PHOTO BY JESSICA MIGLIO / WARNER BROS.

After years of darkness — both figurative and literal — in the big-screen world of DC Comics, James Gunn has arrived to turn on the lights.

The iconic superhero brand, which exists under the ever-shifting Warner Bros. Discovery corporate umbrella, has been mired in start-and-stop storytelling ever since Christopher Nolan wrapped up his Batman trilogy. The previous era, dubbed the D.C. Extended Universe, had some legitimate highlights; Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” is among the best superhero films ever made, and the “Shazam” films are humble delights. The primary mode of the series, however, was ponderous and weighty — typified by the interminable “Justice League,” which was eclipsed by an even more interminable directors’ cut after a bizarre fan campaign.

Fortunately, that decade-plus of chaos has ended — and restarted with “Superman,” a very good film. The bigwigs at Bugs Bunny’s house evidently decided to give the reins to Gunn after the warm reception to “The Suicide Squad,” his 2021 soft sequel to the similarly named 2016 film — and the success of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Gunn’s trilogy across town. Those films demonstrated Gunn’s penchant for humor, heart and havoc — all three of which were lacking in recent appearances by the likes of Batman and Superman.

“Superman,” then, is Gunn’s proof of concept — a big-budget, candy-colored demonstration of what he intends to do with some of the most recognizable comic-book characters in history. It seems that he wants to render them not as stoic demigods but rather as quirky, flawed humans; Superman (David Corenswet) even says as much, declaring that his mistakes and uncertainty make him more Earthling than alien.

Gunn — who both wrote and directed “Superman” — also aims for delightful wackiness. This is a film where the deliberately goofy Justice Gang dispatches an intergalactic starfish … in the background of a relationship talk between Superman and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan). Lane asks Superman if he’s going to help; “No, they’ve got this,” he shrugs.

Blessedly, “Superman” dispatches with the origin story; after 90 years of comic books and 50 years of films, it can be assumed we know who this guy is. Instead, we meet Superman deep in a complicated conflict with Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who is playing puppetmaster for a conflict in the Eastern Hemisphere. He seems to be trying to discredit Superman so that he can take control of a remote nation — a scheme that’s equal parts media relations and high-tech goons.

Plus the real stakes: Kidnapping Superman’s unruly dog, Krypto. (Krypto, obviously, is the film’s breakout star.)

Superman and Lois Lane are on the screen, in large part, because Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder demonstrated how fun and charming these characters could be half a century ago. (That’s also the reason for Iron Man, Wolverine and nearly every other big-screen comic-book icon you can name.) The new versions are fun and charming, too — as is the film and the world they inhabit.

It’s a glowing start. For the first time in a long time, Marvel has real cause to sweat.

My Rating: 9/10

“Superman” is now playing in theaters.