As long as I can remember, I have prefered an anti-hero over a hero anyday; and my fictional and screen tastes were fashioned long before the appearances of The Man With No Name or Alfie in the defiant 60's. Never could stand perfection in a human being and that goes for the guy riding in for the rescue as well. Even my classics have the guy with a tarnish getting much more read time that the knight in shining armour. High Noon's Sheriff, Will Kane, is about as heroic as I will allow and still I'd much rather go riding off in the sunset with Shane! I always prefered Rhett Butler over Ashley Wilkes and Mr. Rochester over Mr. St. John. Why is Batman more exciting than Superman to me?
Why do we have this thing about boys with questionable, or strongly personal moral codes that vere from society's boundaries? Which do you prefer? Has the old-fashioned hero bit the dust, especially in our fictional niche? If you think it has, why do you believe this has happened?
Maybe this quirkiness of anti-heros is why I am so drawn to Crime, Mystery and Thrillers. Or maybe I need meds...after all, I find Inspector Brandt sexy in a sick sort of way!