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Daredevil Psychology: The Devil You Know
An in-depth analysis of the psychology behind the popular character Daredevil .
What kind of person actively enters dangerous situations and takes extreme risks to help others? Who suffers the worst after great losses and who grows stronger? How might vision interfere with how we comprehend sounds, smells, and other sensory cues? When are we more likely to become heroic and when will we commit unkind acts - in other words, when do we follow the devil on one shoulder or the angel on the other? And how about the hero who tries to balance both? Daredevil The Devil You Know dives into the psychology behind the complicated character who is attorney Matt Murdock by day and swings through the city as the superhero Daredevil by night? This collection explore different facets of his psychology, Special Features Contributors Travis Adams * Colt J. Blunt * Jenna Busch * Erin Currie * Jim Davies * Larisa Garski * Christine Hanefalk * Jeffrey Henderson * Jeremy Johnson * Lisa Johnson * J. Scott Jordan * Jordan P. LaBouff * Rebecca M. Langley * Travis Langley * Stan Lee * Justine Mastin * Leandra Parris * Craig Pohlman * Janina Scarlet * William Sharp * Laura Vecchiolla * Eric D. Wesselmann * Mara Wood * Jennifer Yen
What kind of person actively enters dangerous situations and takes extreme risks to help others? Who suffers the worst after great losses and who grows stronger? How might vision interfere with how we comprehend sounds, smells, and other sensory cues? When are we more likely to become heroic and when will we commit unkind acts - in other words, when do we follow the devil on one shoulder or the angel on the other? And how about the hero who tries to balance both? Daredevil The Devil You Know dives into the psychology behind the complicated character who is attorney Matt Murdock by day and swings through the city as the superhero Daredevil by night? This collection explore different facets of his psychology, Special Features Contributors Travis Adams * Colt J. Blunt * Jenna Busch * Erin Currie * Jim Davies * Larisa Garski * Christine Hanefalk * Jeffrey Henderson * Jeremy Johnson * Lisa Johnson * J. Scott Jordan * Jordan P. LaBouff * Rebecca M. Langley * Travis Langley * Stan Lee * Justine Mastin * Leandra Parris * Craig Pohlman * Janina Scarlet * William Sharp * Laura Vecchiolla * Eric D. Wesselmann * Mara Wood * Jennifer Yen
- GenresNonfictionPsychology
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2018
10 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Travis Langley
21 books120 followersDr. Travis Langley, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Henderson State University, is best-known as the author of the acclaimed book BATMAN AND PSYCHOLOGY: A DARK AND STORMY KNIGHT. He is also editor and lead writer for the Popular Culture Psychology series of 12 books looking at the psychology of characters and stories such as THE WALKING DEAD PSYCHOLOGY: PSYCH OF THE LIVING DEAD, CAPTAIN AMERICA VS. IRON MAN: FREEDOM, SECURITY, PSYCHOLOGY, and most recently THE JOKER PSYCHOLOGY: EVIL CLOWNS AND THE WOMEN WHO LOVE THEM. PsychologyToday.com features his blog, “Beyond Heroes and Villains.” A popular speaker internationally, he has given talks at universities and has led or joined hundreds of convention panels (especially at Wizard World shows) and on the Comic Con-Fusion YouTube channel. He also happened to be an undefeated champion on the Wheel of Fortune game show. As Stan Lee described him, “This man is a genius!”
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 25, 2019
Dr. Travis Langley who wrote the well renown book of his Pop Culture Psychology series, “ Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight” has released his 9 book from the series, “Daredevil Psychology: The Devil You Know”. “Daredevil Psychology” is comprised of writings from psychologists and other specialists of behavioral/cognitive health (including Dr. Langley himself) and they incorporate their knowledge to better understand the world of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. One of the co-writers who you might recognize in the book is Dr. Janina Scarlet of Superhero Therapy. The book use various sources of Daredevil---film, like the one featuring Ben Affleck, comics and the recent TV series on Netflix—to have a better view of the “patient”.
The book is divided into 5 sections or topics that each go into subtopics or chapters that explain what makes Daredevil tick through his physical and mental abilities as well as interpersonal relationships. For example the “Details” section has three chapters based on sensory skills. What makes this book a little bit more interesting than the “Batman Psychology”, is that we get to see how Daredevil/Matt Murdock how he “sees” through his souped-up senses that affect his psyche.
“When [Matt] is struck with a second dose of radiation in adulthood, his senses are further amplified to dysfunctional extremes. […] Matt contracts, in essence, a rare but real condition called hyperacusis, which is an abnormally strong reaction in auditory pathways when someone is exposed to moderate-level sound. His symptoms become so severe that he sequesters himself in a sensory deprivation chamber. He pleads to Stick, the man who long ago taught him to master his abilities, to let him stay in the chamber indefinitely to escape the pain brought by his senses gone amok.” Pgs 116-117
Another beautiful thing the book does is that it explains the mental techniques used in Daredevil and show how it would look like in the real world. Continuing from page 117, the book goes on explaining how Matt over comes this hyperacusis:
“Stick is known for his tough-love approach to mentoring. Accordingly, he taunts Matt and orders him to leave the tank. Interestingly, Stick is following a real-life protocol for treating hyperacusis. Those with the condition actually need rich sound environments. They need to abandon any ear protection (muffs, plugs, etc.) because it causes an increase in the sensitivity of the auditory system as a result of decreased input.” Pg 117
The book also explains how relationships, both past and present, have (like anyone else) shaped his character as both the lawyer and the daredeviled vigilante:
“Jack is inconsistent in the ways he relates to his son, sometimes forcing him to play the role of partner, at other times a confidant or friend, and at others, a child or son. Particularly in the parent/child dynamic, diffuse boundaries can have damaging consequences. As an adult, Matt struggles with his history of diffuse boundaries and conflicting roles, unintentionally re-creating them in his new relationships with family members of choice. This is perhaps most evident in his relationship with Foggy Nelson, whom he treats as best friend, partner, kid brother, and taskmaster. Eventually Foggy finds these chaotic roles unsustainable and therefore leaves Matt, sometimes as law partner and sometimes as a friend.” Pgs 66-68
Lastly, “Daredevil Psychology” is also an interactive book, which uses examples to better understand the Red vigilante. For instance, through the use of a genogram, to show a graphic example of how Matt and his relationships affect one other through its role, rules and boundaries. This helped to better explain the discussion in chapter 6 titled, “Nelson & Murdock: It’s All In The Family.”
“Daredevil Psychology” is a wonderful book that treats its readers like its esteemed colleagues. Informative and insightful as well as well as entertaining it brings light into the dark world of Daredevil. It is not a book to be missed!
The book is divided into 5 sections or topics that each go into subtopics or chapters that explain what makes Daredevil tick through his physical and mental abilities as well as interpersonal relationships. For example the “Details” section has three chapters based on sensory skills. What makes this book a little bit more interesting than the “Batman Psychology”, is that we get to see how Daredevil/Matt Murdock how he “sees” through his souped-up senses that affect his psyche.
“When [Matt] is struck with a second dose of radiation in adulthood, his senses are further amplified to dysfunctional extremes. […] Matt contracts, in essence, a rare but real condition called hyperacusis, which is an abnormally strong reaction in auditory pathways when someone is exposed to moderate-level sound. His symptoms become so severe that he sequesters himself in a sensory deprivation chamber. He pleads to Stick, the man who long ago taught him to master his abilities, to let him stay in the chamber indefinitely to escape the pain brought by his senses gone amok.” Pgs 116-117
Another beautiful thing the book does is that it explains the mental techniques used in Daredevil and show how it would look like in the real world. Continuing from page 117, the book goes on explaining how Matt over comes this hyperacusis:
“Stick is known for his tough-love approach to mentoring. Accordingly, he taunts Matt and orders him to leave the tank. Interestingly, Stick is following a real-life protocol for treating hyperacusis. Those with the condition actually need rich sound environments. They need to abandon any ear protection (muffs, plugs, etc.) because it causes an increase in the sensitivity of the auditory system as a result of decreased input.” Pg 117
The book also explains how relationships, both past and present, have (like anyone else) shaped his character as both the lawyer and the daredeviled vigilante:
“Jack is inconsistent in the ways he relates to his son, sometimes forcing him to play the role of partner, at other times a confidant or friend, and at others, a child or son. Particularly in the parent/child dynamic, diffuse boundaries can have damaging consequences. As an adult, Matt struggles with his history of diffuse boundaries and conflicting roles, unintentionally re-creating them in his new relationships with family members of choice. This is perhaps most evident in his relationship with Foggy Nelson, whom he treats as best friend, partner, kid brother, and taskmaster. Eventually Foggy finds these chaotic roles unsustainable and therefore leaves Matt, sometimes as law partner and sometimes as a friend.” Pgs 66-68
Lastly, “Daredevil Psychology” is also an interactive book, which uses examples to better understand the Red vigilante. For instance, through the use of a genogram, to show a graphic example of how Matt and his relationships affect one other through its role, rules and boundaries. This helped to better explain the discussion in chapter 6 titled, “Nelson & Murdock: It’s All In The Family.”
“Daredevil Psychology” is a wonderful book that treats its readers like its esteemed colleagues. Informative and insightful as well as well as entertaining it brings light into the dark world of Daredevil. It is not a book to be missed!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2021
This book was written for me. So, so fascinating! Great read for any Daredevil or Marvel fan or anyone interested in the psychology behind the character! Super in depth and well researched.
June 27, 2022
The quality of this book is extremely varied as some chapters are in-depth interpretations of grief and childhood trauma. Unfortunately, I’m left thinking about the worst chapters more. Some chapters of this book take all their reasoning from Sigmund Freud while also promoting centrism for some odd reason. There also is a stunning lack of critique into Daredevil’s religious beliefs. Any mention of his religion is about how he’s a sweet little catholic boy, without addressing the negative aspects that the church can have.
March 6, 2020
Un petit bijou pour les fans et les moins fans. Des analyses détaillées du personnages mais également de ses alliés et de ses ennemis, dans les comics comme dans les apparitions télévisées. Les études, réalises par des spécialistes sont soignées et réellement pédagogiques.
Read
October 2, 2023I quite like these types of indepth studies into films and tv series. This is a detailed but accessible look into Matt Murdoch in the TV series as well as the comics, but you don't really need to have read the comics to follow the arguments. Well written and insightful, definitely worth a read of you're a Daredevil fan.
November 4, 2020
The book is full of good information and contains relevant citations. I would recommend this for fans of Daredevil and those wanting to learn a little bit about psychology.
However, about half way through the book I noticed a profuse amount of errors as if it wasn't proof-read thoroughly.
However, about half way through the book I noticed a profuse amount of errors as if it wasn't proof-read thoroughly.
Read
October 30, 2018I admit I went weak in the knees when I saw it in the store. But it’s only fair.
September 20, 2024
Yo, el libro
September 6, 2023
this book has a very niche audience in order to enjoy it.
1. you need to be a daredevil fan
2. you need to be interested in psychology
I fall into both of these categories so I quite enjoyed the book. It's written by a bunch of different authors so it gets a little repetitive but I was intrigues by a lot of the topics and it kept up my love for daredevil. I would recommend not reading this book all at once and spacing it out because it is quite dense information-wise. I enjoyed my time and it was a good pick for my English paper.
1. you need to be a daredevil fan
2. you need to be interested in psychology
I fall into both of these categories so I quite enjoyed the book. It's written by a bunch of different authors so it gets a little repetitive but I was intrigues by a lot of the topics and it kept up my love for daredevil. I would recommend not reading this book all at once and spacing it out because it is quite dense information-wise. I enjoyed my time and it was a good pick for my English paper.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews