[paw broon]

"BTW, I think I would classify El Puma as a western like Black Diamond. Unless I am missing something." narfstar
This in response to my description of El Puma as a masked mystery man rather than a western hero.  Despite his mask, costume and secret i/d.  These non-powered heroes exist in huge numbers in comics and books all over the world
OK what do the rest of you think?  Need a power or trick or gadget to be considered as, or worthwhile as, a superhero?  And how do you react to the term Masked Mystery Men or costumed crimefighters? A different category or a superhero.  Remember Batman, The Phantom; Green Arrow; Mr Scarlet; The Spirit etc.
I declare an interest as I'm a huge MMM fan.

[Roygbiv666]

Is the Lone Ranger a super-hero?

I think you'd need to define the term and see who fits, or see who fits and then define the term.

Batman = Super-hero
Sherlock Holmes =/= Super-hero
Zorro = ?

[paw broon]

As I'm a wee bit obsessed with MMM's, years ago I started a card file with listings for all such heroes I could find - those that weren't in Rovin.  So as Roy suggests, I had to cobble together a definition.  If a character ticked 2 out of 3 of the following boxes, I included them.
1/ Super power, gadget, weapon
2/ Secret i/d
3/ mask and/or costume and/or symbol on costume (preferably 2 out of 3 again)
3a/ my decision, 'cos it's ma ba'.
Some of you wont like this definition but it suits my purposes.

On further thought, we tend, or at least my associates in fandom here do, to use the term superhero to cover all MMM's or costumed heroes, a bit lazy but shorthand.  But not all MMM's are superheroes in the strict sense of the word but everyone who dresses up in a costume or dons a mask to hide another identity is a Masked Mystery (Wo)Man.  I think.
So Zorro, Lone Ranger (Who was that masked Man?), Miss Masque, Aussie Shadow, Gunmaster, Maskar
http://www.brunoruffo.it/Maskarb.gif
Asso di Picche
http://www.archivespratt.net/asdepique.htm
Hourman, are all MMM's but only one has super powers.  I don't include Holmes, Blake etc. as they belong in the Great Detectives category and don't really fit the definition.  Heroes certainly but without the other baggage. And some characters could, of course, appear in both categories i.e. Phantom Detective and Batman. 
At this point you're probably thinking, "How sad" and you may well be right but it keeps me out of trouble and I've stumbled upon characters even some of the experts here will never have heard of.
And before anyone asks, not Doc. Savage.  A friend does the same sort of exercise and Doc. is in his Great Adventurers classification. 
This is just fun for me.  Please don't take it too seriously and if you want info. on characters such as TNT Tom, Phantom Raider, Billy the Cat, Thunderbolt (no, not that one), Super Boy (no, not that one), Zakimort, Phantom Knight, Yelmo Negro or umpteen others, as they say in Asda, "Happy to Help"

[SuperScrounge]

Well, if you're going to redefine things...

Superhero - must have superpowers (Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, etc.)

Gimmick Hero - has gadgets & gimmicks that they use (Batman, Green Arrow, Starman, etc.)

Costumed Hero - wears a specific outfit for easy identification (usually specially designed, not something that could be described as "off the rack") - this would cover most of the characters usually considered superheroes (Superman, Batman), but would omit masked heroes like the Lone Ranger & Zorro

Masked Hero - wears a mask (Zorro, Lone Ranger, Spirit, etc.)

The whole is kind of a Venn diagram with various overlaps. ;-)

[narfstar]

Good breakdown Scrounge

[paw broon]

Yes. I like this.  But I should perhaps mention re. Zorro, that there are a number of different versions, incl. in Italian comics, a couple with different public i/ds.  That's not to mention the look-a-likes e.g. Zar'o (and there are 2 versions of that guy) and Don Z, in a Spanish comic. 
When I think about it, that's why I like the term, masked mystery men.  Suits me fine.  The thing is, it's probably very unimportant to even serious comics fans and, in the great scheme of things, it's trivial but, if anyone can be bothered, I'd love to read your opinions and ideas.

[chinaski]

I know it's a little off topic, but...this whole thread made me realize how stupid James Bond is, especially compared to Bruce Wayne. He's a secret agent that just goes as himself all the time, everywhere he goes. lol.

I say this because, I was just thinking about Batman. He generally gets put in the superhero label, when really he should be considered a "masked mystery man," due to the lack of superpowers. Just thinking about all the trouble Bruce Wayne goes to hide his identity, and he has his butler, and his technicians working off the clock to stock him up with cool Batman gadgets,etc. All just to protect 1 city. And staying in place, you'd think he'd be called out by now right, but he seems to be doing a pretty good job at hiding.

But then you have 007, who has a lot of similar things going on for him. He has a team of top engineers and technicians working on cool stuff for him. Except he doesn't do anything to hide his identityatall, and he jets across the world and is just like, "I'm Bond. James Bond." to everyone he meets.

[Roygbiv666]

"World famous" and "secret agent" aren't really two thing that should go together.

I know it's a little off topic, but...this whole thread made me realize how stupid James Bond is, especially compared to Bruce Wayne. He's a secret agent that just goes as himself all the time, everywhere he goes. lol.

I say this because, I was just thinking about Batman. He generally gets put in the superhero label, when really he should be considered a "masked mystery man," due to the lack of superpowers. Just thinking about all the trouble Bruce Wayne goes to hide his identity, and he has his butler, and his technicians working off the clock to stock him up with cool Batman gadgets,etc. All just to protect 1 city. And staying in place, you'd think he'd be called out by now right, but he seems to be doing a pretty good job at hiding.

But then you have 007, who has a lot of similar things going on for him. He has a team of top engineers and technicians working on cool stuff for him. Except he doesn't do anything to hide his identityatall, and he jets across the world and is just like, "I'm Bond. James Bond." to everyone he meets.

[narfstar]

  Good point Roy

[paw broon]

Indeed not. Fortunately we are talking about fiction. Entertainment hopefully and, even more hopefully, not real life.  Daredevil is rather good right now, what with his secret i/d being out there.  The whole dual identity thing was such a great idea and bad cossies or good, those heroes are there to entertain.  Or were, until everything got serious and dark and violent.  If you fancy a bit of that try The Activity, Near Death, Fatale, Dancer and, most importantly, The Sixth Gun.

[narfstar]

There is a lot to be said for comics still being fun. That is why I read Love and Capes, Takio and Trio.

[Roygbiv666]

How is Trio, Narf?

There is a lot to be said for comics still being fun. That is why I read Love and Capes, Takio and Trio.

[narfstar]

You feel like you are reading a 1960's Fantastic Four by John Byrne. I am enjoying it.