Who is the most well-conceived comic book superhero?

[DrNewGod]

Not the most powerful. Not the coolest looking (although that might be a part of the reasoning). Not even necessarily the most popular. What character, as originally created, seems to have best stood the test of time.

Superman, for example, is probably not a viable answer because the character's been so heavily modified since his Action Comics #1 debut. So, if not The Man of Tomorrow, then who, and why?

[DrNewGod]

The best conceived superhero is Hei aka Kuro no Shinigami from the series Darker Than Black

Because...?

[Michael Watkins]

Spider-man has a universal quality to him. there's a little something in his origin for everyone.

[ed2962]

Thing is, most of the long lasting superheroes have undergone many changes since their creation.

[mathew101281]

Batman and Spider-Man

Most Superheroes have one or two elements about them that are lacking in some way. These two don’t.

[C_Miller]

Just straight concept-wise, I'm going to throw Iron Man out there and I'm not even that big of a fan of the character. I think drawing him out as an irredeemable weapons dealer and then taking him on a redemption arc is a pretty novel idea during a time where the military industrial complex was being heavily questioned, especially by the comic reading demographic at the time.

[comicscollector]

Razorback.

Jokes aside i think all the main Marvel Super heroes created in the 60s are quite great (Spider-Man,Hulk,Daredevil,Fantastic Four,Avengers,X-Men...) and i would add Captain America as well.
From other eras i would say Batman,Super-Man,Green Lantern and Flash.

[Soubhagya]

I am counting out Batman and Superman. They were not fully formed on arrival. Otherwise, i think Batman and Superman are the gold standard of superheroes.

So, that means the most well conceived superhero is:




Spider-man built upon what worked before. Superman was living as a mild mannered reporter. Spider-man took that concept of dual life and made it better. Not only does he have a boss. His boss actually hates him. Makes his life difficult. Superman is the 'everyman'. The ordinary guy who is secretly the best hero. But Spider-man takes the 'everyman' idea. And arguably improves it. Once he got powers he did not try to be a hero. But he did what any ordinary guy would do. But that lead to tragedy of his uncle's death. Making him the hero he is. He is fully formed right from the first issue. Superman and Batman's origins were tragic. But the special thing with Spider-man is the tragedy can repeat itself. He can loose his aunt all over again.

Batman added a sidekick later. Robin. There's a reason sidekicks were famous once. Its more easy to relate with kids by kids. But there's a reason we don't find young sidekicks now. Spider-man made young sidekicks obsolete. Sure Robin is around. But once writers found that youngsters can be the hero too instead of being a sidekick they were gradually phased out. Robin of today is almost an independent character.

And its rare to hear someone say that they don't like Spider-man.

Is he the best character? I think Superman is the best. But if the question is the best conceived, its hard to beat Spider-man.

[Darkseid Is]

Batman and Spider-Man

Most Superheroes have one or two elements about them that are lacking in some way. These two don’t.

I agree with Spider-man but most of the stuff Batman is known for like Alfred, the Batmobile, the Bat Cave, not killing all that stuff weren't introduced until years later. Even his origin story was a few months after his initial appearance.

[DrNewGod]

I'd say Falk's Phantom. The idea has proven durable over decades without needing much tinkering, and can adapt itself to almost any era, genre, and tech level.

[Coin Biter]

Just straight concept-wise, I'm going to throw Iron Man out there and I'm not even that big of a fan of the character. I think drawing him out as an irredeemable weapons dealer and then taking him on a redemption arc is a pretty novel idea during a time where the military industrial complex was being heavily questioned, especially by the comic reading demographic at the time.

Was that how he was originally conceived, though? It’s been a while since I’ve read his early Tales of Suspense appearances, but as a I recall he started off as a straightforward anti-Commie hero, patriotically fighting subversive adversaries from Vietnam, etc. His status as a weapons designer for the military wasn’t treated negatively, but positively (a bit like Banner’s work in the early Hulk appearances). Most of the (Melo)drama came from his secret medical condition/heroic sideline conflicting with his business responsibilities and playboy facade.

He changed a great deal later, of ourse.

[C_Miller]

Admittedly, that’s how Stan has described his conception. I know he can be guilty of revisionist history at times.

[Kees_L]

Not the most powerful. Not the coolest looking (although that might be a part of the reasoning). Not even necessarily the most popular. What character, as originally created, seems to have best stood the test of time.

Superman, for example, is probably not a viable answer because the character's been so heavily modified since his Action Comics #1 debut. So, if not The Man of Tomorrow, then who, and why?

This question seems super simple for me to answer, because whenever I'm really reading a comic I'm immersed in feeling but gobsmacked over the well-conceiving.

Like Kirby, Lou Fine, or Wallace Wood for old American comics, or Moebius, Charles Burns, Jorge Zaffino and Mike Mignola for more modern ones.

But you want one specific superhero I take it, so I'd personally be having to go with:
#3 - Dave Stevens' the Rocketeer (as an ode to superheroes plus citing movie bits like the 1932 movie 'Freaks';
#2 - Moebius' Blueberry (because it's bandes dessinées meaning comics yet it evolves or holds up as a bunch of angles at telling 'Western' stories in a cinematographical way foremostly);
#1 - Mike Mignola's Hellboy (because it's so much more yet most fundamentally amounting to what any comics protagonist could or should be);

[mrbrklyn]

Elijah Snow was fully conceived and developed when he first hit the comic racks. Wonder Women was a conception conceived as a political device and was an immediate success. Marvels best conceived character was Dr Strange....by far.

[Gray Lensman]

From the Big 2 I'll go with the flow and say Spider-Man, with an honorable mention to Wonder-Woman.

Outside that, the Phantom and Hellboy are both very well conceived and thought out.

And Darker Than Black and anything associated with it are disqualified in my eyes since they aren't originally from a comic. It was conceived as an anime first and the manga is the adaptation rather than the other way around.