The basic point in this column is still valid a year later and will probably still be valid a year from now. Genre fiction may not lend itself to originality but that's no excuse for not trying!

As with any general truth, however, there are always exceptions and - in this case - any post script must make mention of Gotham Central - the Batman spin-off by Greg Rucka (and others).

By marginalising The Bat himself and turning the spotlight on the men and women of the GCPD, Rucka and Co have created one of the most original takes on the super hero genre that there's been in many a year.

Anyone with any interest in mainstream comics should definitely read these books and see exactly what the genre can achieve when it's entrusted to writers of talent who actually care about the future of the medium.