But what's the deal with Wonder Woman's lasso?

Itching to see X3 and Superman Returns but worried you won't grasp the subtext? Okay, maybe not you. Let's say your girlfriend or boyfriend, or your brother -- maybe they won't get it.

Well, fear no more. Cinematical provides An Outsider's Guide to Symbolism in Superhero Cinema, covering everything from Batman to Spider-Man to Wonder Woman.

Here's what the site says about the Fantastic Four:

What it's Really About (and how Tim Story blew It): Camelot-era scientific optimism and space exploration meets soap opera, with a little bit of ancient elemental mysticism mixed in. In the comics, the Four were headed for the moon to beat the Commies; the kind of can-do, pioneer spirit that made America great, resulting in constant battles with the threats of a complex universe. With their bickering and feuding, the Four also add a super-powered spin to Tolstoy's famous observation that happy families are all alike, yet every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Finally, the super-powers on display also nicely correlate to the alchemical elements of earth, wind, fire and water; it's too bad that Fantastic Four director Tim Story didn't actually incorporate any of these concepts in the FF film, choosing instead to focus on hokey jokes and endless talk -- and, you know, when I think 'cosmic action,' I can't think of a better choice than the guy who directed Barbershop.

More on Superman, the Hulk and others at the link.