The Boy Who Loved Batman: A Memoir [Hardcover]

Michael Uslan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2011

Is any superhero cooler than Batman? He's a crime-fighting vigilante with a tragic past, a lawless attitude, and a seemingly endless supply of high-tech gadgetry. In this fully illustrated memoir, author Michael Uslan recalls his journey from early childhood fandom through to the decades he spent on a caped crusade of his own: to bring Batman to the silver screen as the dark, serious character he was at heart. Uslan's story traces his path from the wilds of New Jersey to the limelight of Hollywood, following his work as Executive Producer on every Batman film from Tim Burton's 1989 re-envisioning to 2012's The Dark Knight Rises. Through it all, he helped to create one of the most successful pop culture franchises of all time.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"sure to please Bat-fans everywhere." -Booklist

"5 out of 5 stars" - Daemon's Books

"A rousing, entertaining tale of movie producer, Michael Uslan, and his fanboy-fueled quest to reinvent DC Comics' Batman for the big screen. Lushly produced with four-color interior artwork and oversized hardcover binding, this is a fun journey Dark Knight fans will want to take alongside Uslan, who was the driving force behind all the recent Batman movies" -Family Fans

"An inspirational tale of how one individual, armed only with a lifelong desire of restoring dignity to his beloved Batman, can prevail against all odds and emerge triumphant, forever altering the pop-culture landscape in the process. Informative, warmly witty and deeply human, it should be required reading, not just for comic book and movie fans like me, but for anyone looking for a concrete plan to make their own dreams come true!"
-Mark Hamill, voice of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and Arkham Asylum video game, creator of the Dark Horse comic, The Black Pearl, and Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy

"Don't miss this spellbinding tale of one man who saw what Batman was-and realized what he could become. See how Michael Uslan took a comic book hero and, through the magic of motion pictures, helped transform him into a world-wide icon!"
-Stan Lee, Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Comics and Chairman of Pow! Entertainment, co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, and The Hulk

"Five Stars. The Boy Who Loved Batman is an amazing read and will inspire you to fight for your dream. " - The NerdiestKids.com

"Folks, buy this book. I PROMISE that it's going to make you laugh, cry (I did), and nod your head in a "That's me!" sorta way. The story and message of this book moved me tremendously. " -Batman on Film

"For anyone with an interest in comics history or collecting The Boy Who Loved Batman is a must read. " Sci-Fi Bulletin

"He'll pull you into the world he's helped to fashion and make you appreciate the challenges and triumphs." Comics Buyer's Guide

"Michael Uslan brought comic books to academia in the 1970s with class (figuratively and literally) and he brought Batman to Hollywood a decade later with the same sort of integrity. I've been reading or watching his work since my youth and the intellect always shined through - now with his memoir I also see the emotional backbeat of his hero's journey."
-Geoff Boucher, Los Angeles Times

"Michael Uslan writes exciting superhero stories, produces blockbuster superhero films, curates historic superhero exhibitions. Readers of this fascinating insider's look at how comics and movies are made will discover the biggest secret known to all of us in the business: Michael Uslan is a superhero!"
-Jerry Robinson, co-creator of the Joker and Robin the Boy Wonder

"Michael [Uslan] shares his story in this amazing book filled with photos that is sure to bring back fond memories!" -On Screen and Beyond

"Mike Uslan went 'firmly in the direction of his dreams,' as Henry David Thoreau suggested, and on the journey helped redefine popular culture and confer respectability on a maligned art form. Mike's is a great American success story and The Boy Who Loved Batman is a terrific read."
-Dennis O'Neil, comic book writer and editor of many works, including Green Lantern, Batman, and The Shadow

"The Boy Who Loved Batman is fundamentally about how to make it in the world doing what you love. Every high school library should have this book and every business-minded teen should be reading it. Uslan made it, big time, and he provides a perfect example for others to follow." - Bookslut

"The Boy Who Loved Batman should also be recommended as inspiration for young boys who dream of carrying on their love for superheroes into adulthood. Mike Uslan is proof that you don't have to leave all that behind and "grow up" to become a success.' - Cineweekly

"The fact that Mike Uslan has developed his love for comic books into a full-blown (and very successful) career is nothing short of amazing. It's a wonderful world."
-Joe Kubert, comic book artist of Sgt. Rock, Hawkman, Tarzan, Tor, and Flash

"This book appeals to both comic book lovers and movie enthusiasts, touching on important aspects of both worlds. It is not just for Batman lovers, but people with true curiosity of a man whose dream and determination propelled him to success." -The Setonian

"This story is such an inspiration for anyone looking to make his or her passion into a lifetime career. Michael reached his goal of restoring the integrity of Batman because he never gave up!"
-Malin Akerman, Silk Spectre II in the film Watchmen

"Who in the world is lucky enough to have a "grand dream," then to enter it, embrace it, and have it become part of their life? Michael Uslan is just such a blessed person. His name and persona is forever linked to the Batman. Isn't that the coolest damn thing you ever heard?"
-Neal Adams, Creator's Advocate and artist and writer of Batman, X-Men, Crazyman, and Blood

About the Author

Michael Uslan is a film producer with numerous award winning projects to his credit. He is Executive Producer of all of the Batman features from Batman to The Dark Knight Rises and won an Emmy Award for TV's "Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?" He has been a speaker at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and at the Smithsonian Institution, and taught the world's first accredited college course on comic books.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (August 10, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811875504
• ISBN-13: 978-0811875509
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #446,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #87 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Television > Direction & Production

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I liked this! But there are some flaws... November 18, 2011

By HardyBoy64 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

This is a very fun book to read. If you're a fan of batman, you'll enjoy this look at the batman obsession inhabiting the mind of Michael Uslan. The pictures are colorful and nostalgic and the memoir itself is funny and even poignant at times. He writes with wit about his childhood and his growing love for comic books and although I'm not a comic book reader and never have been, I thought this was a fun look at that world of comicbook lovers. There are a few flaws that I could not overlook. 1) the print of the text is small and when Uslan includes some realia like rejection letters and personal notes, the writing is so small that you have to put the book closer to your face to read it. The captions of the pictures are also in this extremely small print. 2) Another flaw, for me, was that this is not a book for young kids. While Uslan writes in a fun-loving style, the text is splattered with curse words (several f bombs) and innuendos. I was disappointed because I assumed that my young son could also read this book, but I cannot recommend this book for young kids. 3) There is hardly any mention of how blockbusters "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" were made. While he explains for a few pages the making of "The Swamp Thing", there is surprisingly little to no details about the most recent Batman movies. As a casual fan, this disappointed me. However, the positives outweigh the negatives, and I recommend this memoir for adults who enjoy the batman stories.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dance with this great book in the pale moonlight! August 31, 2011

By WHBonney

Format:Hardcover

Not too long ago, the idea of a Batman film franchise revolving around a serious, dark Batman was considered laughable by practically everyone in Hollywood. One individual had the vision and prescience since childhood to see otherwise. Michael Uslan's memoir tells the tale of how a kid with a dream can one day make it a reality - even as the weight of Gotham City is bearing down on you. Born into a middle class family in New Jersey, Uslan's look back through the years wonderfully meshes humor with nostalgia making for a wonderful read, taking the reader on an emotional journey through life's ups and downs, thereby making this book a must read for anyone, comic book fan or not. (It must be noted, however, that if you are a comic book fan, this read is absolutely essential - Uslan's inside account of the industry provides a rare and unique look into its pioneers and evolution). Uslan has fought vigorously for comics to be taken as a serious American art form, capable of masterful storytelling, and even serving as an educational medium. After reading this book, I don't know how it is possible for anyone to make a legitimate argument against such a stance. However, what makes this visually stunning memoir such a stand out is just how much the reader takes away from the book after reading it. Uslan's narrative is a refreshing glimpse into the life of the man who forever changed the world of entertainment, but does not revolve around fame, gossip, and money in Hollywood - that is completely counter to what the author is about. Uslan's story is about passion, hard work, sacrifice, and focusing on what matters in life - namely family and friends.... Far from being handed everything on a silver platter, Uslan encourages us all to go against the grain and think creatively, providing us with the life lessons needed to know how to get through times of struggle and rejection to achieve the highest of goals. It seems to live life any other way would be akin to a life spent stuck in Arkham Asylum. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An essential memoir for comic fans October 20, 2011

By Trevor Burnham VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Here's the story of a man who grew up reading comics, worked his way up at both DC Comics and the film industry, and finally turned his dream of making a dark, serious Batman film a reality (first with the Tim Burton films, then the Christopher Nolan ones).

It's a fascinating read at times, though it also suffers from the usual symptoms of memoiritis, going off on tangents that don't mean much to anyone but Michael Uslan himself. I loved the comic book minutiae--the panels from awful comics of the '50s (see: Superdickery), his initial obsession with calling his film "The Batman" to disassociate it from the campy '60s TV series (which enraged the boy who watched his hero "sacrified on an altar of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and the 'in' crowd at the Peppermint Lounge..."), and his round-up of the best Batman stories of all time. But the personal stories grow tiring--there's too much "gosh, wow, I'm actually meeting [insert Hollywood person here]!" and "I still have that rejection letter on my wall!" and not enough of, well, Batman.

A good editor could have cut out 50 or so of this memoir's oversized pages. Still, Uslan's book is a treasure trove for anyone interested in the history of superhero comics and how their adaptations came to be blockbuster staples.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Stories, Passionate and Candid September 22, 2011

By David J. Brown VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

As a comic book fan--who also grew up in New Jersey, Jewish, during a similar time period--I certainly enjoyed this passionate book about a subject that I know and love almost as intimately as the author. There are definitely some terrific stories in here. However, after savoring every page of Grant Morrison's recent, extraordinarily insightful, book SuperGods, about the evolution of Superheroes, this book seemed a bit flat in comparrison. There are numerous whole paragraphs where the author merely lists comic book titles, which can be a bit tedious to read, as can the ever-recurring references to the monetary value of old comic books. Nonetheless, Batman fans, and comic book fans in general, will probably enjoy this fun and candid memoir considerably.