Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight (2nd Edition)

by Travis Langley

Overview

Batman is one of the most compelling and enduring characters to come from the Golden Age of Comics, and interest in his story has only increased through countless incarnations since his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Why does this superhero without superpowers fascinate us? What does that fascination say about us? Batman and Psychology explores these and other intriguing questions about the masked vigilante, including: Does Batman have PTSD?  Why does he fight crime? Why as a vigilante? Why the mask, the bat, and the underage partner? Why are his most intimate relationships with “bad girls” he ought to lock up? And why won't he kill that homicidal, green-haired clown?

Combining psychological theory with the latest in psychological research, Batman and Psychology takes you on an unprecedented journey behind the mask and into the dark mind of your favorite Caped Crusader and his never-ending war on crime.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684428564
Publisher:	Turner Publishing Company
Publication date:	03/01/2022
Series:	Popular Culture Psychology
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	388
Sales rank:	218,068
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Dr. Travis Langley, 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 has edited 12 Popular Culture Psychology anthologies. Documentaries such as AMC Visionaries” Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics, Morgan Spurlock’s Superheroes Decoded, and Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics have featured him as an expert interviewee; Legends of the Knight spotlighted how he uses stories such as Batman’s to teach real psychology; and Batman & Bill on Hulu presented him among those who helped see Bill Finger finally recognized as Batman’s co-creator. Dr. Langley regularly speaks on media and heroism at universities, conferences, and conventions throughout the world. Psychology Today carries his blog, “Beyond Heroes and Villains.” He was also an undefeated champion on the Wheel of Fortune game show even though none of the puzzles were about psychology or superheroes.

Table of Contents

1. Beneath the Cowl: Who Is Batman?
   
2. Which Batman?
3. The Trauma
   
4. Why the Mask?
   
5. Why the Bat?
   
6. The Gun: Why Not?
   
7. The “Superstitious, Cowardly Lot”: Criminal Nature
   
8. The Halloween Party: Why All the Costumed Crooks?
   
9. The Madhouse: What Insanity?
   
10. The Psychodynamic Duo: Freud and Jung on Batman and Robin
    
11. The Kids: Why Robin?
    
12. The Women: Why the Cat?
    
13. The Fathers: Why Do We Fall?
    
14. The Signal: Who Will Rise?
    
15. The Assessment: Bats in His Belfry?
    

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Travis Langley's Batman and Psychology 

"Langley cleverly combines his two loves, as evinced by the title, to create a work that will draw the most disinterested psychology students in by using the seemingly universally loved Byronic hero of Batman." —Geekscape.net

"Dr. Langley puts this masked vigilante and his admirers on the analyst couch to examine what makes him—and us—tick. A revealing look at Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego." —Barnes & Noble

"If you love Batman, you will love this book. If you love psychology, you will love this book! Do not worry about getting lost though, as Langley does an excellent job explaining everything he discusses . . . A book you shouldn't pass up, as once you start reading it you simply will not be able to put it down!" —International House of Geek

"More entertaining than many of the others which populate the ever-growing field of texts about pop culture and the sciences. Rather than just telling us what we should know or think about Batman, the book supplements our own interest in the hero and provokes us to think more about what's going on in his head." —StarPulse.com

From the Publisher