I believe that help systems are a great addition to any design. We all know the unlikelihood of a "perfect design", so a help system is a great way to assist users having trouble. While users should be able to figure out most aspects of a design, there will always be things that are not perfect. It is for this reason that a help system is a complement to good design, not a substitute. By offering additional support, a user can spend much less time trying to fix his/her problem and more using the design efficiently.
I believe that the different fan-groups of the superhero should be considered when developing personas. They are the ones who have an investment in the character and story, making them a significant aspect of the design process. For example, we would need to make sure to account for fans with an extensive and specific knowledge of the superhero and his story, as well as people more interested in the plot than the details.
I totally agree that a help system should compliment good design. The help features should help users and be just a seamless to navigate as the primary product itself. Many times it seems like the help is hard to use or does not even give more help than what was already provided. If anything, as Trevor stated, the help should go hand in hand, and help users use the design more efficiently.
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