I would argue that, while you're correct about the best superhero comics pointing out the flaws in the genre, that is largely because Watchmen set the standard for such things. It deeply affected a lot of people, including a lot of comics writers, and as a result, we've had a lot of magnum opuses dealing with the deconstruction of the superheroic genre. That's fine, and there's no denying that this has yielded some brilliant results from some talented people, but that's not the only way to go (and I think Moore has stated that he somewhat regrets sending comics down this path). Sooner or later, I think it's inevitable that we get a superhero masterpiece which features the REconstruction of the superheroic genre - that is to say, if Watchmen and its ilk take apart superheroes like a watch to see what makes them run, this one would feature the watch all put back together again, each gear fitting into the next, tightly wound and keeping perfect time. In short, a story that does not dwell on why superheroes do NOT work, but focuses on why they DO work. One can only go so far in one direction before you have to turn around and try a different path. I haven't read the Jamie Delano Animal Man as of yet - I probably will in the future, because I keep hearing good things about it. I realize that Zot is hardly in the category of the other examples - it was just an example of an unconventional superhero book that works very well in my opinion. It's not a masterpiece, but it's pretty cool nonetheless. I admit that Nexus is stretching the definition of a superhero comic a bit, but he fits the basic categories - he serves the cause of justice, wears a distinctive costume, and has incredible powers. I'll certainly admit that the comic itself is much more sci-fi than superheroic, but there's that kernel at the center that I'd say makes it qualify, at least a little. What's 'PKD'? I fear I don't understand the reference. And as for your last question - usually, yes. I mean, I DO understand the history of the genre, so it's not a question that I need to ask myself a lot, but a good deal of the stuff that I read and reread is stuff that holds up because the basic story is strong, along with the artwork, etc. Batman, for instance, has had any number of stand-alone stories that would work perfectly well with some other type of hero in his place, but the fact that it IS him there makes the story work that much better.