mp, I would suggest (as I always have) that a good fic should have a combo of BOTH plot and characterization, BOTH action and character exploration, something for BOTH sexes and interests. These are, after all, men and women of action we're writing about. You don't write a Philip Marlowe story without having a mystery, and you should expect more than just Romance with your superhero (or other) fic, unless you're writing fic about Harlequin romances. So much for that.