Likeable Characters

When developing characters it is important to make them realistic. While I love comics, there are just times that I shake my head at Clark Kent. I feel that he is too perfect without enough flaws or weaknesses. I am more of a Peter Parker or Bruce Wayne. Their characters have a little more depth to me partly because they have to work, Peter Parker is always living paycheck to paycheck, or I can be like them, Bruce Wayne has gadgets, I can use gadgets. We don't know if they are going to survive because a lot of stuff can harm them physically and emotionally.

Not only do we need to make sure they have flaws, but they are still likeable. I have been reading a series recently where the characters are definitely flawed and they don't like to admit their flaws. There is nothing wrong with that. I don't like admitting when I am wrong. What really drives me up the wall is that I am now in the 6th book and they haven't improved. They still have the same flaws and they still have the same mightier-than-thou attitude. I get really tired of characters who I wouldn't want to deal with in real life. Granted one or two isn't bad but all of these characters have the same attitude that everyone else is wrong and they are right and they are going to make sure everyone knows how stupid everyone else is.

If we don't create characters who we would want to associate with why would our readers want to? Flaws are good, personality flaws are good, but we have to make sure when all is said and done that are characters are likeable enough that someone will want to read the book to learn what happens to them. We don't want the readers to be rooting for the protagonist's death.