Comic books are very character driven works. Most any mainstream comic book from both DC or Marvel comics is going to be centered around its central hero. Just look at any rack of comics, and look at the list of titles. Nearly all of those titles will incorporate the lead character’s name in it, like Amazing Spider-Man. But, as has been noted often, a great hero is made by a great villain – so the ne’er-do-wells that Batman or Superman fight in the pages of their respective books often have as much to do with their success as anything else.

Naturally, the most famous of these heroes and villains most often go together. They’re a matched set, as some of the most memorable villains are tailor made to face off against their particular super hero. So what makes for a great, successful, and well known hero and villain?

Some comic book heroes, like Superman, have the advantage of being pioneers in the medium. Ask just about anyone to think of comic books, or super heroes, and Superman will be among the first characters they can name. Often considered the original super hero, Kal-El of Krypton has been continuously published since 1938, and often serves to represent the best of humanity, a force for truth, justice and the American way.

Similarly, the Man of Steel’s nemesis, Lex Luthor, will be among the first examples conjured up when you ask someone to name a comic book villain. Though his back story and origin have varied wildly since his debut in 1940, Luthor has always been a counterpoint to Superman. Like the man in blue, Luthor represents a height of human achievement, in this case mental rather than physical. He is sometimes seen as the underdog to Superman. Some even go as far as to admire him for being able to take on someone who is physically a god among men with only his ingenuity.

And then there are super heroes who are memorable and famous because they better identify with the people who read the comic books. Spider-Man may not have as long a publishing life as Superman or Batman, but the web-slinger has been a major influence on modern super heroes. As such, he remains among the most famous. Peter Parker was made to relate with his readership. He was flawed, he had real life problems, and he had to balance his powers with the rest of his life. This “difficult” super hero life resonated with readers when he debuted in the 60s, and it still does today.

A memorable and famous comic book character, hero or villain, has to represent something that resonates with readers and the general public. Like other science fiction, the most successful comic book characters can tell us something about ourselves – be it our insecurities, our worries, or where we want to go. On a symbolic level, especially with flawed characters like Spider-Man, our heroes can show us that our daily trials are not insurmountable and inspire us to keep going in the face of adversity.