Youve got to leave the reader with more than just a name and a costume - they need to know who the character is, what theyre like, what kind of attitude they have, what sort of role they play.
Kurt BusiekI think that the superhero-as-metaphor involves a superhero being some sort of intellectual, emotional, or other such concept writ large. But I don't know that it's a necessary part of the appeal that the superhero be superior.
Kurt BusiekThe Hulk is rage personified, just, "I don't like something. Break it." And that's a great concept for a seven- or eight-year-old.
Kurt Busiek