Heroes Without Powers

We all know about all those superheroes with magnificent powers. Superman comes from another planet and possesses many powers beyond that of a mortal man. Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider and now has the enhanced abilities of an arachnid. The Incredible Hulk gets dosed with gamma rays and becomes a hulking monster impervious to pain.

There are tons of characters just like this that possess amazing abilities that allow them to do what normal human beings can't do. But what about those heroes that go out there in costumes every day with no powers? And no, I'm not talking about real life heroes, like policemen, firemen, doctors, the military and the like. I'm talking about fictional characters with nothing more than skills, tools or intelligence that fight crime against powered villains having no powers themselves.

The most obvious example of this is DC Comics' Batman. Bruce Wayne is a rich boy with nothing but money and intelligence, but through diligence, perseverance and extensive training, he develops the skills and buys the tools necessary to do the job. And because of that ingenuity he has become one of the most iconic heroes today.

Then there's marvel comics ironman, who is another rich, intelligent guy with a lot of tools. But unlike Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark doesn't submit himself to years of training. Instead, he builds a powered suit that does all the hard work for him.

What about The Punisher? If you can call him a hero. He has nothing but a lot of guns and explosives and some former police training at his disposal, yet he wipes the city clean of thieving scum night after night.

Then there's Daredevil, who is blind, but has heightened senses and extensive martial art skills. Even with a disability, the man manages to go out every night to one of the worst areas in the country and fight crime with all his might.

The list goes on and on. While there are far more super powered heroes flying, swimming and running around, there are a good number of heroes with no powers, but a heart and determination to do the right thing.

So who is the greater hero? The man who can lobotomize you just by looking at you all the while bouncing bullets off his chest, or the guy wearing purple tights with nothing but a quiver of arrows to shoot at you? You tell me.