WB made one great Superman movie (the first one), two flawed but still pretty darn good Superman movies (Superman II and Superman Returns) and two Superman movies so bad that one almost made me walk out of a theater even though I was only a kid when I saw it (Superman III) and the other one I haven't had the fortitude to sit through but understand is unwatchable (Superman IV). So, they're about on par with the Spiderman series and X-Men series of movies, which each had flawed first installments, amazing sequels and unwatchable third installments.

Iron Man had a surprisingly great debut on film. The Hulk had a flawed but watchable debut and a sequel I can't work up the energy to rent and sit through.

Batman had the shitty Burton/Schumacher misfires and two amazing Bale/Nolan installments that wiped those out of continuity, not to mention the great 1960s Adam West movie where Batman just can't get rid of that bomb. So I guess Batman wins.

The thing about Superman is, once you tell his origin story and set up his villain and romantic triangle, there's almost noplace to go. His overarching mythology since his debut has basically been about maintaining a status quo.

How many great Superman stories have ever been told, in 70 years of comics, movies, TV shows and animation? Even the Fleischer cartoons, great as they are, just follow a repeating formula. Superman is a tough character to write. I think I prefer the Timm/Dini/McDuffie/Burnett animated version to all others (with the possible exception of the All Star Superman miniseries by Morrison and Quitely), but even that one still seemed to fall just short of the ideal, because he's still more a symbol than a character. Superman is a great American myth that doesn't really have a story other than the one of his origins and neverending struggle for truth and justice.

I could go on and on and on, but I'm starting to feel ashamed...