Let's talk about something serious for a moment. Superheroes, for instance. As anybody who has seen Iron Man 3 or Man of Steel knows, superheroes can make cinema tickets fly. With their logos and their carefully circumscribed universes, they are reliable brands. You may also be aware that they have become dark and brooding lately.
When I was a kid, Christopher Reeve's Superman was colourful and somewhat ironic, while his alter ego - Clark Kent - veered towards the slapstick. (Actually I liked the nerdy, bespectacled Daily Planet reporter rather better than his caped counterpart. If only I could type as fast as him.) These days, superheroes are deep and conflicted, wracked with guilt, anxiety and other human problems. Batman is a cave-dwelling recluse. Superman is an exile. Spiderman is a whining teenager. Like advertising, superheroes are a mirror of society - we get the heroes we deserve.
But now (adopts deep trailer voice) the tide may be turning. DC Comics has launched an interactive comic for tablets called Batman '66. It recalls the 1960s TV version of the character, which was light, funny and verging on the kitsch. Above all, it was optimistic. And maybe that's what we need right now. Maybe the era of the dark hero is coming to an end. It's time for a dose of escape, of positivity. Now the old Batman has returned, I'm holding out for Wonder Woman.
