I'm one of the biggest comic book fans you will ever meet. I caught the fever almost 16 years ago and it still hasn't let go. I love everything about them; the moral dilemmas, the artwork, the relationships linking characters. Reading comics helped me realize that it was okay to stand out, to not follow the same dilapidated path as my peers. The character who always comes to mind when I think about these ideals is and always will be Batman.
Technically, the Dark Knight isn't really a "superhero." He can't lift buildings above his head, he can't run faster than the speed of light or even breathe underwater. There is virtually no genetic difference between him and a random person on the street. He can be anyone, and that is why he will always have the ultimate appeal. Batman is what anyone on this Earth can achieve with enough time, determination, money and unaddressed psychological trauma. One of the many reasons I love Batman is because he helped me come to terms with my own shortcomings. The Caped Crusader is no stranger to mistakes, any comic fan could tell you that, but it's his reactions to these missteps that influenced my own personal growth.
Batman's origin story is one of the most reproduced tales out there, and honestly, it is a perfect example of what holding on to the past will get you. Bruce Wayne wallows in the murder of his parents; his unwillingness to accept what has already transpired has always hindered his emotional growth. Truthfully, Bruce Wayne could have moved past the death of his family with the support of Alfred and a clinical therapist. Instead, he chose to let his grief fuel his war on crime, rather than use the immense fortune he was left to strengthen and adapt the city that took his family. Of course, Bruce Wayne is known as a philanthropist who makes frequent contributions to the city, but part of me always wonders how much more he could do if he wasn't funding cool toys to help him beat the shit out of Gotham's criminals. The Dark Knight is also known for his reluctance to trust and rely on others, another personal flaw we share. As the years have advanced, the Batman has learned to put his faith in people, something that I am just learning to do.
Despite his mortality and long list of character flaws, the one thing that will always trump any other argument for who the best superhero is will always be Batman's humanity. Most people who don't share my obsession with the World's Greatest Detective will comment that his war on crime comes from a place of anger and grief, and that he really causes more problems than he solves, but I know the truth. Batman doesn't do what he does because he feels the need to beat criminals senseless. He continues to try and save his city because he wants to protect the innocent, to make sure that no little boy will ever have his childhood ripped away from him ever again. In my opinion, Batman's greatest attribute isn't his mind, his plethora of gadgets or even his peak physical condition. Batman's greatest trait is his gargantuan heart, and that is why he will always be my favorite hero.
