Adam West.  Michael Keaton.  Val Kilmer.  George Clooney.  Christian Bale.  And now the cape and cowl go to Ben Affleck, who has been announced as the next actor to play Batman, in the follow-up to this year’s “Man of Steel.”

It’s something of a surprise.  Affleck has been most successful as a director, recently with “Argo,” where his direction won more acclaim than his acting.  His last superhero effort was the disappointing “Daredevil.”  But I am very intrigued that at this point in his career he would take on a role like Batman, and I look forward to seeing the film in the summer of 2015.