Many people still identify comic books as mostly a children’s medium, and I’ve always thought that strange, especially when many of the same people go to see movies like “Iron Man 2” and “The Dark Knight” during the summer blockbuster season.

I’ve thought comics’ head-scratching evolution is equally as strange. Much like professional wrestling did in the late ‘90s, comic books has grown up with its audience, it seems. Material is much darker. Curse words and sexual scenarios are more plentiful. Even highbrow concepts like superhero deconstruction and existentialism are explored.

I’m not saying that the iconic morality play of good guys-versus-bad guys is not childish. It obviously is. But it’s not like comic books are the “Arthur” of literature either.

To further prove the point, here’s some quick, mini-reviews of some of DC Comics’ recent offerings in the past month.

“Brightest Day”

DC Comics’ big event right now is “Brightest Day,” which is a spinoff series from the Green Lantern comics event, “Blackest Night.”

But “Brightest Day” does not focus on Green Lantern. “Brightest Day” instead focuses on the handful of heroes and villains who were resurrected at the end of “Blackest Night.”

As a result, “Brightest Day” has been rather dull. Its principal problem is that it jumps around from plotline to plotline, and none of them particularly strike one as very interesting. Plus, “Brightest Day” essentially translates to a comic book for the hasbeens of the DC Universe, those like Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and Firestorm who cannot sustain sales to have their own comic series.

Plus “Brightest Day” comes out at an annoying frequency — twice a month — and is a maxi-series that will continue for awhile. Avoid.

“Green Lantern,” “Green Lantern Corps”

For my money, the “Green Lantern” books are the most interesting things in comics right now. The fallout of “Blackest Night” has been arguably more interesting than “Blackest Night” itself because the comic series has provided as many mysteries and questions as a television show like “Lost,” while also not being a glorified huge battle sequence like “Blackest Night” was.

Beware, though: A new series, “Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors” is debuting, with another Lantern, Guy Gardner in the lead role. It’s questionable as to whether or not this new series is warranted, since Green Lantern already has two books and — to my knowledge — has never in its history sustained more than two monthly series at a time. Plus Gardner is an interesting character but not really a captivating lead. Only time will tell on whether or not “Emerald Warriors” is worth the money, but the other two series definitely are.

“Superman” No. 701

In recent months, “Superman” has had a rather bland-looking “War of the Supermen” storyline running, kicked off by Free Comic Book Day’s “War of the Supermen” No. 0 offering. In short, Superman has been off in outer space, neglecting Earth and focusing on saving New Krypton.

It’s an interesting new direction to take Superman. Krypton died, and Clark adopted Earth as his new home. But then New Krypton was created, and Superman had to prioritize. He seemingly had chose caring for New Krypton over caring for Earth.

This all leads to “Grounded,” a storyline that kicked off in a small story from “Superman” No. 700. “War of the Supermen,” is over, and new writer J. Michael Straczynski has Superman coming back down to earth and speaking with the common man. He’s endeavored to talk to people about their mundane problems, which might not sound mundane to us (suicide, heart issues) but could sound boring to a man who has been involved in as many crises as anyone else in the fictional DC Comics universe.

But “Superman” No. 701 is the type of book that makes you want to start buying “Superman” regularly. This is a different Clark that talks about Henry David Thoreau, and the dialogue is as entertaining as a well-done, one-act play. It’s the type of comic book you might end up reading in English class.

The new look of Wonder Woman

It made plenty of press in national publications and was even mentioned in our very own Rocky Tops and Bottoms recently. Wonder Woman has new digs, her back story is changed seemingly and the book itself is much more gritty than usual.

But really, do not waste your time on “Wonder Woman.” The storytelling is muddled in non sequiturs. Most of issue No. 701 was Diana talking to some mysterious soothsayer. What’s even more confusing is that apparently Wonder Woman’s canonical past, with her old suit and old memories, apparently somehow fits into her new universe. How? Read on to find out but not me because it’s too boring.

It’s hard to imagine how Straczynski turned in such an interesting “Superman” No. 701 but failed so utterly here. Don’t believe the hype. “Wonder Woman” is still boring.

The muddled mystery of “Action Comics”

Speaking of confusing, just check out the other Superman title, “Action Comics.” It touts itself as another title spinning off from the events of “Blackest Night.”

During “Blackest Night,” Lex Luthor briefly was transformed into an Orange Lantern, meaning that he became greedy and wanted all the rings. (It’s a long story.) Essentially, even after “Blackest Night,” Luthor still finds himself craving more rings and is on the hunt to find them.

But “Action Comics” is a story that is strangely taking place in the confines of Luthor’s psyche, where Luthor is often portrayed as a hero and a robot Lois Lane is his wife. It’s never completely explained what is attacking him, why or what is completing going on.

What sounds like a good concept on paper — a Superman book starring Lex Luthor trying to hunt down rings — is completely dead on arrival with the nonsensical storytelling of “Action Comics.”

Mediocre noir in “Green Arrow”

“Green Arrow” is an alright title but not really worth your money. It’s yet another title that is enjoying a reboot. The current main storyline of Arrow is just that the hero has resigned himself to a forest that sprouted up overnight in the aftermath of “Blackest Night.”

With the new book, it seems that many of the old supporting characters have been stripped away, and the new ones in their place are mostly two-dimensional authority figures. “Green Arrow” amounts to the comic book world’s procedural crime drama.

The beautiful art of “The Flash”

“Green Lantern” scribe Geoff Johns also writes the new “Flash” series, which has a rather interesting storyline in which Central City’s future is reversed, with the Rogues as the heroes policing the city and the Reverse Flash among its villains. The future Rogues are trying to arrest current-day Flash for a future crime they say he will commit.

But what really takes the cake — and ensures that “The Flash” is worth your money — is Francis Manapul’s beautiful art. The entire comic, from a glance, just looks like a gigantic yellow-and-red blur of wondrous color. Manapul’s art is superior to perhaps anyone pencilling the major comics today. His art is worth going out of your way to see.