10 Comics Superheroes With The Best Motivations

6. Superman

To the cynic, Superman is an uninteresting figure with no flaws to speak of. He has the perfect secret identity, the perfect hero persona, and the perfect set of powers. How could that - so the old argument goes - be any interesting?

The fact of the matter is that the Man of Steel is one of the most inspiring DC characters ever conceived. Kal-El falls to Earth as the sole survivor of an alien race, is raised by a pair of humble farmers and somehow, within him, always manages to do right by his adoptive planet. He doesn't use his godlike gifts to wreak terror on those who threaten him, nor does he interfere for partisan benefit. The Last Son of Krypton is above it all, and is a living testament to the idea that, no matter where you come from, everyone has the capacity to do good.

But that isn't to say that Clark Kent is flawless either. Judging when is right to intervene when he has the power to feasibly stop anything he wanted to isn't easy, and it might even be true that the Man of Steel's occasional naivety has led him astray on more than one occasion.

Be that as it may, it only adds to Superman's appeal. He wants to save the Earth on its own terms, and in championing truth and justice, DC have one of the most fantastic heroes in the medium.