COAST CITY, April 28 - These are dark days in America. With war abroad and stress at home, we need heroes more than ever before.

Of course, some of the usual candidates have stepped forward; politicians are out campaigning, sports players are reaching for records, and movie stars are – well, the less said about that the better. But in these tough times, we need something more.

Where are all the superheroes? The Justice League? The X-Men? The Titans?

A few days ago a large fire engulfed the Gotham waterfront. Without the timely help of police and fire departments, the Gotham Bank building, and everything for acres around, would have been leveled to the ground. Eyewitnesses report it was set by the Joker, perhaps as part of a robbery attempt - but Batman was nowhere to be found.

This grim news was enough to make us wish for Captain America. Of course, since the news that the Cap’n was felled by a sniper’s bullet a couple of months ago, we didn’t get our hopes up – but it seems there was worse to come.

Looks like the Captain wasn’t killed after all, but went undercover to live the easy life of a partying playboy. Only last weekend he was arrested in Melbourne for indecent public behavior and assault with a burrito – and while the Cap’n remains behind bars, no one really knows the true story of his return to life. Or maybe there’s a more sinister explanation. Has the Captain lost his memory? Is this a devious trick by the Red Skull ?

If anyone can get to the bottom of all this, it’s everyone's favorite reporter, Clark Kent. Everything seemed to be back on track last year when the Man of Steel returned; and since Lois seems to have given up on their romance, you’d think he’d have more time to fight crime. But things have been unusually quiet in the past few months – no word from Luthor, but no sightings of Superman either.

And then, last week, news came from the Balkans about a grave discovery.

Scientists working in Serbia have unearthed a deposit of sodium lithium boron silicate hydroxide, more commonly known as kryptonite. It is the first reported discovery of the substance outside of Krypton itself, or the secret stores in Luthor’s hideout.

What is the meaning of this strange deposit? Is this a secret project aimed at Superman? Or could it be... the final resting place of Kal-El himself?

No one yet knows for sure; and with the current confusion in the human and superhero communities, it doesn’t seem we’ll be getting any answers soon. Maybe it’s time to look to the stars.

Help us, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re our only hope.