In an effort to explore how individuals, films and TV shows become part of the public consciousness, Intellect Books is publishing a new series called Fan Phenomena. Not surprisingly science fiction which garners cult followings is well represented with separate editions on Doctor Who, Star Wars and Star Trek; however, not everything is focused on the appeal of travelling aliens and outer space adventures.
Editor Liam Burke writes in his introduction for the edition centred on an iconic comic book figure, “This collection by Batman experts and scholars will explore why, despite occasional creative missteps, poor adaptations and opportunistic tie-ins, Batman compels such devotion.” The book is broken into four parts: Being Batman, Embracing the Knight, Representations of Fandom, and Inspirations and Adaptations. Within each section is a collection of Q&A interviews, essays, images and quotes which are designed to put subject matter into the proper context. Batman: A Fan’s History which is authored by Burke gives a good overview exploring the origins of the Dark Knight who emerged from the minds of Bob Kane and Bill Finger in 1939 to the acclaimed trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan.
An interesting point is made about how the campy past from the 1960s TV series with Adam West or the loathed sequels directed by Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, Batman & Robin) in many ways helped to get franchise back on track. A key theme is mentioned throughout the publication which is addressed by Anna-Maria Covich in her contribution titled Heroes With Issues: Fan Identification With Batman. “As superhero without superpowers, Batman challenges fans to reconsider what they are capable of as human beings, and to imagine how they too can overcome their own physical, mental and emotional limitations.” It was great to see Batman: The Animated Series get recognition through the examination of the Beware the Grey Ghost episode and for the line, “You complete me” from The Dark Knight (2008) to get the proper attention for as much as Batman is a force against crime he is also a magnet for villains.
Appropriately a conversation with Michael E. Uslan who is the producer responsible for bringing Batman to the big screen concludes Fan Phenomena: Batman. However, the comment that strikes me the most comes from novelist Kim Newman who remarked, “Superman is the ideal of the hero, and Batman is the shadow, the one you need as well. It’s why the World’s Finest team-up always worked better when they were friends than when they tried to make them antagonists. They need each other; they need the yin and the yang.” Zack Snyder and David Goyer take note.
Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.
Originally published September 28, 2013. Updated April 14, 2018.
