ou can't have too many superheroes. The planet is in desperate need of rescuing and in the past, Spider-Man, Batman and Superman have all answered the call.   It used to be that kids escaped the world by diving into stacks of comics. Now movies take the colorful pages to new heights. Maybe it's the thought of a safer world in an era of uncertainty that makes superhero flicks so successful. Take Spider-Man, which spun a web
around the box-office crown, becoming the top moneymaker of 2002. The studio was so confident in its success that a sequel was already greenlit prior to the film's release. Spider-Man II is now being shot in New York and L.A. for release in the summer of 2004.   The comic book movie trend is in full force again this year with Daredevil and X2:X-Men United having already hit the big screen and The Hulk on deck. And there are more in the works. A version of the Fantastic Four is coming soon, as is a film featuring Jennifer Garner's character Elektra from Daredevil. You can bet on X-Men 3 while Hugh Jackman may get a movie spinoff based on his character Wolverine. Thomas Jane has signed on to play anti-hero The Punisher while Wesley Snipes is set to return as the vampire hunter in Blade 3. Let's not forget rumblings of the ultimate superhero showdown in Batman vs. Superman.   Other comic book stars we'll see in the theaters over the next few years? Catwoman starring Halle Berry, Ghost Rider and Iron Fist. Film studios keep cranking out the comic book-based films because they know the one thing these superheroes have is the power to make big bucks!'