The Desert Mermaid

Agreed. Most everyone thinks Batman is cooler than any other superhero, and that's exactly why. He's the one who works at it, who clearly cares enough to try it without the powers. The ones with powers give you this sense that they're doing the heroing because they've got these powers and it's their job ("Here, Green Lantern, I now appoint you hero"); Batman acts like he really means it and is determined to fix the world. And there is definitely a feeling that "You, too, can be Batman if you feel strongly enough about something!"

My brother and I love that the new Justice League cartoons reflect this, too--Plan B in most cases is to go whining to Batman to fix it for them. The writers are totally aware of it.

I think the franchise is so strong because it really does have a hero and at least one villain who touch something really basic that we all can respond to. It's not just the "normal" guy thing, but also that dark edge, that he's determined to do it not for some mystical concept of Truth, Justice, and the American Way, but that he feels so strongly because he's pissed off and it's personal. That's something we can relate to pretty well.

Tony is interesting too because he's trying to fix damage he himself has caused. That right there makes for a flawed hero and a great character.