He may have left the world of the X-Men behind, but Bryan Singer hasnt abandoned his work with comic books and is eager to make a name for himself as the man who re-introduced the Man of Steel to the big screen, according to Dark Horizons.

The director was speaking at the Christopher Reeve Lecture Series in Princeton, New Jersey where he answered several questions about the new Superman movie.

Part of his discussion covered the re-introduction of the comic-book hero after an absence from big screen of almost 18 years. Is the world ready for Superman to return?

"It's a cynical world and even I'm a cynical guy but if Superman's having a hard time fitting back in, then everyone can relate," Singer said. "He's a breath of fresh air. I think we're ready."

In the movie, Superman returns to a world where he is no longer the only line of defense against crime. After his departure, the world has moved on, including Lois Lane (played by Kate Bosworth) who is now a proud mother.

"I wanted to have something serious to confront Superman when he came back," he said. "We've seen disasters, we've seen criminals. This is altogether different. This is personal."

But for true comic book fans, the most surprising news is perhaps that of a small background crossover which takes place, namely with the inclusion of the Caped Crusader. In the background of the Daily Planet, there will be a framed newspaper article featuring the gothic hero leaping from a building. Singer was quick to admit that he considered the possibility of including Bruce Wayne, but eventually decided against it.

"I thought about it. What would I do? Superman's the good guy, so that makes Batman the bad guy but Batman can't be too bad because he's Batman! No, I haven't thought too much about this. This is the first time in probably five years it's even crossed my mind!"

Even though the film (which will include the original John Williams theme tune) is yet to be released, Singer has received considerable praise for his take on the classic tale and has even won over Barbara Johnson, the mother of the late acting legend Christopher Reeve.

"Superman Returns" will be in movie theaters on June 30, 2006.