"Spider-Man, Spider-Man
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, any size
Catches thieves just like flies
Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man!"

I've watched the superheroes come to life on the big screen with great interest. Unfortunately, most of them haven't fared that well.

Then in 2002, one of the most popular superheroes of all time finally graced the silver screen. It took that long to secure film rights for Spider-Man with the cooperation of creator Stan Lee. It was worth the time and effort Spider-Man ended up grossing $820 million worldwide and became the fifth highest grossing film in U.S. history.

Many would also say that it was the best comic-book adaptation ever, and if there were any doubts of that, Spider-Man 2 puts them to rest. The beauty of this film is that it is not simply a sequel, designed to upstage its predecessor with "bigger and better." True to its comic roots, it's a continuation of the Spider-Man saga, following up from where the first film's origin story left off. This is wonderfully captured in Spider-Man 2's opening credits, which uses graphic novel styled artwork to create a visual overture, jogging the viewer's memory of key events from the first film: mild-mannered student Peter Parker getting bitten by a radioactive spider, the death of his uncle, the famed upside-down smooch with girl-next-door Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Man's defeat of the Green Goblin, and more.

Spider-Man 2 begins two years later (natch), showing us what's become of the key characters in that time. Think it's easy being a superhero? Think again. Anonymous crime fighting doesn't pay the bills, and Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire of Seabiscuit) is struggling to make ends meet by working two part-time jobs. Besides working as a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle, taking pictures of "that menace" Spider-Man, he's working another gig which I won't spoil for the viewer suffice to say, it's one in which Spidey powers can come in handy. Parker's desperate for money because the bank is close to foreclosing on his dear Aunt May's house. Unfortunately, his grades at the local university are slipping, the second job doesn't work out, and Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson isn't making life any easier.

On top of that, Parker's relationships are falling apart. His best friend Harry still blames Spider-Man for the death of his father, corporate scientist Norman Osborn (aka The Green Goblin). As stress builds for Harry in trying to run his father's company, he begins to increasingly blame Spider-Man for his troubles. Meanwhile, longtime crush Mary Jane still has feelings for Parker, but he continues to push her away in order to protect her from his dangerous life. Tired of waiting for him to express his feelings, she's considering a relationship with Jameson's astronaut son.

Here's even more evidence that Spider-Man is focused on the right things: unlike Batman and other films, the spotlight is on the hero, and the villain is secondary. Octavius' experiments go awry, fusing a set of mechanical tentacles to his body and giving him a Jekyll & Hyde type disorder. It's a bit creepy the way the filmmakers infuse these robotic arms with their own personality, as if they were living snake-like creatures, and many will find this sympathetic villain a more fearsome foe than the Green Goblin.

Spidey's battles with Doc Ock are vital to the movie's action, but they're not the heart of the film. This is really about the nature of heroism, making the choice to either use one's gifts for the benefit of mankind or to ignore them and let someone else worry about the world's problems. Must Parker forever heed his uncle's advice ("With great power comes great responsibility"), or can he pursue his dreams and still do what's right? Can he do both?

The best comic books place real people and their human motivations in unreal circumstances. That's what makes this film such a refreshing summer blockbuster. It's primarily about the characters, not the special effects. Be prepared for long dialogues between Parker and those around him, as he considers hanging up his red-and-blues in order to enjoy a happy and normal life.

All of the positive themes from the first movie jump fluidly to this one, and there's a few new ones added besides. Peter consistently stands up for what's right and just, both in costume and out. He's brave and chivalrous, and rescues scores of innocents from death and injury. Even when his Spidey powers fail him, he puts his life on the line to save others, leaving us with a potent reminder that we don't have to have superpowers to do good and help those around us. Aunt May reinforces the idea when she says, "I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble and finally allows us to die with pride."

This is a fun movie. A crowd-pleaser surprisingly wholesome in content and appealing to a broad audience. Columbia has already slated Spider-Man 3 for 2007. And fans of Spider-Man folklore will note that they've left the door open for as many as three possible villains in the next movie.

Boys and girls of all ages have made Spider-Man their hero for decades, and never has he been more deserving of admiration. Toby Maguire does a magnificent job of putting flesh and bones on the usually paper-thin Peter Parker, but that's only half the story. Few superheroes can go head-to-head with Spider-Man's morality, his humility, his sensitivity, his ability to self-analyze, his selflessness and his granite grip on justice and rightness. When Spidey spins his webs, it seems like all the good stuff sticks and the bad stuff slides right off. Comic-book violence is an issue. Heads bonk. Bodies bounce. And damsels get distressed. But the moral tent pole planted in Spiderman 1 stands firm.