We saw “Superman Returns” last weekend and enjoyed it thoroughly, though I found myself shifting in my chair slightly and even chortling when the director heaped on the Christian allegory way too heavily. I learned in eighth grade literature class that authors are supposed to hint at their messages, and make readers do the interpreting.

As a woman, I saw the movie’s tension in the question: “Do I need some cute caped guy to pick me up and save me at every turn?” Ace reporter Lois Lane puts herself in harm’s way with such frequency, that apparently, she does. As a team, however, she and Superman accomplish a great deal. And it would be nice to fly away above the office rooftops like that.

I don’t know. In the end, Tobey Maguire’s Spiderman remains my favorite superhero guy. He wasn’t afraid to admit to his girlfriend MJ in Spiderman II, “This is really heavy,”
whilst supporting a wall that was about to crush her. I found that quite adorable. Here’s Beliefnet.com’s take on superheroes and their religious faiths. And here’s a book for parents on kids and why they need super heroes.