Becoming Batman Read online

  BECOMING BATMAN

  BECOMING BATMAN

  The Possibility of a Superhero

  E. PAUL ZEHR

  THE JOHNS HOPKINS

  UNIVERSITY PRESS

  Baltimore

  To my daughters, Andi and Jordan

  May you become whatever you wish to

  become

  © 2008 The Johns Hopkins University Press

  All rights reserved. Published 2008

  Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

  9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  The Johns Hopkins University Press

  2715 North Charles Street

  Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4363

  www.press.jhu.edu

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Zehr, E. Paul.

  Becoming Batman : the possibility of a superhero / by E. Paul Zehr.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN-13: 978-0-8018-9063-5 (hbk. : alk. paper)

  ISBN-10: 0-8018-9063-2 (hbk. : alk. paper)

  1. Batman (Fictitious character) 2. Physical education and training. 3. Human physiology. I. Title.

  PN6728.B 363Z45 2008

  613.7—dc22 2008011325

  A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.

  Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this book. For more information, please contact Special Sales at 410-516-6936 or specialsales@ press.jhu.edu.

  The Johns Hopkins University Press uses environmentally friendly book materials, including recycled text paper that is composed of at least 30 percent post-consumer waste, whenever possible. All of our book papers are acid-free, and our jackets and covers are printed on paper with recycled content.

  Contents

  Foreword, by James Kakalios

  Preface

  PART I. BAT-BUILDING BLOCKS

  Exploring what Batman became by beginning where he started

  CHAPTER 1. The “Before” Batman:

  How Buff Was Bruce?

  CHAPTER 2. Guess Who’s Coming for Dinner:

  Bruce’s Twin Brother, Bob, and the Human Genome

  CHAPTER 3. The Stress of Life:

  Holy Hormones, Batman!

  PART II. BASIC BATBODY TRAINING

  Laying the foundation for Batman’s physical prowess to be later exploited by his skill

  CHAPTER 4. Gaining Strength and Power:

  Does the Bat That Flies the Highest or the Fastest 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 III. TRAINING THE BATBRAIN

  Batman on the path to mastery of the martial arts

  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 IV. BATMAN IN ACTION

  Knight moves with Batman when he acts as the Caped Crusader

  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 Knight Shift

  PART V. A MIXED BATBAG

  Pondering possible pitfalls along the path to bathood

  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: Batman’s Training Milestones

  Bibliography

  Index

  Forewoed

  From the very beginning, he was expected to be completely similar to, and totally different from, Superman.

  In 1939 National Periodicals was looking to bottle lightning a second time. Having struck a nerve with American comic book buyers the year before with the publication of Action Comics #1, featuring the debut of the Kryptonian man of steel, the editors charged young cartoonist Bob Kane with creating a new character for Detective Comics that would be as popular as Superman. Kane was a far better businessman than a creator of superheroes. (He had signed his first contract with National while a minor, which they learned when trying to renegotiate that contract. They discovered that they either did it on his terms or risked losing the rights to Batman entirely as Kane’s previous work was based on an invalid contract.)

  Kane’s initial design of a red-costumed, mechanical-winged crimefighter called “Bird-Man” was reworked by colleague Bill Finger into the gray-and-black clad, mysterious, dark knight detective Bat-Man. Combining the swashbuckling of Douglas Fairbanks, the detective skills of Sherlock Holmes, the dark costuming and socialite alter ego of the Shadow, and the technological utility belt of Doc Savage, Finger and Kane managed to satisfy their editor’s edict, and their creation, now known as Batman, has joined Superman as perhaps the world’s two finest superheroes.

  As an aside, Batman’s debt to the pulp novel hero the Shadow is quite strong. The Batcopter, the Batarang, and Batman’s skill at disguises follow from the Shadow’s auto-gyro, boomerang, and trademark renown as a master of disguise. Bruce Wayne’s friendship with Police Commissioner Gordon is an echo of the Shadow’s alter ego Lamont Cranston’s association with Police Commissioner Weston. In addition, the plot of Bat-Man’s first adventure, “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate,” which appeared in Detective Comics #27 (July 1939), is a direct takeoff of “Partners of Peril,” published in The Shadow Magazine (November 1936) and written by Theodore Tinsley under the house name of Maxwell Grant. An amusing coincidence: Batman, inspired in part by the Shadow, first appeared in Detective Comics. The character of the Shadow was introduced as the host of a radio program, The Detective Story Hour, that featured tales drawn from its sponsor, the pulp magazine Detective Story Magazine.

  Batman might not have enjoyed enduring popularity had he not been radically different from Superman. Whereas Superman is a strange visitor from another planet with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, Batman is, after all, a mortal man. Batman does not possess super strength; he cannot fly or stretch like a rubber band; he cannot even cloud men’s minds like his forebear the Shadow. His complete lack of superpowers accounts in part for his appeal. No matter how tempted we might be to wallow in radioactive waste, some small part of our brain recognizes that this will not enable us to run faster than a speeding bullet or climb the sides of buildings like a spider. But Detective Comics #27 in 1939 held out the hope that with sufficient training and preparation—and a willingness to go out in public dressed like Dracula—we could become Batman.

  At least, that is what we have always been told. Now E. Paul Zehr, armed with advanced degrees in kinesiology and neuroscience, addresses whether it is physically and biologically possible to become Batman. In so doing, he provides a first-rate introduction to human physiology, neurology, the biomechanics of martial arts, the influence of diet and hormones (natural and synthetic) on strength training, and the materials science of protective clothing, such as Kevlar. Along the way we learn the physical mechanisms by which our muscles provide force, what changes occur at the cellular level in our bones as a conseque
nce of weight training, and how Bruce Wayne’s daytime meal provides the energy for Batman’s nighttime crime fighting. We also find out why the martial arts are called “the martial arts,” whether Batman really knows 127 different martial arts, what the expression “muscle memory” really means, the physical and biological means by which we heal from injuries, and the physiological changes that occur in aging. Dr. Zehr explains all this and more, in a fun and accessible manner, through the related concepts of stress and homeostasis. In addition to having a PhD in neuroscience, Paul Zehr possesses a black belt in Shito-ryu karate. The doctor knows whereof he speaks!

  Finally, you will learn not only whether it is possible to become Batman but, perhaps more important, whether you can stay Batman! Body building and strength training is all well and good, expert proficiency in the martial arts is important—but can you keep it up year after year, in a never-ending battle against the petty crooks and supervillain escapees from Arkham Asylum?

  By using the Caped Crusader as the medium by which he explains his subject matter, Dr. Zehr also points out the most important way by which we can all become Batman, even those of us who do not lift a single weight or step one foot out of our secret cave headquarters. Batman has such a hold on our collective imagination because he is a mere human who nevertheless acts like a true superhero. As Superman explains to Wonder Woman in the graphic novel Trinity, by way of excusing Batman’s brusque manners: “I’ve seen him throw himself in harm’s way time and again, all to rescue the lives of innocents.” Reminding Wonder Woman that, unlike themselves, Batman has no extraphysical prowess, Superman wonders: “If I were an ordinary man, would I show the same valor?” Indeed, it is Batman’s courage, dedication, and commitment—bravery that even a Superman can admire—that we all would like to believe we are capable of, and can at least strive for, if only we have the will. Paul Zehr shows us the way. The rest is up to us.

  —James Kakalios, author of The Physics of Superheroes

  (Gotham, 2005)

  Preface

  The Batman has no super-powers, so I have to make myself the best I can be . . . Always.

  —Bruce Wayne reflecting on his alter ego in “You May See a Stranger” (Batman: Dark Detective #2, 2005)

  This book is an examination of a superhero. It seeks to answer a simple question: Is it possible for any human to attain the skills and abilities of Batman? Batman is the perfect superhero about whom to ask this question as there is nothing supernatural about his abilities. He is a man in disguise, with powers that seem within reach. But are they? The question may be simple, but as we shall see, the answers are not.

  Because I am a scholar who studies the control of movement, my lifelong passions place me in an expert position to attempt to search out and answer questions relating to the feasibility of a real-life superhero like Batman. My day job is the study of the neural control of human movement using methods of neuroscience, exercise physiology, and biomechanics. My main “hobby” (but that word really fails to capture the extent of my devotion) is training in the martial arts of karate and Okinawan weapons (Ryukyu Kobujutsu), in which I hold advanced black belt ranks. In fact, my interest in martial arts not only came first (I started training in 1981 at the age of 13) but actually spurred my interest in science. I was interested in how people can move so fast with such precision in martial arts. That got me on the road to kinesiology, in which I hold a master of science degree, and neuroscience, in which I hold a PhD.

  I only followed the scientific path related to martial arts for a while (but some of my earliest publications were on this topic) until diving full on into neural control of walking and rehabilitation. But every day I study and teach about movement control and then practice and teach about how to do real martial arts movements. You could say I practice what I preach, and you would be right.

  Who hasn’t wanted to become a superhero like Batman? As a kid I certainly remember donning my Batman mask at Halloween and zipping all over the neighborhood feeling pretty darn good about myself. However, when I imagined becoming a character like the Dark Knight, I am pretty sure I didn’t have much of a concept about what it would take to actually become Batman. Instead, I devoted my energy to imagining ripping around in the Batmobile to arrive at the scene just in time to dispatch the Riddler, the Penguin, or the Joker—or maybe all of them at once—thus saving Gotham once again from mayhem and chaos. I could then secretly enjoy my successes as the multibillionaire Bruce Wayne attending some socialite ball sipping scotch on the rocks and then dumping my drink out while no one is looking!

  We all admire Batman for his accomplishments and abilities, but if you think about it a little longer you might ask how difficult it would be to achieve those things. Batman and Bruce Wayne make it seem pretty easy. What would actually happen to your body, though? How hard would it be to train to become Batman?

  In the introduction to The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told the amazing artist and inker Dick Girodano—famous for his work on many comic book characters, including Batman—wrote, “I knew that I could aspire to be Batman but I couldn’t aspire to be Superman . . . I could, if I started young enough, train myself the way young Bruce Wayne did and maybe some day be just like Batman. Well, I never started training and so remained ordinary, but I knew I could have, and that was a good portion of the character’s appeal to the kids who read Batman.”

  This raises a point that is central to this book: Is it realistic to think you could train to become Batman? Does the human body possess the capability to respond and adapt to such extremes? Many costumed heroes such as Superman possess superhuman abilities and powers. But you don’t really think in terms of a process for “becoming Superman” when you think of his powers. He has them because he was born on Krypton and now lives on Earth. The Batman, though, is a real flesh-and-blood human being from our planet. He has no superabilities. Only through his years of rigorous training has Batman pulled himself to near-superhuman status.

  This part of the Batman mythology is what makes him so attractive and accessible to so many—it seems well-grounded in the reality of hard work and achievement. Is it, though? In Tales of the Dark Knight: Batman’s First Fifty Years: 1939–1989, Mark Cotta Vaz quotes then president and editor-in-chief of DC Comics Jenette Kahn on Batman: “Batman is an ordinary mortal who made himself a superhero . . . Through discipline and determination and commitment, he made himself into the best. I always thought that meant that I could be anything I wanted to be.” This sentiment was shared by the great silver age Batman artist Neal Adams: “You must remember, Batman is the only superhero who is not a superhero. He has no powers . . . He’s a human being bent on a mission.” And DC Comics Editor Dennis O’Neil wrote, “There isn’t a great stretch between Batman’s world and ours: he is the most ‘realistic’ of the great super-heroes. To be blunt: the guy isn’t very super. He didn’t gain his powers by being lightning-struck, nor bathing in chemicals, nor by dint of being born on another planet, nor by the intervention of extraterrestrials or gods. To paraphrase an old commercial, he got them the old-fashioned way—he earned them . . . He wasn’t bequeathed those abilities; he sweated for them.”

  It is clear that most of us have the perception that Batman’s prowess and skill could be achieved by ordinary mortals if they had the resources, time, and motivation to pursue them. Perceptions aren’t necessarily reality. And it’s my goal in this book to use my extensive knowledge of science and martial arts to put perception to the test and explore the scientific possibility of becoming Batman.

  Who is Batman? Batman first appeared in 1939 in Detective Comics #27. (By the way, in the bibliography you will find a chronological list of all the Batman comics that I talk about in the book.) This first story was called “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate,” and Batman was known as “The Bat-Man.” It was pretty vague about what Batman actually was or where he came from. More information was given in 1948 in Batman #47. Even there the training of Batman takes up only a few panels. The c
haracter of Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane, who in his autobiography said, “Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s flying machine, I created my first experimental sketches of a bat-man when I was 13. I was fascinated by the idea of a man who could fly.” Kane later revealed that further inspiration for the Batman character came from Zorro, The Bat, The Shadow, and Dick Tracy.

  In the Batman’s “prehistory,” the parents of a young Bruce Wayne are tragically killed right before his eyes by a demented criminal. The teenage Bruce Wayne then flees Gotham on a worldwide pilgrimage to discover himself. Little is known about what happened to Bruce while he was away from Gotham City. An interesting story arc is presented by Frank Miller in Batman: Year One, where it is explained that Bruce Wayne, now in his mid-20s, returns to Gotham as a fully trained “almost Batman” 12 to 18 years after the murder of his parents.

  Except for a few details, however, there is little information about the physical training that Batman would have undergone while he was away. In Batman: The Ultimate Guide to the Dark Knight, Scott Beatty summarizes Bruce’s training by saying that he learned “jiu jutsu from the Kirgiz school and studied 127 styles of combat.” Aside from this little bit of martial arts training evidence, there isn’t much information about what Bruce Wayne did in those long years of training.

  As is apparent, there are many gaps in Batman’s history. These omissions create dramatic tension rather appropriate for the dark nature of the character. However, for someone trying to appreciate the effort and training necessary to become a real-life superhero, the lack of information is a bit frustrating. This book fills those gaps by outlining the kind of physical training that would have been needed to produce the consummate martial artist and superb athlete that you know of as Batman.

  Batman is at the peak of physical human performance and ability. Neal Adams captured this well when he wrote that Batman “trained his body to a perfection reached by few. He became such a physical specimen as would make a Spartan wonder, and if he entered the Olympics, he would win, place or show in every event.” The most notable aspects of Batman’s ability that I focus on in this book are his martial arts and physical prowess while also exploring the reality of obtaining these capabilities. You will read about transforming a large but “normal” would-be Batman into “The Batman.” What kind of training would be needed? What physical changes would occur to a human being who undertook a training program aimed at becoming Batman? What changes would happen in the body as a result of such training? How much would Batman need to eat to train this way? You will find the answers to these questions in the pages that follow.