# Best super-hero role model **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 12, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461 "2011-10-12T20:45:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/1 "2011-10-12T20:45:35Z")
Because I’m really, really bored. Poll in a moment. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/2 "2011-10-12T20:58:08Z")
Spider-man. If only because he represents a\* mostly \*well-balanced view of the world mentally speaking. Superman and Captain America are far too one dimensional, Batman is insane, as is Storm. The Flash and Iron man are both jerks, and Grimm is usually portrayed as rather violent and a case could be made for depressed or bi-polar. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/3 "2011-10-12T21:01:48Z")
Cap… hands down. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/4 "2011-10-12T21:02:49Z")
Man-Thing. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/5 "2011-10-12T21:03:34Z")
> [@Capitaine\_Zombie](#): > > Man-Thing. **Giant-Size** Man-Thing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/6 "2011-10-12T21:05:09Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Spider-man. If only because he represents a\* mostly \*well-balanced view of the world mentally speaking. Superman and Captain America are far too one dimensional Captain America is Spider-Man’s role model. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/7 "2011-10-12T21:05:27Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Spider-man. If only because he represents a\* mostly \*well-balanced view of the world mentally speaking. Superman and Captain America are far too one dimensional, Batman is insane, as is Storm. The Flash and Iron man are both jerks, and Grimm is usually portrayed as rather violent and a case could be made for depressed or bi-polar. How the heck is STORM insane? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/8 "2011-10-12T21:10:44Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > How the heck is STORM insane? IIRC she’s really socially responsible…but crazy about it, like shoot (strike?) first ask questions later wipe out an entire row of people crazy I picked Spidey because he has a moral compass with what he does and his situation is the most relatable to the general public, he seems to be the most real ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/9 "2011-10-12T21:28:46Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Captain America is Spider-Man’s role model. True dat. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/10 "2011-10-12T21:34:12Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > True dat. True, but Cap and Spidey live in a super-hero universe. We don’t. I was wondering what super-hero characters are thought to be most appropriate role models for persons for the real world. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/11 "2011-10-12T21:35:55Z")
3 people voted for Superman? ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/12 "2011-10-12T21:48:11Z")
I voted for Barry Allen. Who said he’s a jerk? Them’s fighting words. He’s the man that never hesitates to put himself between the innocents and harm’s way. And he’s a man that even if he did hesitate, who would know? Anyway, we know Superman’s a dick, Batman’s a big jerk and crazy to boot. They get the job done, usually, but they are not great guys to hang out with. Captain America has many good points, but we don’t really know who he was before he took that ‘Super-Soldier’ formula. Anyway, Cap is my second choice. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/13 "2011-10-12T21:49:53Z")
Superman, clearly. But I still want pie. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/14 "2011-10-12T21:50:26Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Spider-man. If only because he represents a\* mostly \*well-balanced view of the world mentally speaking. Superman and Captain America are far too one dimensional, Batman is insane, as is Storm. The Flash and Iron man are both jerks, and Grimm is usually portrayed as rather violent and a case could be made for depressed or bi-polar. The choice was for the Barry Allen Flash, who was the closest thing to a saint DC had. I believe I would have liked to hang out with him and Iris, have a nice dinner and maybe play some bridge or Pictionary. But aside from that, Cap is the man to emulate. (and ho is “Baman”?) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/15 "2011-10-12T21:51:21Z")
Superman, although Captain America comes a close second. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/16 "2011-10-12T22:00:24Z")
> [@Satchmo](#): > > Captain America has many good points, but we don’t really know who he was before he took that ‘Super-Soldier’ formula. He was the guy who volunteered to take the ‘Super-Soldier’ formula, same way he would’ve thrown himself on a grenade to save others: anything to help the war effort. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/17 "2011-10-12T22:43:42Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > 3 people voted for Superman? It’s that vote for Batman that worries me. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/18 "2011-10-12T22:47:03Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Superman, clearly. But I still want pie. Superman? The guy who set himself up in a love triangle between Lois, himself, and his alter ego? That guy? But let’s put that aside and look at how this guy operates. He doesn’t solve problems by out thinking his opponent, or doing research, or even working especially hard. He solves problems by punching. He’s not especially smart, or rich, or clever. He’s just a big muscular guy in go go boots whose solution to everything is to punch it in the face. It’s all he knows how to do. That’s not a role model. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/19 "2011-10-12T22:47:49Z")
Another vote for Cap. He’s pretty much the poster boy for AD&D’s Lawful Good/Paladin type. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461/20 "2011-10-12T22:49:20Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > Superman? The guy who set himself up in a love triangle between Lois, himself, and his alter ego? That guy? But let’s put that aside and look at how this guy operates. He doesn’t solve problems by out thinking his opponent, or doing research, or even working especially hard. He solves problems by punching. He’s not especially smart, or rich, or clever. He’s just a big muscular guy in go go boots whose solution to everything is to punch it in the face. It’s all he knows how to do. > > That’s not a role model. Leaving aside the love triangle thing – which hasn’t been an element in the comics in forever and a day – you have clearly never read a Superman comic, or not in ages. Supes is always solving problems by thinking. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-super-hero-role-model/599461.md?page=2)