Dr. E. Paul Zehr$26.95, 328 pages
John Hopkins Press, 2008
Batman.
The very name invokes images of raw determination and justice dealt out to evildoers by a mighty and righteous fist. The Caped Crusader is as much a cultural icon to Western civilization as Uncle Sam or Elvis and as much as figure of myth as Achilles or King Arthur. Part of Batman's enduring appeal is that he had undergone so many variations. Everybody has a favorite Batman. For some, it's from any of several generations of the comics, such as the classic detective "The Bat-Man" out of the Golden Age of DC comics (circa 1939), or the more colorful and fanciful "Silver Age" Batman that shared its style and atmosphere with the campy, but loveable, 60s television show staring Adam West and Burt Ward. Others might gravitate towards the more modern Batman of the 80s and 90s, such as the dark and brooding Batman out of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns (1986). Other fans consider their favorite Batman to be from the numerous film iterations, such as Christian Bale's portrayal in Batman Begins (2005) and the much-lauded The Dark Knight (2008), or Michael Keaton's version of the legendary figure from the groundbreaking Batman (1989) where he played opposite none other than Jack Nicholson. Others look to Kevin Conroy's Batman, whose stalwart and concrete-hard voice has been heard in everything from 1992's widely regarded Batman: the Animated Series, all the way through Justice League Unlimited, which ended its run in 2004.
The reason everyone has a favorite Batman—and indeed the reason why there are so many versions and variations—is because deep down, just about everyone wants to be Batman. Admit it. There's a part of you that, at some point, pondered what it would take to become the Caped Crusader. The idea of swinging amongst skyscrapers and dealing out painful justice to an assortment of bad guys is a comic book ideal that all of us share on some primal level.
But the path to becoming Batman is long, if the comics are to be believed. It's fraught with peril and danger, as well as a whole lot of hard work. And for those who have wondered what it would take to actually become Batman, it's a path full of contradicting routes and obscure efforts glossed over by the hazy and incomplete recollections found throughout seventy years worth of comic-book history. But Neuroscientist E. Paul Zehr has brought forth his full experience in exercise science, kinesiology, and related fields, and has as performed exhaustive research on the legend and lore of Batman, to deliver Becoming Batman, the end-all exploration of how Bruce Wayne became the Caped Crusader.
Becoming Batman is an authoritative study of all the physical facets of Batman's fictional life and origin, and the effects and implications of such a lifestyle in the real world. Everything is considered, from the lengths Bruce Wayne must have gone through to lay the foundation for his life as a superhero, to the nitty-gritty details of Bruce Wayne's daily (and nightly) routines, all the way to the final days of Batman when the wear-and-tear of the years of protecting the innocent City evidently catch up with him. Casual readers be warned; this is not a trivial book, nor is this a simple workout and diet book. Becoming Batman is a serious tome of science and gets down to some of the most fundamental building blocks of human life and of the biophysics behind athletics. If you seek a quick and easy ‘How-To' training manual to aid in getting Batman's rippling abs and bulging arms, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a simple stroll down Batman memory lane as it pertains to his history and training, you'll get far more than you bargained for. However, if you're interested in a truly first-rate evaluation of the physical requirements and demands the legendary superhero must have placed upon his body in order to become the figure of justice that we all know and love, then Becoming Batman is definitely the book for you.
Becoming Batman is part biochemistry, part kinesiology, and part comic-book history. It is an exhaustive and thoroughbook written by a pronounced , knowledgeable Batman fan and seeks to explore many of the questions surrounding the general plausibility of Batman. What kind of training would Batman have undergone in order to become the Dark Knight? Once he donned his mask and cowl to strike fear into the hearts of villains, what kind of daily training would he have to do to maintain his skills? Could he really be Batman every day (or night, as it were) without a vacation? How long could he expect to remain the protector of none-so-fair Gotham City before he succumbed to the march of time? The book delves into these long-wondered questions, as well as an array of other seldom-considered, but no less fascinating and important ones, like "how much would Batman have to eat on a daily basis" or "how much sleep would he need?" This is an excellent read for the exercise science buff as well as the diehard comic book fan interested in the amount of reality present in their favorite tale.
Unfortunately, Becoming Batman will easily confound those less versed in science or comics. This book is less a training manual and more of a biophysics primer. It goes into extensive biological detail, discussing everything from cellular adaptation from stress to the various coping mechanisms the body employs to maintain homeostasis. It addresses every part of the body, from the brain to the bones, from the skin to the stomach: in fact, it not just addresses, but fully explores and evaluates them with regard to Batman and his life. Peppered throughout the books are short history lessons on both the central character (quick stories discussing when/where Batman was first shown to display a particular trait or characteristic) and the science that is being discussed (such as the origin of the term Osteon or how neuroscience was pioneered). Zehr does a truly amazing job of studying not just Batman, but the many different depictions of Batman that have appeared throughout the character's long run, from the early comics to the recent films. He returns again and again to the character's various stated origins and evolutions, addressing conflicting stories and explanations in stride.
In many ways, Becoming Batman is to science what many installments of the "Popular Culture and Philosophy" book series are to classical philosophy: an introduction, and even sometimes an advanced exploration, of a topic (in this case, human physiology and kinesiology) by means of a familiar and recognizable icon. However, unlike many of those well-known books, this book is as much about Batman as it is the science. However, take comfort that this is not your father's biology textbook. Just about every reference and discussion is told through a paradigm of Batman and his world. Everything is easily digestible and gets amalgamated into a larger whole to help the reader better understand the science behind Batman, his body, and the lifestyle he leads.
Part I - Bat-Building Blocks
The first section of the book is very much a preliminary assessment of the human body in general and Bruce Wayne specifically. These first chapters help lay the ground-work for the biology that's referenced throughout the book, which mirrors the discussion of where Bruce Wayne was (as a person and a physical specimen) when he first began his journey to become Batman. Topics in this section include an overview of the body's systems, genetics, and the role of hormones on a person, and Bruce Wayne, as far as physical adaptations.
During these first chapters, we're introduced to the hypothetical figure of Bob Wayne, a construct of Dr. Zehr, to give a comparison for what the mighty Bruce Wayne could have been like had he never undergone his world-renown transformation. This is to help distinguish what about Batman is training/conditioning and what is pure genetic disposition. Overall, these chapters serve as a crash-course in biology and are very well written and necessary to lay the groundwork for the later chapters. However, some readers will undoubtedly find these pages cumbersome at times and more than a few readers might skim through these chapters, if not skip them all together.
Part II - Basic Batbody Training
After the first part provides the reader with an introduction to basic biology and exercise science as well as the role of genetics and hormones, we get down to the meat of it all. This section addresses the physical process Batman would have had undergone to build the body of a superhero. There are quite a few doses of common sense applied in these chapters, debunking several of the myths surrounding Batman, such as how strong he would be and how many martial arts he would have studied. These chapters help to put into perspective just what is physically possible for the Dark Knight.
Unfortunately, these chapters also represent the most problematic section and it's here that Becoming Batman will probably lose more than a few readers. These chapters are largely more theory than practice and spend more time explaining muscular hypertrophy, the role of macro- and micro-nutrients, and the life cycle of osteocytes, than actually discussing real numbers for a weightlifting program or exercise routine. Ultimately, these chapters serve as a deep-seated biology lesson as well as a common-sense smack across the face regarding Batman's accolades and the readers are treated to the almost sobering realization that Batman's training program isn't likely to be all that different from the norm.
Part III - Training the Batbrain
The third section of Becoming Batman is noticeably more theoretical and cerebral, which is appropriate since it discusses all things neurological as they pertain to Batman and his training in the martial arts. This section is quite fascinating to those interested in advanced kinesiology and skill development, but it is also a bit of a departure from the rest of the book because it comes across as a bit aimless. Part exercise philosophy, part physiology, and part rank speculation, the more radical and advanced science will more than likely bore the layman. Additionally, while some disclaimers about oversimplification are given when it comes to discussing Batman's chosen martial art, the assertion that Batman would study Ninjitsu (the martial art of the Japanese ninja) appears to be the result of a somewhat hasty comparison of only a handful of martial arts as they exist currently in the United States. Cross-training in multiple arts is briefly discussed, but then dismissed pretty quickly with little explanation. This is especially odd because comparisons are later made between Batman and Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Randy Couture and Jeet Kune Do founder Bruce Lee.
The final chapter of this section is worth discussing individually because it is a little less about biophysics and motor skill-development and more about the strict non-lethal philosophy of Batman and how it pertains to his fighting prowess and techniques. This chapter, while in no way inaccurate, is clearly written from the perspective of classical martial arts (specifically Karate, in which the author holds an advanced rank) and traditional tactics & conditioning. This is a bit problematic because it fails to address with the same authority found elsewhere in the book many of the issues of modern combat, especially in an urban setting. Overall, while this chapter is expertly written and very thought-out, the topics discussed are nonetheless very much open to dispute.
Part IV - Batman in Action
With the first three sections of Becoming Batman serving to lay the groundwork for the road Bruce Wayne took to become Batman and the adaptations his bodily systems went through as he underwent his arduous training, Part IV serves as a very interesting consideration of Batman's lifestyle, both by day and at night. There's a strong emphasis on the injuries, of all varieties, that Batman would accrue through his nightly excursions, while a whole chapter is devoted to the effects of sleep deprivation and the night-intensive lifestyle of Bruce Wayne. Many aspects of Batman's life revealed throughout this book that can be regarded as an abrupt wake-up call for anyone interested in pursuing such activities, but this section will undoubtedly be the most sobering. Crime-fighting leaves its marks.
Part V - A Mixed Batbag
The final section of Becoming Batman considers a variety of tertiary issues about the Caped Crusader, from the effects of gender on Batman's skills (would Batman be as effective as Batwoman?), to the legacy of stress on Batman's body as he aged, to how long Batman could expect to maintain his role as the Dark Knight. These chapters are a lot of fun, but as with Part III, some of Zehr's assertions could come across as dubious. For example, when discussing Batman's ability to fight night after night against the forces of crime, the comparison made is with the previously mentioned Randy Couture and his professional fight schedule. The author cites Couture's number of annual professional fights (invariably below ten) as the reason Batman wouldn't be able to maintain his hectic evildoer-trouncing pace for more than a few years (if that long). What the author fails to address is Couture's training schedule for his fights. Like most professional MMA fighters, Randy Couture's training frequently includes sparring at near fight-level intensities, not to mention that his training on a whole could be argued to be more intense than many of the actual fights. One could easily draw an analogy between Couture's training to Batman's nightly outings and the professional fights with Batman's occasional run-in with a major-name super villain like the Joker or the Riddler.
This is an excellent and well-developed book that will become a staple for many fans of comics and science alike and, as such, Becoming Batman can be read as either (or, simultaneously as) an exercise science book or as an exploration of a comic icon. As a work of science, the book is priceless. The topics are fascinating and engaging, while the use of Batman's life and lifestyle as a focal point of the scientific discussion is brilliantly engaging. However, if read as an exploration of the comic book character and his origins, the use of the science can sometimes seem a little off-center while the history can definitely feel incomplete. Unfortunately, if not read with these perspectives in mind, the book instead becomes cumbersome and a little difficult to follow.
At the end of the day, this is a fascinating read, if a somewhat disappointing book. It's fascinating because of the detail and research, and not just the scientific research either, but also the research into the character of Batman and the comics themselves. This is a work that truly pulls together numerous disciplines to give the reader a full understanding of what it would take to become Batman.
But the thing is, if you're looking for an actual Batman workout program or training guide (which is what will lure in many a reader), this book falls far short. There's little in the way of truly useful recommendations as to how one can tailor an existing exercise régime to produce Batman-like results. And for that reason, I have to say that this book will only be of interest to sports science enthusiasts who have a love for the martial arts, and for comic book fans who want to better understand just what is real and what is not in their favorite comics. But for those two audiences, this book will be of incredible interest and is well worth the read.
