Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent?: And Other Amazing Comic Book Trivia! [Paperback]

Brian Cronin (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 29, 2012

Outrageous, fascinating and bizarre facts from every corner of the comic book universe

What comic book artist was the recipient of an on-stage thank you from Paul McCartney and an on-air apology from Johnny Carson? What superhero got his powers by being bitten by a mongoose? What popular NPR host was forever immortalized as a "bad boyfriend" in a notable comic book? In Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent?, author Brian Cronin will answer those questions and more by revealing the most obscure, wacky and surprising facts about comics—from the characters and creators, to the TV shows, movies and merch. Cronin has teamed up with some of the top comic book writers and artists of today to present 100 trivia lists, including:

·        Nine Celebrities That Guest-Starred in Comic Books…without Their Permission

·        Seven Bands That Got Their Names from Comics

·        Ten Crazy Items Found on Batman’s Utility Belt

·        Five Comic Book Inventions That Eventually Became Real

·        Five Stupidest Superhero Origins

·        And much, much more!

From Batman to Spiderman, Aquaman to the X-Men, each list in Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent? will entertain and inform whether you’re a hardcore geek or a casual fan.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brian Cronin is the creator of the “Comics Should Be Good” blog, which has been running for five years and gets over 30,000 hits a day. He lives in Astoria, New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Plume (May 29, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452297842
• ISBN-13: 978-0452297845
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,012 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightfully fun read about comics June 6, 2012

By Rob

Format:Paperback

When I first picked up the book I was worried that it was going to just be trivia questions or something like that, but luckily it was nothing like that. This is a really fun collection of interesting lists about comic books. The lists are all over the place, topic-wise, from rock bands named after comics (I really enjoyed "The Teardrop Explodes" one) to celebrities that appeared in comics (the Ira Glass one was hilarious).

The only thing I would have liked if there were more lists about non-superhero comics, but with all of the superhero movies out now it is reasonable I guess.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Made me want to read every comic book ever. July 2, 2012

By Tiffany A. Harkleroad TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Ever wonder what some of the craziest items in Batman's utility belt were, or what the heck Aquaman is good for anyway? Want a look back at some of the ridiculous ads found in the backs of comic books? What comic book artists were lazy and stole work from other artists? This book is a treasure trove of comic book trivia that is sure to please any comic aficionado.

I will say right off the top, I am not a comic book person. I have nothing against them, loved the Archies comics as a kid, but never really got that into comics. However, I had several boyfriends and friends over the years who were crazy for comic books, so I did get some exposure over the years. As an adult, I have learned that I do really like graphic novels, and the mythology behind comic book heros, so when presented with the opportunity to review this book, I jumped at the chance. It did not disappoint.

The thing I most like about this book is that the trivia is divided into short, topically specific lists, with different contributing authors. I found that this really made the book flow nicely, and kept the information organized in a way that even a comic newbie would be able to follow. While I was not completely familiar with most of the story arcs, characters, and information covered in the book, I still found it intensely interesting. My proclamation, up completion of the book was, "I want to go read all the comics".

I do think this book will really appeal to people interested in comics on many levels. Novices like me will learn a ton of information, and increased interested is sure to be sparked. Those more versed in comic book ephemera may know most of what the book covers already, but may like hearing the views of many of the artists and writers contributing to the comic industry today. And who knows, perhaps there is a nugget or two in here that even the seasoned comic veteran never know. All in all, a great book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good For Hard Core Comic Folk December 19, 2012

By David Hodges

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book of comic lists is Cronin's 2nd. I enjoyed it, but "Was Superman a Spy?" seemed more fun. Maybe it's because I read Cronin's blog "Comics SHould Be Good" and some of the book is lifted from his writings there. I enjoyed the Creators lists for the most part. All in all, if you are a hard core comic buff..get this book.