The 2010 Otter Awards: Best Hero

And now, the big one.  Who wins Best Hero?  Which hero had the greatest impact on comics, and was simply the most heroic individual imaginable?  Once again, let's look at the runner ups before seeing who our winner is.

Nova
This win almost qualifies as a "most improved" award.  For years, Marvel has been developing it's cosmic titles into something sustainable, and Nova has been one of their biggest stars.  In addition to earning Avenger status, the Human Rocket also battled alongside the greatest heroes of the cosmos during the Thanos Imperative.  In many ways his story came full circle, with him once again acting as a bastion for the entire galaxy.  In the event's closing moments, Nova sacrificed himself to stop the mad Titan and protect the universe.  It was a shame to see a hero with so much potential be taken away, but he went out in a downright heroic fashion. 

Batman (Bruce Wayne)
One word sums up why Bruce made this list.  "Gotcha".  How many characters can claim to have "beaten" history itself?  After a brief absence from comics, Bruce Wayne came roaring back with a vengeance.

The only real question is why didn't Bruce take the number one spot?  Although the mystery of Bruce's return has driven Grant Morrisson's Bat-titles, Bruce Wayne himself has only made a strong appearance in the past few weeks.  Even though he's had one hell of a month, he was just shy of earning the Best Hero award.

The Winner
Steve Rogers
When Captain America died, the world suddenly seemed more bleak.  While former sidekick Bucky Barnes continues to carry the mantle with dignity, no one else in the Marvel U can provide the same moral center as Steve Rogers.  After returning from his "death", Steve's first order of business was taking down Norman Osborn's Dark Reign.  Steve lead the charge against H.A.M.M.E.R. and the insane Sentry, reuniting with his greatest friends and allies.  Since then, the former Captain America has had an impact on almost every aspect of the Marvel U.  He's restructured the Avengers as well as creating his own personal team, and his number of supporting appearances has solidified his role as America's top cop.

In addition to Secret Avenger-ing, Steve also headlined a mini-series called "Super-Soldier".  The series proved that even without his powers, Steve can bring some serious hurt.  No one had quite the same presence and lived to the ideals of what a hero needs to be quite the way Steve Rogers did.  It's almost as if he never left