Superman’s actions are called into question and the Dark Knight enters the fray…

First there was Arrow.

Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Antonio Banderas flex their muscles in The Expendables 3, and a talented table footballer learns to play the beautiful game for real in the computer-animated fantasy The Unbeatables.

Don’t work with children or animals, they say. With the former, the GAA have long succeeded in defying that idiom, but in Croke Park yesterday they tried their hand with a bird of prey and, well, it didn’t go too well.

Zack Snyder is due to direct 'Justice League'.

Christian Bale has reportedly been offered £40m (€46.5m) to reprise his role as Batman in "Justice League."

The labour-relations architecture... grew bloated and problematic during the bubble years, gorging on its own self-importance... Now, however, it seems to be back doing what it does best — bridging divides, keeping the peace, while acknowledging the state we’re in.

GIVEN the economic gloom, facing into 2013 will be hard for many.

Supergods: Our World in the Age of the Superhero. Grant Morrison Jonathan Cape; £17.99

OWEN McKenna had the perfect start to Derby final week when he won Monday’s Catunda Harry Champion Stakes final at Youghal with the Lorraine Moore owned Pablo Supreme.

THE Clare publican who was abducted by an armed gang in Sierra Leone returned to Parteen yesterday after his terrifying ordeal.

RESIDENTS of a village on the outskirts of Limerick were said to be flabbergasted yesterday on learning a local publican was at the centre of a West African gunpoint abduction in a scene straight out of a Frederick Forsythe novel.

SAY you’re walking around some of the older parts of Cork city, and maybe it looks a bit grim in parts. But, don’t hurry on, take time to look up and around - and then try this.

A JUDGE acquitted troubled singer Amy Winehouse yesterday of assaulting a fan who asked to take her picture.

Singer Amy Winehouse expressed her relief today after she was cleared of punching a dancer in the face at a charity ball.

Singer Amy Winehouse was cleared today of punching a dancer at a charity ball.

Amy Winehouse will be back in court today for the second day of her assault trial.

AMY WINEHOUSE told a London court that she did not punch a fan who asked for her photograph, saying she felt intimidated by the alleged victim — and claiming she was too short to have hit the woman in the face.

Amy Winehouse today denied punching a dancer in an act of “deliberate and unjustifiable violence” at a charity ball.

Singer Amy Winehouse reacted with "deliberate and unjustifiable violence" when a dancer politely asked her for a photograph at a charity ball, a court heard today.

Singer Amy Winehouse today denied assaulting a woman at a charity ball.

Amy Winehouse is facing police questioning after allegedly assaulting a female dancer at a London event on Thursday night.

Hollywood star Mel Gibson is tipped to reunited with Mad Max director George Miller in forthcoming superhero move Justice League.

MARK DUDBRIDGE withstood another superb Wayne Mardle fightback to win an exhilarating Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship semi-final 6-4 at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet last night.

DROOPYS MAL and Rusheen Honcho will clash in the second round of the Puppy Derby at Harold's Cross on Friday night. The pair will dominate the betting in heat 2 and should fight out the finish.

A DUTCH dog called Flash has become a big bone of contention for Irish cigarette smugglers.

Phil Taylor has always maintained his lucky number is 13 – and this time next year he hopes that will be the amount of world titles in his collection.

PHIL TAYLOR shrugged off a determined challenge from young pretender Mark Dudbridge to capture his 12th world title at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet last night.

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi laid on a special treat for his holiday guest Tony Blair – a firework display spelling out the words “Viva Tony”.

PEAHILL FLASH and Stonleigh look set to battle it out in the seventh race at Curraheen Park tonight.

A BUILDING on John Street in Waterford that previously accommodated an Indian restaurant has sold for in excess of €1.3m just ahead of a public auction.

By Caroline O’Doherty