fandom4ever 's review for:

Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight by Travis Langley

5.0

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

---

When we step back to gaze long upon the great Batman tapestry, what do we see? We see a hero. We see someone we’d want on our side, a figure we’d love to call forth from our shadows and hurl at those who would do us wrong. We see that part of ourselves that wants to scare all of life’s bullies away, and we like it. 

Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight is an excellent collection of psychology concepts and theories explained through the lens of the DC Comics character Batman/Bruce Wayne. I learned so much, both about psychology and how it relates to the character of Batman. The author, Travis Langley, is well-versed in the Batman mythology throughout his (at the time of publication 2012) seventy-three years. He goes into great depth on both Batman and Bruce Wayne along with his biggest villains and allies and how they all function as human beings and interact. Langley took both the source material and psychology seriously while making the information clear and concise for all. You don’t have to be a psychologist to understand these topics. 

Langley went deep into Batman’s history, not just citing the comics but also the movies and animated shows. I’ve been diving further into Batman and company comics and was excited when I was able to recognize different stories that were cited. This is definitely a book for Batman fans who want to really get to know these characters on a deeper level. There are fourteen chapters which pose great questions, some of which being: Is Bruce crazy for dressing up as a Bat and beating up criminals? Who is his true self, Batman or Bruce? Why do all of Batman’s protégés look like him? Does Bruce Wayne fit better with Selina Kyle or Talia al Ghul? You may have your own answers to these questions but Langley will teach you even more and have you reconsider what you think you know!