Ok, I know I’m opening myself up for a lot of criticism here but I think I’m okay with that.

I wanna write about superheroes. And not just any heroes, but more specifically the ones without any super powers. And not about story lines and their exploits so much as why I’m drawn to them.
I’ve written in the past about Batman. He’s been my favourite superhero for as long as I can remember. It probably had something to do with Adam West running around in that ridiculous old costume. Those old re-runs were on all the time when I was a kid and all we had was antenna for TV.

Add to my list of favourites Green Arrow and Iron Man. Now we’re up to 3 dudes who wear funny costumes and fight crime. There’s something awesome about these guys who can’t match up with Superman, Wonder Woman or Spider-Man. They know that they can’t rely on brute strength, mutations or power from the Gods, but still they roam the shadows and search for bad guys.

Part of it comes from the fact that I’m only about 100 million dollars and 10 years of hardcore physical training away from being the alter ego of Bruce Wayne or Oliver Queen or Tony Stark. These guys have a ton of resources that they use to their full advantage. You had better believe that if I won the Lotto 649 jackpot I would be tempted to build a house with a secret basement. I know that I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret from Caitlin, but maybe she could be my Batgirl or Speedy or Pepper. That would be cool with me.

Another thing that makes me love these guys is the fact that with unspeakable riches and time on their hands they choose to fight crime. It would be awfully tempting to be the playboy full time and not just as a cover or a hobby. It would be tempting to be away from home and the boardroom 6 months of the year. And it would be tempting to put oneself above the everyman and take care of your own security and have that be that. These three don’t. They choose the danger, late nights and greater good. That’s pretty cool.

All three of these characters are flawed. Each of them is written well. Like a real man. They have personal problems and egos and issues. So do I. They aren’t aliens or “freaks” or descendants of ancient Gods. I can relate to these guys on a level that I can’t relate to Clark Kent or Peter Parker. I don’t blame them, they do great work. They just aren’t my type.

At the end of the day, when I’m picking my favourite superheroes I’ll take the regular dude doing extraordinary things. Because, while I’m not looking to go out and save the world, I would like to do something worth remembering some day.

Maybe my own something extraordinary.

*other shout outs go to Red Arrow, Robin, Nightwing, Green Lantern, Speedy, Batgirl, Huntress, Oracle, Hawkeye, Nick Fury and Catwoman.

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Joshua Murray

creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.