Being to powerful is actually detrimental to a heroes storytelling potential.

[manwhohaseverything]

Saitama is actually the least interesting character in his own manga. The story usually revolves around the the characters around Saitama. Who for the most part are way less powerful.

Goku is the same way.

That might be your opinion but they seriously have bigger fan based than rest of the cast.Popularity polls disagree.I astounded that,People actually think flat arc characters are less complex when they are more.vegeta ain't more complex than goku. You might think that on first look .but sorry ,nope!

batman is the most op character in dc now btw.So you are wrong.Story demand what kinda powerlevel a hero should have.He can leap 1/8th a mile or fly to mars.

[scary harpy]

"Get better writers" seems to be a common response.

So, I guess DC has been allowing third-rate writers pen Superman for a while now. That's why Batman and Spider-man have been outselling him for...decades?

Strange that DC would do that to one of their more famous characters.

Most of Marvel comics is Mid-Tier characters and they've been outselling DC for...as long as I can remember.

I guess I must be missing something.

[LifeIsILL]

There is a reason why Batman and Spider-Man have eclipsed characters like Superman and Shazam. It takes a very skilled writer to get the best out of characters like Superman, but even a mediocre writer can get a passable Batman story onto the page. To me there is this weird phenomenon in comics where the more powerful a hero is the more infrequent the great runs on them are. I think it has to do with the fact that there are just more things out there that can believably challenge a street level hero (or even a mid tier hero) then a heavy hitter.

Does anyone else notice this or is it just me?

Spider-Man? Come on....he has way more awful stories than Superman.

Post One More Day Spider-Man is barely readable to me. Amazing Spider-Man from #500 - #650 has so many terrible stories in those 150 issues it's astounding.

I can say the same thing for Luke Cage's Hero for Hire series.....a lot of those stories were I'd rather read any mediocre Thor or Superman comic than another Heroes for Hire story.

[manwhohaseverything]

"Get better writers" seems to be a common response.

So, I guess DC has been allowing third-rate writers pen Superman for a while now. That's why Batman and Spider-man have been outselling him for...decades?

Strange that DC would do that to one of their more famous characters.

Most of Marvel comics is Mid-Tier characters and they've been outselling DC for...as long as I can remember.

I guess I must be missing something.

No,because these characters are not mismanaged like superman. Superman is treated as batman's b!£€h since Dark Knight returns.he is basically Jesus and his fan base wants him as such.it is not surprising that nobody wants to read about flying jesus lame ass who gets beaten up by a guy in a mask.Moreover,superman powerset is presented in the most blandest way.he is a flying brick.He is an action hero who sucks when it comes to action sequences,choreography..etc .he is stuck with lame and mundane things..He iso written in a way that he is basically a product of his environment. He needs the sun,earth parents,sky parents..
Etc to do anything.He is preachy as eff with his nonsense of "hope harder,shine brighter".Superman ain't a draw anymore.
Finally, immortal hulk outsold batman for a couple of times.This theory is false.

[Stanlos]

Fans of Wonder Woman, Superman, Captain Marvel, Matrix Supergirl, and Martian Manhunter have long been dealing with that truth since the big Crisis reboot in the 80s

[The no face guy]

There is a reason why Batman and Spider-Man have eclipsed characters like Superman and Shazam. It takes a very skilled writer to get the best out of characters like Superman, but even a mediocre writer can get a passable Batman story onto the page. To me there is this weird phenomenon in comics where the more powerful a hero is the more infrequent the great runs on them are. I think it has to do with the fact that there are just more things out there that can believably challenge a street level hero (or even a mid tier hero) then a heavy hitter.

Does anyone else notice this or is it just me?

I kind of agree, less powerful characters like Batman and Spiderman are more vulnerable, so they have to overcome more challenges which makes them easier to write.

Thor on the other hand is a little tougher I imagine. It takes a good writer to keep my interest on a lot of the powered up metahumans & gods.

[manwhohaseverything]

I still don't understand how batman is Street level or vulnerable(emotionally or physically). I can understand spiderman being emotionally vulnerable and physically out of his depth.But,batman?he is a literal God killer.He struck down the messiah with vengeful fury of lighting.

[PCN24454]

Why does it matter? Superman has plenty of enemies capable of challenging him in a straight up fight.

If the problem is his psyche, then that has nothing to do with his power level.

[Gaius]

Fans of Wonder Woman, Superman, Captain Marvel, Matrix Supergirl, and Martian Manhunter have long been dealing with that truth since the big Crisis reboot in the 80s

Most of Wonder Woman’s post-Crisis problems are due to DC editorial edicts and writers discarding/ignoring what came before them, no arbitrary things like “too powerful”.

[Robotman]

Three words:

All Star Superman

[prepmaster]

I would argue that giving characters more powers / abilities would create greater versatility in storytelling. Its the grounded setting of Gotham that makes Batman interesting but if you use that kind of vigilante Batman, there would be no stories of him fighting the Justice League or superpower threats.

[Lightning Rider]

This problem largely goes away when the character has to solve problems more complex than a fist fight.

[manwhohaseverything]

I would argue that giving characters more powers / abilities would create greater versatility in storytelling. Its the grounded setting of Gotham that makes Batman interesting but if you use that kind of vigilante Batman, there would be no stories of him fighting the Justice League or superpower threats.

Yeah!either batman is Street level or he is justice league member who fights gods.He can't be both.It makes other characters lose relevance.

[prepmaster]

Powers are supposed to make superheroes look cooler, not boring. I can understand the argument that making a character more god like would make them less relatable but Batman is the guy whose abitilies surpass normal human in real world & has unrealistic weaponary and fans are okay with that. Batman is the ulimate h2h fighting superhero with all martial arts knowledge and has "cool" gadgets instead of powers. Batman is seen more as an underdog, a "human" in the world of superheroes so it makes sense for people to root for him more than any other characters.

[Jcogginsa]

While it is possible to create interesting stories with incredibly powerful characters, people are too many people on this site who get defensive about how strong characters are.