In general, most superhero fans prefer the version of the character they were first exposed to when they were kids. So, if you grew up with a lighter, brighter Batman influenced by Adam West, you tend to prefer the character to be less serious, whereas if you were first exposed to the grim n' gritty Batman post-Frank Miller,
that's the Batman you prefer. This is particularly evident in the various Flash and Green Lantern factions, who are each loyal to whomever held the mantle when they first got into the character, be it Barry or Wally, Hal, John or Kyle, and, most recently, Jessica.
However, there are exceptions to the rule. There are always characters out there that somehow don't fit into that idea.
For me, it's Lex Luthor. I grew up with the green and purple jumpsuited Luthor of the Legion of Doom who appeared in Challenge of the Super Friends back in the day, who later adopted that badass power armor from the Super Powers line.
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I still
adore this version of the character, but I fully acknowledge that the current billionaire entrepreneur version is vastly superior to the old power armored super villain version, particularly once they started incorporating more and more of his old "mad scientist" elements back into his character.
Are there any characters who are exceptions to the "when I first fell in love with them" rule for you?