Why do people like realistic superheroes?

Why do so many people prefer superheroes with more real-life based powers? They gained their powers from sources that are almost feasible in today's world. I mean, look at Captain America, he's just a guy on very powerful steroids that have no ill side-effects. People love Cap, and it seems to be because he's actually possible in real-life.

Many of the greatest comic-book characters are just normal people. Batman has no superpowers, but he can still take on villains on Superman's level(somehow). Look at Iron Man, he's just a guy in a suit of armor. A powerful, high-tech suit of armor, but it's still a suit of armor. Many others are highly-trained spies and assassins. Even the X-Men, they're people with genetic mutations. Genetic mutations happen in real life, but are usually very serious disabilities. Yet, the X-Men are still slightly reasonable.

Back when comic books first came out, more people probably went along with the stranger, weirder, more unreasonable superheroes because their society was different from ours today. They didn't have the level of technology we have or understood genetics or science as well as we do today. It was easier for such heroes to exist then than it is today because with our level of understanding, we are more prone to ask why?

But I think the other reason people like more realistic superheroes is because we can relate to them. Marvel has always seemed to trump DC in this area, being that it superheroes have to deal real-life problems more often. They deal with taxes, relationships, and other personal issues. They have more clearly defined moral/mental/spiritual weaknesses rather than physical weaknesses. People in today's society like to be able to relate to characters, it helps to understand them better. A character like Hawkeye who fights alongside people like Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, The Vision, etc. deals with being considered a weak link, an oddball(pardon the pun if you get it), and underestimation. These are problems many people in real-life deal with. It's nice to see heroes who fight villains that attack the world deal with issues that we ourselves deal with.

My short answer is that there is more drama with a character with recognizable limits risking their life to fight villains, criminal syndicates and etc. Characters that are essentially demi-gods tend to become less interesting; traditionally speaking, there has always been a thick line between a god and a hero, and the gods and goddesses, esp. of Greek myth, were only "heroes" in the beginning of their careers. Once they achieved omnipotence, they had no lives to risk, so the bards turned towards mortal heroes for their stories.

The drama and (somewhat) relate-ability.

Batman doesn't take on Superman level villains

We want someone to inspire the hero within us. If we "humanize" these characters but keep true to their "hero" people will look at them and say "that could be me" because he/she is one of us and he strives to achieve and do what's right, so we can do the same.

I didn't mean that literally, I just needed a random example of high feats regular human heroes can do. Not necessarily true, but in that context.

@hwkfan296: There's no such thing as a realistic Super-hero. Comic Book Peak Humans are many times greater than what any real human being is capable of becoming.

Batman can bench press 1000 pounds, smash through Brick Walls, Fight for 28 hours straight, punch bullets out of the air, punch through bazooka proof glass, has mastered every form of martial arts, has above doctorate level knowledge in every discipline of science...etc

There's nothing about Batman that is realistic.

@shawnbaby: Curious as to when he punched a bullet in the air, that would be awesome to see.

The most realistic superhero is Kick-Ass lol. Even that's pushing it.

More realistic than an alien who flies, breathes ice, shoots lasers from his eyes, has x-ray vision, and super speed whose only weakness is a piece of his planet.

Believe me, I know superheroes aren't completely realistic. Batman especially. I hate it when non-comic readers tell me Hawkeye is completely unrealistic, and that he's a stupid character, then turn around and say that Batman's their favorite. I know Hawkeye is unrealistic, but he was voted number two by fans on Marvel.com's top fifty avengers of all time list for being one of the most realistic heroes, the one who best represents every man in one man.

My point isn't that heroes without powers are completely realistic, my point is that people like superheroes who have problems they can understand.

A regular human punching a bullet out of the air is actually less realistic than an extraterrestrial who does...well...weird sh*t.

Also what @phoenixofthetides said.

The realistic and the superhero is two different thing. I think you meant street level superheros. It's depend on who people find entertaining and why. There could be many reasons for that, not only one or two.

If you can relate to some street levelers, that's not necessary because you have the human genes too. It could be the character's personality.

It's easier to relate to Kick-Ass being kicked around by a few guys than Batman beating up Superman. People like realism because they want to aspire to become like superheroes. It's a lot easier to throw on a costume and hit someone with a blunt object than becoming super detective/bodybuilder/billionaire/inventor/genius Batman who can still manage his life better than any of us.

That has nothing to do with powers.

Peter Parker is much more relatable to comic readers than Bruce Wayne is. He's got the kind of problems they can relate to. Most people don't know how to relate to the problems of a Billionaire Playboy Ninja Super-Genius with PTSD.

If I wanted to read realistic I'd read a Indie title. Marvel like the crazy and over the top. For those who cannot stomach it I say stfu and go read an indie and Batman titles and don't bother us again.

For me at least, a realistic super hero helps to remind me that the world isnt such a shitty place, and that sometimes normal people can make a difference.

Batman and Iron man could be realistic if we all that type of money to do those things. But I think a realistic hero is someone, you relate to even if they have powers, like Spiderman, hell I even relate to new Geoff Johns' Aquaman (people can't seem to understand him and I feel like people are like that with me too.) But it really depends who you and what hero you like.