Spiderman has always been a favorite of mine... He's a very compelling character. He's like us: He's a nerd. He's witty. He's socially inept and has "girl problems." And yet he's not like us, he's a superhero. He's the real "Ubermench." He wills himself to have power.
In the latest movie we see this dichotomy played out. (The screenplay was written in part by my friend Michael Chabon "Wonder Boys" and "Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay"...) Peter Parker has trouble as Spiderman. (Life is trouble). Self-doubt creeps into his system and his power begins to fade. He decides to quit being Spiderman because he didn't like the responsibility of having power and because he was smitten over MJ; the self-doubt made it easier to quit. He lives his life as just Pete, a nerd who trips a lot. This time he wants to be there for MJ. But, of course, life doesn't quit; it keeps throwing punches even though you've decided you're too tired to fight. He soon decides that life as Peter is not enough. He can be and is something more, something better, something both he and the world need.
This is why he is compelling. Peter Parker is like us: its not Kryptonite that makes him weak, but his own self-doubt, his own decision to shirk responsibility.
Each day we have a choice: to give up on who we are or learn to take our punches and fight back.