I, myself, shut off avatars due to the lewd nature of some super-heroine's costumes and my perchance to check the site in public places & when my wife is around (& sometimes at work). All situations that are best to avoid sideways looks (also why i donate to rid the often pesky ads... especially if co-workers or public computers have added "bad" cookies).

I'd guess a lot of the posters have one or more of these reasons for doing the same.

I didn't even know you could turn them off. I get confused between users sometimes even with the avatars.

It is under "Edit Options" (in your user control panel) about half-way down that page.

And to not derail the thread:

147 Batman
025 w/ Black Hand
014 and a full Utility Belt

079 Lydea Mallor
025 Bizarro

And either the Servants of the Greater Darkness ATA or the Legion of Doom

293, so you could play a Battery instead of the Utility Belt.