I keep reading or hearing the question "what makes a super hero?" and some people can go on for pages giving their definitions. It's very simple really; you jump out to push someone out of the way before a car hits them -you saved a life. That is pretty heroic. Save someone from drowning and it is called "heroic" but wouldn't anyone try to save someone who is drowning?
For instance if you see a person who is being attacked because of his skin colour that is one human helping another. If you are wading into a gang of 4-6 men who are doing the attacking that takes guts and is heroic. "Hero" is so loosely used these days that at times you wonder if people know what the word means? Look online and you will find:
"The dictionary defines "hero" as "a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities." Heroes come in many forms in life, ranging from one's family and friends to athletes to movie stars. A person's heroes can change over time"
Fair enough. And as for a super hero you get into all sorts of things. The usual definition seems to be someone who puts on a colourful costume and has abilities beyond those of normal humans whether that is being bitten by a radioactive spider, being born on another planet and gaining abilities on Earth, wearing a magical belt or ring or being soaked by chemicals in a lab after lightning hits the place.
In the UK we have a very long history of heroes and anti-heroes defined as: not your typical hero because he doesn't always possess purely good qualities or personality traits. For example, while a hero is courageous in the face of battle, an antihero might be afraid. While a hero is perfectly handsome, an antihero might be too short, too hairy, or too fat.
The Skeleton Horseman and his crew, the Pirate Prince and many others that appeared in old Penny Bloods (and Black Tower Comics by-the-way) -Varney the Vampire, The Monk and Spring-Heeled Jack (whichever) are amongst those anti-heroes.
Most heroes in UK comics did not wear costumes and they include Tim Kelly (Kelly's Eye)...no, the list would be too long to post here. But characters had special abilities and wore every day clothes from school uniforms or casual adult gear.
Originally I think that Fleetway/IPC/AP whatever you want to call them were the innovators of the "hero with fear" in British comics. Thomson were still stiff upper lip and "heroes with no fear" right up into the 1970s. The Steel Claw and The Spider both started at Fleetway as crooks but developed into anti-heroes of sorts. The point is that every person has their view of a super hero and Hugo Hercules never wore a costume but lifted motor cars and houses. Hugo Hercules starred in a weekly comic strip published in the Chicago Tribune and was written and drawn by one Wilhelm Heinrich Detlev Korner and ran for five months, from 7th September,1902 to 11th January, 1903. Some have wondered whether Siegel and Shuster got their Superman idea from this.
Take some Black Tower characters who appeared in The Green Skies (casually dropping in a book series title there). Andy Black can create and manipulate "solid black light" -the whole concept was to have fun and silly adventures but due to a certain even he pops up on some island and uses his ability to rescue Crime-Fighting Incognito from a Edward Lear spouting villain with a tommy-gun. No costume but he saved someone using his unique abilities. Andy Hands is another humorous character, teenager, who can create all sorts of things...out of his hands and he is seen helping Tommy Target fight of Clone Zone Boys. No costume just a special ability.
Dandy Desmond and Lord Jack -loosely based on Michael Redgrave's performance in Dead of Night (1945). How he ended up in an asylum...uh, best not to ask. Dodger's Daily Deals well, Dodger is not exactly "all there" and wears a dog mask while his two pals are an ex-wrestler/boxer/Royal Marine Commando (and his pet dog) and a "Goth Princess". Oh, and they live in the back of a removal van.
Madam Foretell is known for her one page jokes and her character has been expanded upon (as she was nothing more than a talking head for years) so that she has a past and "skills". In The Green Skies (Damn! I did it again) she is seen trying to warn two heroes (non costume wearers) about what is coming and then she bids farewell to her wizard husband. Long dress, conical hat...not really a super hero costume let's call it "a tad eccentric".
Sunny Storm is another humorous character who might have helped catch the odd burglar but uses a magical native American "weather stick". His ultimate fate can be seen as heroic but no costume just weather manipulation.
Going back to the Golden Age of British comics TNT Tom and The Boy Fish (Tom Davis) wore normal school boy clothes and swimming trunks (Boy Fish). Aliens, crooks, Nazis, underwater civilizations and monsters -no costume but special abilities.
Thunder Axe Jones (top of page) is a Welsh Nationalist who is also a geography supply teacher and we'll leave alone the fact that he has a big chopper (under his coat). Any resemblance to the late, great Sir Harry Secombe is purely intentional.
You see -no costumes needed. No name tags but just normal humans who happen to have some gift or device (big chopper for instance) that helps them in tough situations.
All of the above, including the big chopper (I may have laboured that old English euphemism by this point), feature in (deliberate mention now) The Green Skies trilogy and Black Tower |Comics in general since the 1980s.
Hugo Hercules -inspiration for Superman?
All material and characters (c)2022 Terry Hooper-Scharf/Black Tower Comics & Books
The Skeleton Horseman and his crew, the Pirate Prince and many others that appeared in old Penny Bloods (and Black Tower Comics by-the-way) -Varney the Vampire, The Monk and Spring-Heeled Jack (whichever) are amongst those anti-heroes. 
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