Feel free to share your thoughts.

The combination of powers is probably the most important thing as all things spring from it, including the codename. I think this is particularly true in V&V, where you have random dice rolls give you a batch of choices, and then the player needs to sort the powers and come up with a clear concept. Also, I have a scheme for selecting characters names that makes it fairly easy for me, so the naming process is easy and positive for my creations.

RAMBLE

My take is the same as Ramble's.  All of them are important, but I think what really defines (and starts) the concept of a character (at least for supers) is their powers.

I was just looking up Brickibrak the other day (a villain from "The Mad Scientist", written by Jack Herman) and his background was something like "used to be a boxer".  Not saying that's the optimum backstory, but it illustrates that one could even have their background be a mystery (as Wolverine did for decades) and still be a fascinating, interesting character.

Code names, though important, can change over time, so to me aren't as defining.

Costumes and appearance are important, but - like names - can also change, and in my view aren't as pivotal and inspirational as powers are.

V&V's random charts add a whole new element to this.  It's where I start building a character from.  In another (general RPG) forum, someone recently posited how disappointed they would be after randomly rolling a character, being as they had decided much about the character (including detailed backstory) beforehand.  With methods like V&V has, where you use random charts to generate the character, I think it's important not to go in with too much of a preconceived idea or plan.

Hear hear. I second the representative from Kokomo.

I'd voted a while back but hadn't explained why. It's important to distinguish that the importance stressed on a role-play game character and a comic book character are two different animals. The creators of a comic book character are attempting to market a money making product. As gamers we are trying to have fun with a character that is in some small or larger way is an expression of ourselves. There is going to be overlap when both are done right but the goal of the two are different and so will be the importance of each trait.

I think there is not just one right answer but at least a combination of two.

Ironnerd wrote on Aug 28^th, 2014 at 10:08pm:

Sure but without his powers he wouldn't even have this name.



Majestic wrote on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 5:51pm:


Agree but without a good background or motivation, the super hero would be just a addition of powers without any spice. Moreover i'm sure that's make the difference in comics between a character that is loved and another who is just estimated


so in my opinion it's the combination of the set of powers and the Background/Motivation of the character

Interesting also that appearance hasn't garnered a single vote.

So what is Digital Hero?  Googling those words mostly gives stuff about GoPro cameras.

"What is most important in a character?"

To crush the enemy,
See them driven....

Oh wait, that's not right.

Powers. Name, costume and even background/motivation can all be easily changed. Change the powers and it is a different character.

Hell, many of our games are "Tabula Rasa" where we just roll 'em up and start playing. Names usually come after that, then backgrounds, then maybe, if we're lucky, appearance (none of us are graphic designers of any sort).

Hmmm... not seeing the association...

...but seriously, yes, that's pretty cool.
A number of years ago there was an online comic where the hero woke up with no memory of who he was, so he (and the reader) learned as he went.

Marvel has used a similar trope a couple times and it made for interesting story for a while. Once with the Eternals and more recently the Asgardians.