Spider-Man: The Greatest Hero
Stan Lee has created some awesome superheroes. His greatness ranges from the Fantastic Four, to characters like the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Dr. Strange, the X-Men... but none cooler or more original than Spider-Man. But how do we judge a Super-Hero? Is it his super-powers, his gadgets, his sidekicks, his costume?
Peter Parker was the first teenage superhero (Robin is a sidekick) to have his own book that features his terrific and tantalizing tales of his teenage times of trials and tribulations. Peter Parker has always been the kind of guy one can relate to. He can't keep a job, has to do homework, has to find work, has girl problems, has lived at home with his Aunt, limited budget for superhero gadgetry, misses deadlines, all because he is a superhero.
Peter Parker is not rich, doesn't have parents (except for an awesome aunt), lives in a simple home, and once got bitten by a special hybrid lab spider. His powers: web from his hands, he's super flexible and agile, sticks to walls, quick reflexes, a spider sense that warns him of danger, and is strong physically.
But a hero is not defined by what he can do. It's defined by what he has done. So let's look at the villains he deals with. The Green Goblin. Goblin can fly. He’s super rich and therefore can afford the many gadgets he uses to do his evil deeds. He is also much stronger than Spider-Man. Dr. Octopus has six arms against Spidey’s two, four of them are almost infinitely extensible and super strong. Then there’s Venom. To put it simply, Venom is Spiderman on steriods. Last (but not least, seriously. I could write a whole article on Spidey's villians alone) is the Lizard. The Lizard is not as agile, but has sharp claws, possesses super strength, and can stick to walls and walk upside down just like Spidey.
But a hero is not defined by what he can do. It's defined by what he has done. So let's look at the villains he deals with. The Green Goblin. Goblin can fly. He’s super rich and therefore can afford the many gadgets he uses to do his evil deeds. He is also much stronger than Spider-Man. Dr. Octopus has six arms against Spidey’s two, four of them are almost infinitely extensible and super strong. Then there’s Venom. To put it simply, Venom is Spiderman on steriods. Last (but not least, seriously. I could write a whole article on Spidey's villians alone) is the Lizard. The Lizard is not as agile, but has sharp claws, possesses super strength, and can stick to walls and walk upside down just like Spidey.
Spider-Man handles all by himself with no help from anyone (most of the time). All he is behind the mask is a simple college teenager. In the comics he has fought several other hardcore and vicious creatures as well. Try the same comparison with the Avengers, X-Men, Justice League members, and others. Spider-Man will always stand out for his simplicity, bravery, courage, and the hurdles he faces.
Batman. People love Batman because he's a hero you could be (because he has no powers). He is relatable.If you count someone who's grown up as a multi-billionaire relatable, who could afford to spend years training in Asia to learn martial arts, has a butler, two sidekicks, a jet, a boat, and pretty much an unlimited budget to spend on gadgets. Sure, Batman may be a badass, but all he does is mope around in the dark and hit people. When Spidey fights people, it's like open mic night, he just doesn't give up with the constant quippage!
Superman? He's an invulnerable alien who has adapted to life on earth. He can fly, has heat vision, super-breath, and super-speed. He's neither relatable or fun. "Hey, let's give this guy the best powers we can think of." No. Fun. At. All.
Lots of heroes fly, have super-strength, use magic, gadgets, or have claws even. But NO one "webswings" to get around, has a "spider-sense", or the proportional abilities of a spider.
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