reboot in the 80s,Wonder Woman can fly. Before Crisis,it wasn't that way. She needed her plane to fly.

[thunderbolt]

Wonder Woman flies? Like I said in the opening post,I was never a comic book reader. The only exposer I had to superheros was Saturday morning's "Superman & Friends" (or what ever it was called) in the 70's (or Linda Carter ). I know she has the invisible plane, magic lasso, Amazonian strength, and her crown did something (I forget what), but I don't remember her flying on her own.

I figured she fell in the middle because she had magical gadgets and great strength (but still human strength since Amazon women are still human).

She can pretty much hold her own against Superman, even in the JLU series.

[theantiquetiger]

She can pretty much hold her own against Superman, even in the JLU series.

That answers part of my question I had on my 2nd post; Who is the most powerful superhero, Superman, Silver Surfer, some other?