One might think I'm at a slight disadvantage with this one at the offset: I have to defend a hero who sports flashy, red go-go boots and wears his undies on the outside of his leg-wear. The cards are already stacked against me. But not to fret, for I have plenty of reasons as to why Superman -- questionable attire aside -- is the quintessential modern day hero in my arsenal and, while my opposite number makes a compelling argument to the contrary, Superman is without a doubt an icon for the ages.

I should preface that I am by no means a hardcore comic-book fan. I also happen to enjoy and appreciate Marvel and DC in equal measure. (Well, almost... DC wins only by a hair.)

But I do love Superman. He may not be my favorite DC hero (that would be Batman, just so you know), but Superman represents hope, he upholds a strong moral code that's difficult not to admire, and leaving his array of impressive -- who am I kidding? downright awesome powers aside -- his most remarkable feature would have to be his solid set of ideals, which make him the perfect idol to aspire to. Of course, we live in a world where corruption runs rampant and the stressful situations we encounter on a day-to-day basis may not always see us at out finest, and while Superman's ideology (he is tolerant, just, incorruptible and merciful, strives to help others, and always takes responsibility for his actions) may not always be achievable, it's a solid foundation to keep you on the right track, making him a truly inspirational figure and ensuring he's a beloved household name.

Before I continue on any further, I'd just like to tackle one point my opponent makes in her argument, before I dig into the meat and potatoes of my side of the debate. She argues, through use of various snippets of K. Burtt's spot on review of Justice League Unlimited, that the very presence of Superman renders the Justice League, and practically every DC character imaginable, useless, because, well, The Man of Steel has no equal -- he's the strongest of the lot. And that frustrates her.

Hmm.

Lets pop on over to the Marvel side of things for a wee moment. That franchise has a pesky, indestructible brute, with limitless strength, and serious anger issues: The Hulk. He cannot be stopped. No matter what he faces, no matter how strong his opponent, it doesn't matter what is thrown at him, he can never be beaten. He becomes angrier and angrier and therefore stronger and stronger! Why even entertain the notion of The Avengers? They spend half of their time trying (and failing) to apprehend this out of control character with very little in way of a moral compass. Thor, maybe, can last a few rounds with him, but it always leads to the inevitable conclusion: Hulk smash. And smash he does. Bruce Banner is the Hulk's Achilles heel, but even so, there have been various iterations of the Hulk where the beast has managed to override Bruce indefinitely. Why even entertain any other Marvel hero, for that matter (the Hulk has taken on the lot: X-men, Fantastic Four, The Avengers, just to name a few)?

Because there are stories to be told. And there have been some fantastic Superman tales in the past. Superman is not infallible, he's not tiresomely predictable, and he has plenty of weaknesses, too (and I'm not just referring to various shades of kryptonite): magic, of course, is another main physical weakness – throw the likes of Captain Marvel at him (who has defeated the Man of Steel in the past... though it's not considered canon), and Superman is in for a bout of pain and misfortune. But on a more personal level, it's Superman's hubris that has landed him in more trouble than he probably bargained for (with Lex Luthor usually the culprit responsible for clouding Superman's judgment). He doesn't always make the right calls, and it's that very same righteousness that irks my colleague, that I find fascinating about him. As I aforementioned, he upholds a commendable set of ideals, but his complex can sometimes backfire (as it during the Justice League Unlimited episode ''Clash'', where Superman takes down half the city facing Captain Marvel, under the sure assumption that Lex Luthor had planted a bomb underneath his new settlement that he built for low-income Americans). It's also Superman's duality, and his personal affections to those close to him, thanks to his alter ego, Clark Kent, that make him such a compelling hero and his role as a superhero all the more difficult to uphold. There are many facets to Superman, and many, many threats he must face, and he constantly has the weight of the world on his shoulders, because he's the only one of his kind who can defend it. (At least on the DC side of things; there are so many overpowered Marvel Supes at this stage, I wouldn't even know where to begin.)

There is, of course, that faint echo in the back of my mind asking the obvious question: ''why choose the likes of Superman, when you can have the likes of Batman?'' And while I may favor the Dark Crusader over the Last Son of Krypton, there is an undeniable predictability to Bats, too. When he's not brooding on rooftops, he's masquerading as Bruce Wayne, playboy billionaire, but still very much with the furrowed brow. This is what makes Superman so awesome. Yes, he's righteous and powerful and just and that be all you can be Boy Scout, but what if he suddenly turned on the world he was sent to protect? Throughout Superman's history, there's always been some instance of him succumbing to some sort of evil, and it’s in these moments we catch a glimpse of his true capabilities, and it can be frightening. It can also prove to be damn entertaining. Take Smallville, for example; the best episodes from that series can be attributed to Clark's red kryptonite-induced haze, and the havoc that follows in its wake. There's plenty of other incarnations of Clark going rogue (Darkseid managed to take control of him and turn him on earth in Superman: The Animated Series), but he'll always manage to overcome his oppressor and triumph over evil, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

He is Superman, after all. The first true comic-book savior upon which many other well-known heroes are based upon. He ignited the comic-book genre and spawned a new generation of storytelling and has provided countless stories of courage, honor and all kinds of kickassery. He is the ultimate superhero.

... Now, if only they'd do something about those blasted go-go boots.

  -- Mark Ritchie