Hollywood has its pick of heroes

Comic books used to be everywhere. Tarzan, Swamp Thing, Superman and Batman comics lined the shelves at local grocery stores. On a trip to the pharmacy you could pick up the latest from DC and Marvel. Then comic books disappeared from stores.

They have reappeared, though, in the cinema.

This summer, movie goers have been able to see a comic book adaptation at the rate of almost one a week thanks to "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Wanted," "Hellboy 2" and, of course, "The Dark Knight," the sequel to "Batman Begins."

"I think it's great that Hollywood is taking the time and money to bring these stories to life for everyone," said Andrew Johnson, owner of The Comix Strip on Broadway. "I love that they are taking chances and making things work. The imagination in the stories and the comics is coming to life, and it makes for some of the best movies out there."

It's an exciting time to be a comic book fan. However, it can also be confusing for film lovers who aren't familiar with the comic's history.

"It helps that many of these films make use of superstars and special effects," Johnson said. "Tim Burton's first 'Batman' did a great job using well-known actors to bring in the public. But 'Blade' with Wesley Snipes really set this whole era off."

Of course there have been flops such as "Daredevil," "Elektra" and "Catwoman." But with "Watchmen" coming to theaters and Justice League and Avengers projects on the horizon, the future looks bright for superheroes.

"I'm an old-timer, so I'd say only about 75 percent of these movies are any good," Johnson said. "Many times it's just that they use bad, generic costumes or too much computer generation. But these movies have superbig budgets and studios aren't afraid to reinvest, and a creative person can make it worth making. Look at 'Sin City.'"