The Egyptian Hawkman origin centers on reincarnation and Hath-Set as the villain--changed to Vandal Savage for the LEGENDS OF TOMORROW TV show.  Reincarnation tempts the writer to kill somebody and follow a new incarnation--which they did with Shiera and Kendra Saunders!  The Egyptian motif could have multiple story potential in theory, but in practice it ends up centering on Hath-Set and revenge--and Hath-Set (or the TV version of Vandal Savage) is just not a very compelling arch-villain.

I think the Thanagar origin has MUCH more potential--it's very open-ended.  Adventures on Thanagar, being torn between Thanagar and Earth, fighting super-villains on Earth--just like with THOR and adventures on Asgard, being torn between Asgard and Earth, fighting super-villains on Earth!  MUCH more endless story potential than the--yawn--reincarnated Hath-Set wants reincarnated Shayera.

1. Superman- Okay, often mentioned so far, but the implications and resonance of this simple, yet multi-faceted story continue to generate wonder for me even today. Like "The Wizard of Oz," the story has been retold and re-imagined so many times, in so many different ways, and even though they often strike false notes and miss or ignore important aspects, it's still kind of fascinating watching it all fall apart or come together each time. Not just one of my favorite comic-book origin stories; the story of Superman is one of my favorite stories, period.

2. Plastic Man- He's the bad guy. The type of third-rate mob guy Batman usually knocks out with a batarang on his way to more important things... But on a bad robbery, his pals betray him when things go wrong, and it looks like the end of the road for a bum who never made a right call in his entire miserable life... And then it isn't. He's saved by an unselfish act of long-term kindness and realizes he has a chance to turn things around; a chance to do things right for a change. And he does, by being smart, creative, and keeping a sense of humor in a world so far gone the path of insanity you'd have to be nuts yourself to think you could do anything to fix it. He isn't nuts, though. He's the sanest guy on the planet, Heaven help him... 

3. Deadman- A rough and tumble guy who isn't nice to be around. Why should he be? He's the star of a circus, sure, but that's just long hours and hard work in a world where everyone's on the road for some reason and it's usually not because they make friends wherever they go. He likens the place to a kindergarten where every kid keeps a loaded shotgun in his desk. But he's damned good at it, and he's going to do right by the business he's in, he's going to do right by the girl he loves and keeps clear of for her own good, he's going to do right by her dead father... He's the guy keeping it all together for everyone else, and then he's killed, and gets to hang around afterwards to watch it all come apart. Except it kind of doesn't... Sure, they all needed him, but did they? Really? The circus actually survives his departure. He finds out after he's dead there's a bigger picture... And things still for him to do, but in the end, is there any kind of justice to it all? Any sense of balance? Of fairness? Alive or dead, what is the point?

4. Doctor Doom- While I don't care much for the various addendums and extras, reinterpretations and reimaginings tacked onto it over the years, I do like Lee and Kirby's basic story of an orphaned East European child come to the U.S. and betrayed by the shallow jealousies of a pampered, over-praised, vacuous mathematics student, oblivious to the forces with which Doom conjures... Perhaps that is not the way lesser men see it, but they do not possess the vision and perspective... of Doom!! 

5. Batman- No, his is really the best of the lot... Spider-Man's is close, but I've never been a big Spidey fan. I like him fine, but he just doesn't hit me where I live. Batman, however... There really is nothing else in the world like a really well-told Batman story, and his origin may be the best one out there. 

I should mention that I have a special fondness for characters like Captain Kirk, Columbo, or John Steed & Emma Peel who have no real origin story and manage to do quite well without one. They don't seem lacking in motivation or lacking in dimension just because we've never been invited backstage with them to witness "Day One" of their careers. Dick Tracy, The Spirit, and Space Ghost all have origins, but they don't inform the rest of their lives and careers as crimefighters. Really, if you don't know their origin stories, you're fine. 

Well done origins are nice to have, but the perceived need for one in every case gets in the way sometimes, and can even overturn the apple cart every now and then.

Batman: a close second.  Tragedy forged into heroism. 

Fantastic Four: still exciting.