Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero - Hardcover

E. Paul Zehr

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801890632 ISBN 13: 9780801890635

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008

Synopsis

Battling bad guys. High-tech hideouts. The gratitude of the masses. Who at some point in their life hasn't dreamed of being a superhero? Impossible, right? Or is it?

Possessing no supernatural powers, Batman is the most realistic of all the superheroes. His feats are achieved through rigorous training and mental discipline, and with the aid of fantastic gadgets. Drawing on his training as a neuroscientist, kinesiologist, and martial artist, E. Paul Zehr explores the question: Could a mortal ever become Batman?

Zehr discusses the physical training necessary to maintain bad-guy-fighting readiness while relating the science underlying this process, from strength conditioning to the cognitive changes a person would endure in undertaking such a regimen. In probing what a real-life Batman could achieve, Zehr considers the level of punishment a consummately fit and trained person could handle, how hard and fast such a person could punch and kick, and the number of adversaries that individual could dispatch. He also tells us what it would be like to fight while wearing a batsuit and the amount of food we'd need to consume each day to maintain vigilance as Gotham City's guardian.

A fun foray of escapism grounded in sound science, Becoming Batman provides the background for attaining the realizable―though extreme―level of human performance that would allow you to be a superhero.

About this title

About the Author:

E. Paul Zehr is a professor of neuroscience and kinesiology at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, where he is also a biomedical research scholar. He holds black belts in both empty hand and armed martial arts. For more information about finding your inner superhero, visit www.becomingbatman.com.

Review:

"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 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)

"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)

About this edition

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0801890632
• ISBN 13: 9780801890635
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320