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For me its when the characters don't win and know they aren't going to but keep fighting anyway. I much prefer realism to candy coated fairytales. I also prefer flawed imperfect characters that are all shades of grey as appose to pure black and white concepts. The best stories to me are the ones where no one is completely right or wrong. This is why I love stories like Watchmen, Civil War, Supernatural, and V for Vendetta.

I like stories that aren't overly serious but are capable of being engaging in their portrayals and reflections. I like fun, humor and over-the-topness and also to feel the effort done by the characters and the author, coherence in plot and not too much realism.

A story thats well written tends to be great.

Apart from "good" writing or "interesting" characters, my idea of a great story is difficult to communicate in a concise manner. For every gritty, realistic story I've enjoyed, there is an idealistic fantasy I like just as much. Love stories tug at my heart as much as action stories excite it. It wouldn't paint a complete picture if I simply say "I like (insert theme/genre/character archetype/etc here)."

Truth be told, I think a lot of ideas would be great stories if executed well.

I think pretty every hero goes through a story where they know they won't win but keep fighting anyway...the greatest for me was the first time superman fought doomsday because he was getting his ass kicked and was pretty smashed up but he kept on fighting...no other hero could do anything apart from him.

Actually my favorite may be the ultimate spiderman death, now that was epic...he was dying and he didn't care, he just wanted to protect his aunt, his friends and everyone around him from the Goblin...he'd been shot but he still took on a bunch of his villains