Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero (Hardcover)

by Dr. E. Paul Zehr (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
What are the odds that an ordinary billionaire like Bruce Wayne could acquire the physique and hand-to-hand fighting skills to defeat supervillains? Zehr, a Canadian neuroscientist and martial arts black belt, looks at the science of the body's capability to respond and adapt to... extremes. The author draws on Batman comics and movies to glean clues on how Wayne chiseled his body into a fighting machine. As a study of human physiology, this detailed and accessible discussion could appeal to Batman fans and those interested in intensive physical training who are prepared for serious science rather than fantasy. But Batman is only the scaffolding on which Zehr hangs his detailed look at the role of genetic makeup, diet, strength training and development of motor skills in attaining the outer limits of physical performance. Surprisingly, the discussion barely mentions the training of real-life people who need many of the same skills as Batman: special ops forces. Despite the book's strengths, readers may get the impression from the many exclamatory asides of an author still running around the house with a bedspread trailing behind him. 55 b&w illus. (Nov.)
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Review

"When I walk, every once in a while someone notices they can't hear my footsteps. Do you know why? Dr. E. Paul Zehr knows. I'm training to become Batman. Most of the population wouldn't understand this... but beneath and entwined in the soul of many men is a hero-in-the-making. Training for that moment that will, thankfully, never come. The moment when he must be a hero. The moment he trained for. They'll never hear me coming. In this book Dr. Zehr knows exactly what our giddy souls are doing. Here he tells our secret." -- Neal Adams, Batman Illustrator

"If you really want to become Batman, having a billion dollars in start-up funds and a subterranean lair is just the beginning. Dr. Zehr's thoroughly researched and thoughtfully imagined exploration into the real-life rigors of costumed crime-fighting shows just how DC Comics' Dark Knight -- the original self-made hero -- could realistically transform a mere human body into something no less than superhuman. Consider it required reading for anyone seriously contemplating donning cape and cowl." -- Scott Beatty, author of The Batman Handbook

"Zehr applies his specialised knowledge to quantify how an ordinary person could turn themselves into Batman." -- Flipside

"As a study of human physiology, this detailed and accessible discussion could appeal to Batman fans and those interested in intensive physical training who are prepared for serious science rather than fantasy. But Batman is only the scaffolding on which Zehr hands his detailed look at the role of genetic makeup, diet, strength training and development of motor skills in attaining the 'outer limits' of physical performance." -- Publishers Weekly

"As a kid, I wanted to be Batman but always ended up more like the Joker. I only wish I could have read Dr. Zehr's fascinating book then, so that I would have known exactly what it takes to become a real superhero." -- Bradford W. Wright, author of Comic Book Nation, www.denofgeek.

"Zehr is a scientist, martial arts expert and comic book fan, so he's ideally qualified to write this book... Becoming Batman is an interesting discussion on the science of superheroes." -- Dr JV Chamary, BBC Focus Magazine

"Charming book... There is really nothing more awesome than reading a book that cites obscure neuroscience journals in the same sentence with citations to obscure Batman comics." -- Annalee Newitz, io9.com

"Zehr evaluates what it would take -- physically, psychologically, and scientifically -- to replicate Batman's actions and become a self-made superhero. His conclusions are sometimes surprising, and often fascinating." -- John Lewis, Baltimore Magazine

"A wonderful book that looks at what it would really take to become Batman in today's world." -- The Surfman, thesurfman.blogspot.com

"This is a thoughtfully imagined work that uses escapism to make solid scientific points that can benefit almost anyone. And for those who aspire to don a cape and cowl, it's essential reading." -- Richard Sherbaniuk, Edmonton Journal

"Two black-gloved thumbs way up!" -- whatistechnoagain.wordpress.com

"The author maintains a humorous and enjoyable tone throughout this book while providing general audiences with proven scientific methods and useful facts about the resilience and limitations of the human body." -- Book News

"A highly researched, very fairly reasoned and considerably factually-supported tome that not only discusses the potential for the most human of super heroes, also educates us in quite some depth about the limit of human existence and physical and mental prowess. That Dr. Zehr manages to add any style to his efforts (and let's be fair, scientists aren't known for their 'suave'), is a credit to the man and a credit to his obvious enthusiasm for his work and interests." -- Kevin Pocock, www.denofgeek.com

"Terrifying mastery of the entire Batman mythohistoriography." -- Steven Poole, Guardian

"Becoming Batman is your next step to supercool." -- Rosemary Counter, Toronto Globe and Mail

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 328 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (November 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801890632
• ISBN-13: 978-0801890635
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #78,577 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everything you need to know, plus..., January 3, 2009

By	rick33 (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews

...a whole lot you don't! I almost gave this book three stars due to it being (slightly) disappointingly dry, but added the extra one just for the sheer AMOUNT of detail in the book.

Really, it is too much, though. Admittedly, I haven't read it from cover to cover yet, but then again, I don't think I've ever read a text book from cover to cover. And that's what a lot of this is. Granted, the device of using the idea of "becoming Batman" is a great hook and one that I think can keep true fans (of Batman AND biology) on the line. And even though the focus of the book is on the effect of extensive training and the consequences of living the life of The Bat, Zehr does touch on TYPES of training Batman would most likely be realistically engaged in.

The book contains five Parts and a total of 16 Chapters. Since there is no "Look Inside" for this book yet, I've listed these below:

Part 1 - Bat-Building Blocks
Chapter 1 - The "Before" Batman: How Buff was Bruce?
Chapter 2 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner: Bruce's Twin Brother, and the Human Genome
Chapter 3 - The Stress of Life: Holy Hormones, Batman!

Part 2 - Basic Batbody Training
Chapter 4 - Gaining Strength and Power: Does the Bat That Flies the
Fastest or the Highest Get the Worm?
Chapter 5 - Building the Batbones: Brittle is Bad, But is Bigger Better?
Chapter 6 - Batmetabolism: What's for Dinner on the Dark Knight Diet?

Part 3 - Training the Batbrain
Chapter 7 - From Bruce Wayne to Bruce Lee: Mastering Martial Moves in the Batcave
Chapter 8 - Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting: But What Was Batman Doing?
Chapter 9 - The Caped Crusader in Combat: Can You Kayo Without Killing?

Part 4 - Batman In Action
Chapter 10 - Batman Bashes and Is Bashed by Bad Boys (and Girls): What can he break without getting broken?
Chapter 11 - Hardening the Batbody: Can sticks and stones break his bones?
Chapter 12 - Gotham by Twilight: Working the Night Shift

Part 5 - A Mixed Bag
Chapter 13 - Injury and Recovery: How much Banging Until the Batback Goes Bonk?
Chapter 14 - Battle of the Bats: Could Batgirl Beat Batman?
Chapter 15 - The Aging Avenger: Could the Caped Crusader Become the Caped Codger?
Chapter 16 - The Reign of the Bat: Can You Really Become Batman and Remain Batman?

APPENDIX
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX

Now don't let these zippy and fun chapter titles fool you. If you get this book you're in for some serious science. There's a lot of molecular biology, chemistry and good ol' fashioned science text book jargon. I'm not sure if the average person who is interested in "Becoming Batman" needs, or even wants, to know how the Cortical bone is made up of Osteon which apparently has something to do with the Haversian canal, but it's all in figure 5.1 on page 68 if you DO need it. I get the feeling the scientist in Batman would love this book.

Or, you could just pop in your "The Dark Knight" dvd again and scarf down some popcorn.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Becoming Batman, January 31, 2009

By	Robert Frost (TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I love books that take topics that interest me and examine the science in them. This book is not, as I assumed, a prescriptive on how to become Batman but more a treatise on the feasibility of becoming Batman. Could a man really train and then operate in the way Batman is depicted in the comics and movies?

Dr. Zehr comes to the topic with suitable expertise. Not only is he a professor of neuroscience and kinesiology, but he has multiple blackbelts and more than 25 years of experience in the martial arts. If you are interested in the details of science, you will like this book. If a chapter on how metabolism works isn't your thing, you should probably give this book a miss.

The initial chapters look at the building blocks, for example, what kind of genes would Bruce Wayne have needed to inherit to feasibly become Batman? From there it moves into the training. Would Batman be more interested in strength or power? and what kind of training would be suitable for each? What kind of martial arts should he study? How much training is necessary to become an expert?

The last part of the book looks at the realities of operating as Batman, specifically the impact or repeated stress and injury to the body. How long could Batman operate?

I expected the book to spend more time on the types of things Batman does (i.e. swinging from buildings) - but that is a topic that is well covered in James Kakalios' Physics of Superheroes.

Although I felt that the narrative needed more energy, I did enjoy this book. Dr. Zehr did his research. He knows the science and he knows the character. If you've ever been curious about the possibilities of being a superhero, give this book a try.

Interestingly, there was material in the book that is directly applicable to my job. I can't wait to use this title as a reference, when the subject comes up!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!!, January 18, 2009

By	mdk - See all my reviews

Becoming Batman is an excellent case study in the limits of human performance and will. This book is Great!, it is exactly what you would expect from an expert in science and martial arts. Even more, Zehr's writing demonstrates his joy and curiosity with the subject matter while he thoroughly educates his audience in a fun and engaging manner. This book is truly a journey of scientific discovery to understand what it takes to be a real superhero without superpowers. The depth is impressive; genetics, anatomy, biomechanics...too many to list and all which play a role in becoming Batman. This book challenged me to go beyond a basic view of my comic book superhero and now more than ever I appreciate what it takes to be Batman. Dr. E Paul Zehr attempts to give an educated answer to the question that any fan of Batman has wondered; Can someone actually become Batman? The answer is....???.well get the book I highly recommend it.