Keep in mind I've been growing up on reading European comics and there costumed superheroes and villains are conspicuously absent, so I probably lack some imprinting in my formative years.

So what you're saying is that your brain isn't properly warped. Sufficient exposure will fix that, I'm sure. (Especially if you ever read any of the Silver Age FLASH...)

I wound up dropping FLASH temporarily when Morrison/Millar came on, so I'm with you on that. I really like Messner-Loebs much better.