"Why else would you put on a costume, rather than hand out cups of soup?"

I wish they stopped asking that question. We have already been given the answer, again and again and again.

It's because superheroes save the whole planet, occasionally the whole universe, on a regular basis. They save the whole city practically every weekend. Handing out cups of soup wouldn't be much help if the water in the soup is laced with Joker venom.