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Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero
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 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.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2008
104 people are currently reading
1226 people want to read
About the author
E. Paul Zehr
9 books29 followersSensorimotor neuroscientist by day, superhero science ninja by night. Check out my neuroscience blog Black Belt Brain at Psychology Today Magazine and my guest blogs on the science of superheroes over at Scientific American Magazine.
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July 24, 2009While the book's blurbs and preface are obnoxiously smarmy, the book itself is neat science so far (Chapter 5: Building the Batbones); plus, every example uses Batman, and therefore: (a) this is relevant to my interests and (b) the author proclaims himself a giant geek on nearly every page. When the arrows in figure 5.1 point out the bone crystals in the collagen molecules and the arrows in figure 5.2 point out the suction cups that Batman is using to climb the side of a building, I approve!
July 25, 2015
[Note: This book is about sport and exercise science, particularly as they pertain to the martial arts. If you’re a martial artist or are interested in fitness and movement arts at the extremes of human capacity, you’re in the right place. If you’re interested in the comics and an overview of topics including how many billions Bruce Wayne needs and what technologies Batman must master, those aren’t questions addressed in this book. Such readers may find the book delving into depths they aren’t interested in on biological science. There are articles on the web that deal with topics like the “Economics of being Batman.”]
Next summer an eagerly awaited movie entitled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters. Who knows how much screen time will involve the fight between the titular characters, but the same battle has played out a number of times in the comics, and its appeal is clear. What are the limits of human capability given training, technology, and sufficient smarts? Can a man really defeat an alien that’s faster than a bullet and more powerful than a locomotive? A popular fanboy mantra is, “I like Batman, because I could be Batman. Batman has no superpowers.” So, yes, if you were a billionaire, genius, with the physique of a Greek god, and knew 127 martial arts, you too could be Batman. Or could you? That question is at the heart of Zehr’s book.
Becoming Batman is arranged into sixteen chapters divided among five parts. It begins logically with the question of whether Bruce Wayne needs to begin at any particular point to achieve success in transforming himself into Batman? (At the extreme, one probably can’t imagine Bruce Wayne becoming Batman if he was born with one leg a foot longer than the other and with a Quasimodo hump, but given a Bruce who is starting out “average,” what are his limitations.) In other words, how much does genetics come into play. In the first part, Zehr introduces a character, Bob Wayne, who doesn’t appear in the comics. Bob is Bruce’s twin, and is used throughout the book for comparison purposes, i.e. to convey what Bruce Wayne would look like if he didn’t train fanatically to be Batman. The question of how much of Batman is innate and how much is painstaking built by exercise and training is critical to determining how many of those fanboys really could be Batman.
There a series of chapters explaining the mechanism by which stressors result in a stronger, faster, more powerful, and more resilient Batman. The idea is that Mother Nature doesn’t over-engineer. The only way one gets stronger muscles is by overloading them, which triggers a process of rebuilding them bigger and better than before. Wolff’s Law defines the same concept for bones, i.e. bone density increases in response to increased loading. (Incidentally, the same is true of the mind. A more agile mind is achieved only by working it, and zoning out in front of the television results in a dumbening.)
The next section shifts from generic exercise science to questions of Batman’s martial arts training. What kind of martial arts (or arts) would Batman practice? There is an often quoted statement in the comics to the effect that Batman had mastered 127 martial arts. (This is ridiculous, but it does spur the intriguing question of how many systems does Batman need to learn to have a well-rounded skill-base without being a dabbler? Many will say one art—the right one--is enough, others will say that--given the varied cast of villains he must defeat--Batman needs a broader skill-set than any existing art provides.) More to the point, how many hours does one need to practice a technique to ingrain the movements into one (e.g. neurologically it takes repetition to optimize efficiency.) This is among the questions discussed in this book.
The fourth section deals with the ravages of being Batman, and how much any human could be expected to endure. In this section, one will learn about the cumulative toll of concussions, the likelihood of Batman avoiding broken bones and other injuries that would necessarily sideline his crime fighting, and the effect that working the night shift would have. (The latter might seem trivial in comparison to the former two topics, but—in fact—it’s not. It’s well established that night workers have higher incidence of some cancers and other ailments. Furthermore, as Bruce Wayne has to keep appearances up, it means not only fighting circadian rhythm issues, but also frequent sleep deprivation—the hazards of which are even clearer and occur in short order.)
There are a number of interesting topic that aren’t don’t pertain to the core question per se, but which are interesting for fans of the Batman canon and the character’s mythos. Famously, Batman doesn’t use guns or lethal force. This raises the question of how realistic it is to regularly fight hardened knaves and miscreants without killing them. One can only knock out so many of Gotham’s baddies before one doesn’t get up.
There’s a chapter about what a fight between Batman and Batgirl would be like. While strength would definitely be to Batman’s advantage, there are advantages that an equally skilled female fighter might bring to the fight? How would Batgirl (or Catwoman) need to fight to put those advantages to use? Finally, for those of us who are no longer spring chicks, there are chapters about how Batman could expect to age, and how long he could keep performing at a level at which he could defeat his enemies.
I enjoyed this book and found it both educational and interesting. It should be clear that Batman is just a teaching tool used to explore the limitations of the human body and its ability to endure a life of fighting. That said, references to the Batman comic books and movies makes for a readable text. Perhaps what I like most about this book is that most of the books that address these subjects are textbooks that are sold on the textbook pricing model (i.e. we have a limited but captive audience so let’s make them pay top dollar.) This is one of the few books that takes on these topics at the readability and pricing model of a popular science book.
I recommend it for those interested in the science of performance, martial arts, and injury.
Next summer an eagerly awaited movie entitled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters. Who knows how much screen time will involve the fight between the titular characters, but the same battle has played out a number of times in the comics, and its appeal is clear. What are the limits of human capability given training, technology, and sufficient smarts? Can a man really defeat an alien that’s faster than a bullet and more powerful than a locomotive? A popular fanboy mantra is, “I like Batman, because I could be Batman. Batman has no superpowers.” So, yes, if you were a billionaire, genius, with the physique of a Greek god, and knew 127 martial arts, you too could be Batman. Or could you? That question is at the heart of Zehr’s book.
Becoming Batman is arranged into sixteen chapters divided among five parts. It begins logically with the question of whether Bruce Wayne needs to begin at any particular point to achieve success in transforming himself into Batman? (At the extreme, one probably can’t imagine Bruce Wayne becoming Batman if he was born with one leg a foot longer than the other and with a Quasimodo hump, but given a Bruce who is starting out “average,” what are his limitations.) In other words, how much does genetics come into play. In the first part, Zehr introduces a character, Bob Wayne, who doesn’t appear in the comics. Bob is Bruce’s twin, and is used throughout the book for comparison purposes, i.e. to convey what Bruce Wayne would look like if he didn’t train fanatically to be Batman. The question of how much of Batman is innate and how much is painstaking built by exercise and training is critical to determining how many of those fanboys really could be Batman.
There a series of chapters explaining the mechanism by which stressors result in a stronger, faster, more powerful, and more resilient Batman. The idea is that Mother Nature doesn’t over-engineer. The only way one gets stronger muscles is by overloading them, which triggers a process of rebuilding them bigger and better than before. Wolff’s Law defines the same concept for bones, i.e. bone density increases in response to increased loading. (Incidentally, the same is true of the mind. A more agile mind is achieved only by working it, and zoning out in front of the television results in a dumbening.)
The next section shifts from generic exercise science to questions of Batman’s martial arts training. What kind of martial arts (or arts) would Batman practice? There is an often quoted statement in the comics to the effect that Batman had mastered 127 martial arts. (This is ridiculous, but it does spur the intriguing question of how many systems does Batman need to learn to have a well-rounded skill-base without being a dabbler? Many will say one art—the right one--is enough, others will say that--given the varied cast of villains he must defeat--Batman needs a broader skill-set than any existing art provides.) More to the point, how many hours does one need to practice a technique to ingrain the movements into one (e.g. neurologically it takes repetition to optimize efficiency.) This is among the questions discussed in this book.
The fourth section deals with the ravages of being Batman, and how much any human could be expected to endure. In this section, one will learn about the cumulative toll of concussions, the likelihood of Batman avoiding broken bones and other injuries that would necessarily sideline his crime fighting, and the effect that working the night shift would have. (The latter might seem trivial in comparison to the former two topics, but—in fact—it’s not. It’s well established that night workers have higher incidence of some cancers and other ailments. Furthermore, as Bruce Wayne has to keep appearances up, it means not only fighting circadian rhythm issues, but also frequent sleep deprivation—the hazards of which are even clearer and occur in short order.)
There are a number of interesting topic that aren’t don’t pertain to the core question per se, but which are interesting for fans of the Batman canon and the character’s mythos. Famously, Batman doesn’t use guns or lethal force. This raises the question of how realistic it is to regularly fight hardened knaves and miscreants without killing them. One can only knock out so many of Gotham’s baddies before one doesn’t get up.
There’s a chapter about what a fight between Batman and Batgirl would be like. While strength would definitely be to Batman’s advantage, there are advantages that an equally skilled female fighter might bring to the fight? How would Batgirl (or Catwoman) need to fight to put those advantages to use? Finally, for those of us who are no longer spring chicks, there are chapters about how Batman could expect to age, and how long he could keep performing at a level at which he could defeat his enemies.
I enjoyed this book and found it both educational and interesting. It should be clear that Batman is just a teaching tool used to explore the limitations of the human body and its ability to endure a life of fighting. That said, references to the Batman comic books and movies makes for a readable text. Perhaps what I like most about this book is that most of the books that address these subjects are textbooks that are sold on the textbook pricing model (i.e. we have a limited but captive audience so let’s make them pay top dollar.) This is one of the few books that takes on these topics at the readability and pricing model of a popular science book.
I recommend it for those interested in the science of performance, martial arts, and injury.
February 18, 2009
What do you think of when you think Batman?
A) Batman is nothing without years of martial arts training and thousands of push-ups.
or
B) Batman is nothing without his gadgets and money.
E. Paul Zehr is clearly in the A camp, while I am all about B. This book is less about becoming Batman then it is about the years of physical training required to become a Super Kick-Ass Ninja. In fact, I would like to suggest this as an alternate title to the book: "Becoming a Super Kick-Ass Ninja: The Possibility of Thousands of Push-Ups".
The book takes a practical stance on what it would take to fight 4 or 5 henchmen at a time and win, but glosses over everything else interesting about Batman. "Let's just assume that you have lots of money and tons of gadgets and a jet car and awesome suit. Now here's 300 pages of exercise physiology." Please.
The author does an admirable job with his quarter of the equation, but Batmans workout routine should really only be one chapter in a book written by this guy, an accountant and a material scientist. How does Bruce Wayne funnel his money to the team of mechanics required just to keep his Batmobile running? How do they avoid the tax man and preserve his secret identity? Where can I get a batarang made?
Without answers to these questions, all you have is the worlds greatest mixed martial artist. I don't know if you've seen much "Ultimate Fighting" lately, but those guys aren't Batman.
Also, a warning to the punctuation adverse: Unnecessary Exclamations!
A) Batman is nothing without years of martial arts training and thousands of push-ups.
or
B) Batman is nothing without his gadgets and money.
E. Paul Zehr is clearly in the A camp, while I am all about B. This book is less about becoming Batman then it is about the years of physical training required to become a Super Kick-Ass Ninja. In fact, I would like to suggest this as an alternate title to the book: "Becoming a Super Kick-Ass Ninja: The Possibility of Thousands of Push-Ups".
The book takes a practical stance on what it would take to fight 4 or 5 henchmen at a time and win, but glosses over everything else interesting about Batman. "Let's just assume that you have lots of money and tons of gadgets and a jet car and awesome suit. Now here's 300 pages of exercise physiology." Please.
The author does an admirable job with his quarter of the equation, but Batmans workout routine should really only be one chapter in a book written by this guy, an accountant and a material scientist. How does Bruce Wayne funnel his money to the team of mechanics required just to keep his Batmobile running? How do they avoid the tax man and preserve his secret identity? Where can I get a batarang made?
Without answers to these questions, all you have is the worlds greatest mixed martial artist. I don't know if you've seen much "Ultimate Fighting" lately, but those guys aren't Batman.
Also, a warning to the punctuation adverse: Unnecessary Exclamations!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2012
I wanted to enjoy reading this book much more than I did.
All of the ingredients were present: a fascinating topic (given the proper genetic potential, fanatical motivation, and unlimited financial resources, could someone actually achieve the physical and mental performance levels of the comic book superhero Batman) and an author with the chops to pull it off (Zehr is not only a neuroscientist and kinesiologist, he is also a Black Belt level martial artist).
Problem is, Zehr writes in circles, never really seeming to know when he's made his point. There are boatloads of information in this book about how the body works on a molecular level, but how much of it directly relates to whether or not Batman is plausible is left an open question.
I finished the book with the feeling that he could have said just as much - and said it better - with half as many words.
- SPOILER ALERT -
Even so, I was satisfied with his conclusion: yes, given the proper genetic potential, fanatical motivation, and unlimited financial resources, you really could become Batman, but, odds are, your career as a costumed crime fighter would not last long. The body can only get beat up all night, every night, for so long, no matter how well trained your are.
All of the ingredients were present: a fascinating topic (given the proper genetic potential, fanatical motivation, and unlimited financial resources, could someone actually achieve the physical and mental performance levels of the comic book superhero Batman) and an author with the chops to pull it off (Zehr is not only a neuroscientist and kinesiologist, he is also a Black Belt level martial artist).
Problem is, Zehr writes in circles, never really seeming to know when he's made his point. There are boatloads of information in this book about how the body works on a molecular level, but how much of it directly relates to whether or not Batman is plausible is left an open question.
I finished the book with the feeling that he could have said just as much - and said it better - with half as many words.
- SPOILER ALERT -
Even so, I was satisfied with his conclusion: yes, given the proper genetic potential, fanatical motivation, and unlimited financial resources, you really could become Batman, but, odds are, your career as a costumed crime fighter would not last long. The body can only get beat up all night, every night, for so long, no matter how well trained your are.
July 29, 2009
Some readers might be surprised by this book. On the surface it appears like it would talk about what training and experience would allow one to approach being The Batman, or at least what Bruce Wayne may have gone through. However, it is really a clever way of teaching basic human physiology. Yes, the idea is clever, and I am all for new ways to get people interested in the science of human biology. However, the author doesn't quite achieve what he sets out to do. The information is good, but I am not sure what audience the book would appeal to -- it reads on a pretty high level for junior high/h.s. age readers, but the information is on that level. Also, the author is clumsy with the Batman references -- often throwing them in just to remind the reader what the title of the book is without really using the Batman analogy in an effective way that adds to the lessons. I think the fault is not the author, but the editors. With a little cleaning up and reshuffling this would make a great pre-college introductory text for a subject that more people should know about [referring to human biology, that is -- though maybe more people should know the Batman as well:]. The author did have some really great insight into the Eastern Martial Arts and how they affect the physiology of practioners. This accounted for some of the most interesting passages.
So, three stars for the project, but 2 removed for the editing [I would take off another 1/2 if GoodReads allowed that:].
So, three stars for the project, but 2 removed for the editing [I would take off another 1/2 if GoodReads allowed that:].
April 20, 2013
Here's a nonfiction book about some geeky and interesting questions: Given any training necessary, could an actual man become as strong, highly skilled, and agile as Batman is in the comic books? If so, could that man fight crime the way Batman does? If so, for how long?
It's hard to imagine someone more qualified to answer such questions than E. Paul Zehr, who holds a Masters in Kinesiology and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and is, in addition, an expert martial artist. His book-length treatment about the possibility of Batman explores everything from the contribution of genes to the human body’s responses to stress to some of the technical aspects of fighting.
Did you know that Batman would be better off mastering a few martial arts styles rather than the 127 styles that one comic book writer attributed to him? Or that ninjutsu might be one of the two or three fighting styles he should master, owing to its emphasis on fighting from several different distances? Did you know that, with the better part of two decades' training, a person could possess Batman's skills and power? Did you know that, when it comes to injuries, fighting crime as Batman does would probably be like doing mixed martial arts and being a professional linebacker at the same time? This book is a treasure for readers who like to think about the endless thought experiments that comic books provide.
It's hard to imagine someone more qualified to answer such questions than E. Paul Zehr, who holds a Masters in Kinesiology and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and is, in addition, an expert martial artist. His book-length treatment about the possibility of Batman explores everything from the contribution of genes to the human body’s responses to stress to some of the technical aspects of fighting.
Did you know that Batman would be better off mastering a few martial arts styles rather than the 127 styles that one comic book writer attributed to him? Or that ninjutsu might be one of the two or three fighting styles he should master, owing to its emphasis on fighting from several different distances? Did you know that, with the better part of two decades' training, a person could possess Batman's skills and power? Did you know that, when it comes to injuries, fighting crime as Batman does would probably be like doing mixed martial arts and being a professional linebacker at the same time? This book is a treasure for readers who like to think about the endless thought experiments that comic books provide.
July 8, 2011
A look into what it might take to become Batman, since he's both one of the most well known superheroes and one of the non super-powered superheroes. The book goes through all the science of how the body works, how muscles and reflexes develop as well as some of the training that might go into becoming Batman.
While the science in the book is good, there were quite a few areas where I felt the book was lacking. Some sections felt underdeveloped--while there was a lot of good background provided, the actual ideas sometimes got the short shrift. During the training and fighting sections, the author almost exclusively focuses on Eastern methodology and martial arts. While I realize that a lot of the Batman mythos focuses on his martial arts training, I thought it was a huge negative to not look at the training methods of modern special forces, because that seems like the closest actual analog to a superhero. Finally the author overused exclamation points. It made the writing feel jokey, as if the author constantly felt like he had to convince the reader that, yes, this is fun and interesting stuff.
While the science in the book is good, there were quite a few areas where I felt the book was lacking. Some sections felt underdeveloped--while there was a lot of good background provided, the actual ideas sometimes got the short shrift. During the training and fighting sections, the author almost exclusively focuses on Eastern methodology and martial arts. While I realize that a lot of the Batman mythos focuses on his martial arts training, I thought it was a huge negative to not look at the training methods of modern special forces, because that seems like the closest actual analog to a superhero. Finally the author overused exclamation points. It made the writing feel jokey, as if the author constantly felt like he had to convince the reader that, yes, this is fun and interesting stuff.
December 14, 2024
I love the author's background in martial arts and neuroscience and I thought there is alot of potential in this books title. However the book is hard to read and I am not sure what specific target audience this book will attract.
This book reads like a college student frantically summarizing several studies and personal notes from a a deep "anatomy and physiology" textbook, peppered with pop-culture movie and comic references to batman and mixed in with citations from studies and comics. It's a smorgasbord of data, facts and factoids. It's too mish-mash to really appreciate.
In the chapter regarding metabolism, anabolic and catabolic pathways and aerobic/anaerobic process of glucose conversion to ATP is compressed into two pages. That's very hard to appreciate fully, same with the numerous other chapters that attempt to cover the entire human physiological pathways.
The material is too complex for most individuals without a biology background and too densely packed with facts and citations to be enjoyed as fiction story-telling.
I think there is a lot of potential in the title and the objective of this book and for the author to improve on this concept of becoming a human superhero like batman, maybe write it in such a way like a "how-to" guide to becoming batman. Or like a daily "to-dos" on why batman is an exceptional individual (diet, exercise, detective skills training etc.) and how you can do the same activities towards becoming batman.
The book reads like a randomly abridged biology textbook peppered with random anecdotes and fictional comic references.
3/5 stars.
This book reads like a college student frantically summarizing several studies and personal notes from a a deep "anatomy and physiology" textbook, peppered with pop-culture movie and comic references to batman and mixed in with citations from studies and comics. It's a smorgasbord of data, facts and factoids. It's too mish-mash to really appreciate.
In the chapter regarding metabolism, anabolic and catabolic pathways and aerobic/anaerobic process of glucose conversion to ATP is compressed into two pages. That's very hard to appreciate fully, same with the numerous other chapters that attempt to cover the entire human physiological pathways.
The material is too complex for most individuals without a biology background and too densely packed with facts and citations to be enjoyed as fiction story-telling.
I think there is a lot of potential in the title and the objective of this book and for the author to improve on this concept of becoming a human superhero like batman, maybe write it in such a way like a "how-to" guide to becoming batman. Or like a daily "to-dos" on why batman is an exceptional individual (diet, exercise, detective skills training etc.) and how you can do the same activities towards becoming batman.
The book reads like a randomly abridged biology textbook peppered with random anecdotes and fictional comic references.
3/5 stars.
March 30, 2025
El libro enseña de manera genial contenido biológico muy interesante, usando a Batman como excusa para entregarlo de manera interesante y también le otorga una función práctica, aplicando el propio cuerpo en la labor del superhéroe y hace referencias a historias integrales del personaje. Ojalá hubiese entrado en detalles más técnicos a la hora de hablar de artes marciales y la protección del cuerpo (la armadura de batman y el ninjutsu) y me hubiese gustado que otorgase más detalle al hablar sobre el entrenamiento con pesas, pues este tópico también incluye una ciencia altamente estudiada e interesante de compartir. La conclusión es muy mala, le faltó dedicarle más tiempo.
Pero el libro en su generalidad es no sólo una obra bien escrita sino también muy informativa y entretenida, una carta de amor a Batman.
Pero el libro en su generalidad es no sólo una obra bien escrita sino también muy informativa y entretenida, una carta de amor a Batman.
June 23, 2025
It's kinda trashy, the jokes are a bit lame BUT
if you expect some pseudo-scientific nerd-fest of who-beats-who, storylines and fun drawings, think again. The premise is on the cover. Right away the book jumps into quite solid crash courses regarding genetics, biology, kinetic energy, physics, martial artistry and metabolism -- with some comic- and "humorous" asides.
It is actually a scientific paper. I really appreciated that. It's what kept me reading. A lot of basic knowledge I hope I am going to retain.
if you expect some pseudo-scientific nerd-fest of who-beats-who, storylines and fun drawings, think again. The premise is on the cover. Right away the book jumps into quite solid crash courses regarding genetics, biology, kinetic energy, physics, martial artistry and metabolism -- with some comic- and "humorous" asides.
It is actually a scientific paper. I really appreciated that. It's what kept me reading. A lot of basic knowledge I hope I am going to retain.
June 29, 2017
I received this book as a gift and while I thought the topic was ridiculous, I read it anyway.
As a martial artist and neuroscientist among other things, the author is an expert in multiple fields addressed in the book. To my delight and surprise, there was a huge amount of hard data and factual information. The book was just so close to being good but it was all bogged down by the incoherent batman theme and repetitive writing. Still better than expected though.
As a martial artist and neuroscientist among other things, the author is an expert in multiple fields addressed in the book. To my delight and surprise, there was a huge amount of hard data and factual information. The book was just so close to being good but it was all bogged down by the incoherent batman theme and repetitive writing. Still better than expected though.
January 21, 2018
The author is a PhD in Neuroscience, an accomplished martial artist, and a comic book nerd, and does a great job of presenting, what usually is presented in a dull academic manner, the physiological needs to become and maintain the Batman. Good science, good references, and some good humor make this a quick,fun read. Worth the time, check it out.
July 11, 2018
If you ever considered becoming Batman, it's probably the most important book that you should read.
It covers a lot of things: conditioning your body, the chemistry behind human body, sleep, endurance, batimpact on your batlife. If you've never read about these things, this might be a good primer provided a well-written form.
It's almost 7AM. It's time to go back to becoming Batman.
It covers a lot of things: conditioning your body, the chemistry behind human body, sleep, endurance, batimpact on your batlife. If you've never read about these things, this might be a good primer provided a well-written form.
It's almost 7AM. It's time to go back to becoming Batman.
December 6, 2017
This book details what training Batman would need and what would happen to his body as Batman. A lot of physiology and biomechanics. Not as good as I had hoped, disappointing overall. I don't like the authors style, often tries to be funny unsuccessfully.
October 15, 2024
Whether or not you're a Batman fan, this book is super interesting. It basically gives a scientific overview of what the human body is capable of - all from the perspective of tasks performed by the Caped Crusader.
June 28, 2020
Great intro book to kinesiology and biology. The author uses the study of Bruce Wayne / Batman in a very interesting, educational and entertaining way.
September 26, 2020
Una gran obra de divulgación científica... Y además trata de Batman, hay pocas cosas extra que se le podrían exigir a un libro además de que trate de Batman.
December 20, 2022
In my option gets too losr in Details about fewer aspects that what could have been addressed. Like the mindset, sourcing, goals etc.
March 3, 2023
Martial Arts, Strength Training, and Batman (and the science behind it). What more could a guy want!?
October 17, 2023
This is a really fun introduction to some biology and physiology. It's a great concept and was very interesting.
October 3, 2024
If you like math and science, then you will like this better than I do.
November 14, 2025
E. Paul Zehr, a neuroscientist, kinesiologist and mega fan of comics, leverages the science of the human body and mind to explore what it would take for someone to "become Batman".
August 5, 2025
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't really what I wanted. I suppose it does it's job in telling you if Batman were a possibility.
September 25, 2016
A professor of neuroscience and kinesiology with more than 25 years of martial arts experience, Paul Zehr is an author uniquely qualified to tackle the subject of – as the title of the book puts it – “becoming Batman.” In reality, of course, this book is not intended as a manual or guide book, and does not attempt to teach the reader how to become a masked vigilante. Rather, what Zehr presents here is intended to answer a question that many of us may have wondered at one time or another: is it really be possible to become Batman? After all, a central element of the character is that he is – at the end of the day – only human (albeit a fabulously wealthy one). To the effect of answering that question, this book explores the limitations of the human body, which Zehr does while illustrating his arguments with frequent reference to Batman comic books and movies.
There are quotes throughout the book echoing the sentiment that Batman is fascinating precisely because he is human, and because at his core he’s nothing more than a man who has reached the pinnacle of physical and mental ability. Fans of the character will likely find the book worth their time purely for the sake of deepening their appreciation of that aspect of his lore. But that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing here for the casual Batman fan (or even non-fan).
It bears repeating that Batman is employed here only as a teaching tool used to explore the limitations of the human body and its ability to endure a life of fighting, the purpose being to provide a more readable text. Having said that, I must admit that there were a number of instances wherein Zehr’s references to the Dark Knight of Gotham added little to his already very clear explanations of the physiological and chemical processes of the body. His passion for the character clearly comes through however, and makes for a far more endearing read than if the book were in fact nothing more than a straightforward presentation of scientific facts. It’s an exceedingly light and easy read, while at the same time providing a surprising amount of substance. The author certainly knows his science, as well or better than he knows Batman.
Ultimately, Zehr succeeds in what he set out to do in this book, which is to answer the question of whether or not one really could “become Batman,” the cultural icon. The book never pretends to be anything more than “a fun foray of escapism grounded in sound science,” and in that regard it absolutely delivers. The book is educational and interesting, and will especially fascinate those interested in the physiology of the body, martial arts, and injury. All the better if you’re a fan of the Dark Knight, to boot.
There are quotes throughout the book echoing the sentiment that Batman is fascinating precisely because he is human, and because at his core he’s nothing more than a man who has reached the pinnacle of physical and mental ability. Fans of the character will likely find the book worth their time purely for the sake of deepening their appreciation of that aspect of his lore. But that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing here for the casual Batman fan (or even non-fan).
It bears repeating that Batman is employed here only as a teaching tool used to explore the limitations of the human body and its ability to endure a life of fighting, the purpose being to provide a more readable text. Having said that, I must admit that there were a number of instances wherein Zehr’s references to the Dark Knight of Gotham added little to his already very clear explanations of the physiological and chemical processes of the body. His passion for the character clearly comes through however, and makes for a far more endearing read than if the book were in fact nothing more than a straightforward presentation of scientific facts. It’s an exceedingly light and easy read, while at the same time providing a surprising amount of substance. The author certainly knows his science, as well or better than he knows Batman.
Ultimately, Zehr succeeds in what he set out to do in this book, which is to answer the question of whether or not one really could “become Batman,” the cultural icon. The book never pretends to be anything more than “a fun foray of escapism grounded in sound science,” and in that regard it absolutely delivers. The book is educational and interesting, and will especially fascinate those interested in the physiology of the body, martial arts, and injury. All the better if you’re a fan of the Dark Knight, to boot.
July 12, 2011
Let me preface this review with the fact that this is not a geeky treatise on all of Batman’s cool toys and tools of the trade. Instead, it’s a geeky treatise on the idea that Batman is one of the few superheroes who has trained to be a crime fighter, no otherworldly or radiation-granted powers. It’s a look at the physiology of what it would take to train to become as good as Batman. It���s a science book so if you’re looking for something else there are plenty of other books about that. If you have an interest in the human body and physiology (and a healthy interest in super heroes) you’ll enjoy this and Dr Zehr is the person to write this book. He is a professor of neuroscience and kinesiology as well as a martial artist and presumably a comic book fan. I got to meet the author briefly when he was the keynote speaker for the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society’s annual meeting this year.
Using copious references to various Batman comics from the golden Age until today, Zehr studies is it possible to train like Bruce Wayne did and what is truly possible in Batman’s world and what is pure comic book fantasy.
In part one, we look at Bruce Wayne before he starts training and there’s an introduction to the endocrine system (hormones) and its role in training. Also we meet Bob, a fictional twin brother for Bruce to illustrate what a more average person would be undergoing daily compared to the intense training Bruce undergoes. Part two looks at training the human body to do what Batman does. Part three examines the role of martial arts in Batman’s training. Part four is about the stresses of this sort of thing on the bones and muscles and what happens when we force ourselves to be nocturnal. Part five sums up whatever is left, probably where we see the most Bat-fallacies as this unit looks as what happens to the body when injured, especially in the lasting effects of multiple concussions and broken bones. Along with that are a comparison of male vs female trained warriors (i.e. Batgirl and Catwoman) and the effects of aging (how long could Batman remain Batman before he gets too old for the part).
Overall, it’s a lot of fun. I’m going to make it reading for fun for my students if they want to see physiology’s real world applications (if you want to call Batman that). It balances the science with lay terms that should be easy for people to read (but not being a lay person I could be overestimating that). If I had one quibble with it, it’s that the author does commit exclamation point abuse! There’s a nice fat appendix (including a Batman timeline) and bibliography. If you like science and comic books, give it a try.
August 22, 2021
Very good on the science side but if you're not a full-on science and superhero nerd you might have a really hard time finishing this book, it goes into real and I mean real depths on science stuff, and I consider myself full-on science and superhero nerd but I had a little hard time finishing the middle chapters of this book but in a defence of the writer it is supposed to go into that level of depth. The writer clearly states that becoming and staying Batman can be brutal and exhausting on our mental and physical state and if you really want to achieve somewhat physical and mental capabilities of The Batman(like I do) I can assure you, you don't have to read this book and understand every concept in it to achieve that, there are many Reddit threads that explain this stuff way more simplistically and practically, but if you really want to go on full-on nerd just go for it but be prepared for big sciency jargon.
June 11, 2012
This book was pretty amazing. It combines two of the things I love most: Superheroes and Biomechanics. My Graduate Supervisor recommended I read it - the title came up in a conversation over beers and a Batman vs. Iron Man conversation. He hasn't led me astray with his recommendations and this book is no different. I couldn't put it down.
As an "expert" (I use the term loosely because although I'm intensively studying biomechanics, I'm still a student and have a lot to learn) I really enjoyed this book. Zehr (also an expert) was engaging enough that he didn't oversimplify and lose me in his analysis; I don't think he would come across as patronizing to the non-expert either. Excellent balance.
For me, the main draw for this book was because I'm a HUGE Batman fan, simply because he's the only Superhero that is a "normal guy", just wanting to make Gotham City a better place. We all have the potential to BE Batman - with a little bit of disposable cash, some sweet gadgets and A LOT of martial arts training. Zehr draws on this aspect that separates Batman from the rest and wonders "OK, if Bruce Wayne/Batman truly existed, would it be scientifically possible to condition and maintain the Bat-body?"
I'm not going to give you the answer, because I really think you should read this book for yourself, but his sound analysis makes for some interesting conclusions.
I truly enjoyed this book. I recommend it not only for the Biomechanics Buff (pun intended) but also the Superhero Fan-Boy (or -Girl :P), who wants to truly believe that there could just be a Batman.
I can't wait to read Zehr's 2nd book - Inventing Ironman....to finish off the debate.
As an "expert" (I use the term loosely because although I'm intensively studying biomechanics, I'm still a student and have a lot to learn) I really enjoyed this book. Zehr (also an expert) was engaging enough that he didn't oversimplify and lose me in his analysis; I don't think he would come across as patronizing to the non-expert either. Excellent balance.
For me, the main draw for this book was because I'm a HUGE Batman fan, simply because he's the only Superhero that is a "normal guy", just wanting to make Gotham City a better place. We all have the potential to BE Batman - with a little bit of disposable cash, some sweet gadgets and A LOT of martial arts training. Zehr draws on this aspect that separates Batman from the rest and wonders "OK, if Bruce Wayne/Batman truly existed, would it be scientifically possible to condition and maintain the Bat-body?"
I'm not going to give you the answer, because I really think you should read this book for yourself, but his sound analysis makes for some interesting conclusions.
I truly enjoyed this book. I recommend it not only for the Biomechanics Buff (pun intended) but also the Superhero Fan-Boy (or -Girl :P), who wants to truly believe that there could just be a Batman.
I can't wait to read Zehr's 2nd book - Inventing Ironman....to finish off the debate.
July 24, 2015
Superheroes like Superman and the Flash, Thor and Spider-Man, just aren't workable as we understand physics, biology, and most every other science. But what about the non powered heroes? E Paul Zehr is uniquely qualified to look into if someone like Batman could actually exist. Zehr is a neuroscientist, a kinesiologist, and a martial artist.
Zehr uses his own knowledge and skill to look at the physical demands of trying to become the Dark Knight. What would you need to study? How much would you have to eat? Is that level of skill possible?
Now, as an aside, this is just about the physical skills- don't go into this book expecting detailed info on grapple guns, Batmoblies, or ninja smoke pellets.
But the serious study of the physical demands of being a superhero is really interesting to comic geeks like me. It would probably also be of interest to physical fitness types.
It was a fun read, and had some interesting speculations and facts. Recommended to comic fans who like their stories treated with respect, and anyone who likes looking at something from a different angle.
Zehr uses his own knowledge and skill to look at the physical demands of trying to become the Dark Knight. What would you need to study? How much would you have to eat? Is that level of skill possible?
Now, as an aside, this is just about the physical skills- don't go into this book expecting detailed info on grapple guns, Batmoblies, or ninja smoke pellets.
But the serious study of the physical demands of being a superhero is really interesting to comic geeks like me. It would probably also be of interest to physical fitness types.
It was a fun read, and had some interesting speculations and facts. Recommended to comic fans who like their stories treated with respect, and anyone who likes looking at something from a different angle.
March 23, 2009
A professor of neuroscience and kinesiology with black belts in two martial arts, Zehr is the perfect guy to write this in-depth examination of how an actual human man might become Batman. In short, yes, it's possible, but Batman wouldn't have a very long career.
The in-depth examinations of how the human body works, fails, and heals might be a little too much for the general reader (I certainly had to skim past some of it). But, if the title strikes your fancy, I recommend you check it out from your local library, and read the last section "Part V: A Mixed Batbag: Pondering possible pitfalls along the path to bathood." Honestly, Batman's training regimen is so brutal, it's a wonder Bruce Wayne didn't end up in Arkham Asylum with the rest of the costume-wearing loonies in Gotham.
The in-depth examinations of how the human body works, fails, and heals might be a little too much for the general reader (I certainly had to skim past some of it). But, if the title strikes your fancy, I recommend you check it out from your local library, and read the last section "Part V: A Mixed Batbag: Pondering possible pitfalls along the path to bathood." Honestly, Batman's training regimen is so brutal, it's a wonder Bruce Wayne didn't end up in Arkham Asylum with the rest of the costume-wearing loonies in Gotham.
December 5, 2012
This book is basically a fun way to learn physiology. If you're expecting a fun romp that tells you exactly how to become Batman, this is the wrong book for you. But if you're genuinely interested in the physiological demands of being Batman, you will enjoy this book.
I found once you get through the beginning chapters you can get into the meat of the subject a little more. Because basiscally, the beginning chapters are broad physiology subjects that can be applied to almost any mammal.
Overall, if you are JUST a fan of Batman and try to read this book, you probably won't enjoy it (let alone finish it). But if you're a fan of Batman and human physiology, you are exactly the targeted demographic of this book.
I found once you get through the beginning chapters you can get into the meat of the subject a little more. Because basiscally, the beginning chapters are broad physiology subjects that can be applied to almost any mammal.
Overall, if you are JUST a fan of Batman and try to read this book, you probably won't enjoy it (let alone finish it). But if you're a fan of Batman and human physiology, you are exactly the targeted demographic of this book.
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