Book Report: Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero by E. Paul Zehr
How could I *not* read a book called "Becoming Batman"? If I were a little taller, a little stronger, and a little more talented with a batarang, "becoming Batman" might have been a viable career choice for me. I started reading this book full of hope.
The idea here is that Batman is an extraordinary physical specimen. Perfectly human, with no super powers at all, he's still able to fight and defeat criminals, perform amazing acrobatic feats, and survive extreme danger of all kinds. Unlike a character with inhuman super powers, we can imagine someone actually being Batman. What kind of person could do this? How would they need to train to achieve this level of performance? What kind of diet and exercise would they require? And, for how long could they keep it up?
Zehr is a neuroscientist and a black belt in martial arts, so he's in a good position to present this kind of material. He bases his information about Batman's abilities squarely on the sacred writings, namely the comic books and graphic novels that describe Batman's capabilities and origin. He presents topics in genetics, anatomy, physiology, neurology, strength training, nutrition, and other medical fields to get at what makes Batman tick. I don't know much about any of these areas, so Zehr's presentation made them interesting for me. In fact, I can imagine this book being used as a textbook for an introductory college soft-science course along the lines of Physics for Poets.
Ultimately, however, the book is disappointing. I started out reading avidly, then skimming, then skipping whole sections to get to the end. I think Zehr misses on several levels.
First, the focus is on Batman the physical being, but Batman is far more than that. What about his mind? His will? His ability to out-plan and out-think his opponents? Where is the discussion about his costume, his gadgets, or the Batmobile? Although perhaps straying from Zehr's medical expertise, these topics would have made for a more well-rounded book, especially for the kind of person most likely to pick up a book entitled "Becoming Batman."
Also, the title is suggestive: becoming Batman. I would like to have seen some material about how close someone – say, me – could reasonably approach to becoming Batman. What could a reader – say, me – do to form himself or herself into someone more like Batman? Even brief suggestions in each section would have made the book more engaging.
Finally, you can't help wondering: could anyone really become Batman? Could someone choose that course for their life, make that commitment, and transform themselves from Bruce Wayne to the Batman? Answering this could even become a group project. I can imagine a team of devotees working on various aspects of Batman-dom, all striving toward someone actually stepping forward to be Batman.
Maybe the gaps I suggest are unreasonable. The book as it is presents a great deal of interesting information in a very readable form. But, if you can't aim for an effect larger than life when discussing Batman, when can you?
How could I *not* read a book called "Becoming Batman"? If I were a little taller, a little stronger, and a little more talented with a batarang, "becoming Batman" might have been a viable career choice for me. I started reading this book full of hope.
The idea here is that Batman is an extraordinary physical specimen. Perfectly human, with no super powers at all, he's still able to fight and defeat criminals, perform amazing acrobatic feats, and survive extreme danger of all kinds. Unlike a character with inhuman super powers, we can imagine someone actually being Batman. What kind of person could do this? How would they need to train to achieve this level of performance? What kind of diet and exercise would they require? And, for how long could they keep it up?
Zehr is a neuroscientist and a black belt in martial arts, so he's in a good position to present this kind of material. He bases his information about Batman's abilities squarely on the sacred writings, namely the comic books and graphic novels that describe Batman's capabilities and origin. He presents topics in genetics, anatomy, physiology, neurology, strength training, nutrition, and other medical fields to get at what makes Batman tick. I don't know much about any of these areas, so Zehr's presentation made them interesting for me. In fact, I can imagine this book being used as a textbook for an introductory college soft-science course along the lines of Physics for Poets.
Ultimately, however, the book is disappointing. I started out reading avidly, then skimming, then skipping whole sections to get to the end. I think Zehr misses on several levels.
First, the focus is on Batman the physical being, but Batman is far more than that. What about his mind? His will? His ability to out-plan and out-think his opponents? Where is the discussion about his costume, his gadgets, or the Batmobile? Although perhaps straying from Zehr's medical expertise, these topics would have made for a more well-rounded book, especially for the kind of person most likely to pick up a book entitled "Becoming Batman."
Also, the title is suggestive: becoming Batman. I would like to have seen some material about how close someone – say, me – could reasonably approach to becoming Batman. What could a reader – say, me – do to form himself or herself into someone more like Batman? Even brief suggestions in each section would have made the book more engaging.
Finally, you can't help wondering: could anyone really become Batman? Could someone choose that course for their life, make that commitment, and transform themselves from Bruce Wayne to the Batman? Answering this could even become a group project. I can imagine a team of devotees working on various aspects of Batman-dom, all striving toward someone actually stepping forward to be Batman.
Maybe the gaps I suggest are unreasonable. The book as it is presents a great deal of interesting information in a very readable form. But, if you can't aim for an effect larger than life when discussing Batman, when can you?
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