Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight

Review by Paul Fiander

Written by: Travis Langley 
Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins 
Unabridged Audiobook
Publisher: Audible Studios

To be fair this is a rather odd premise for a book, looking at the psychological drives of a fictional character, who has been recreated a number of times by various writers. Thankfully the book has been created by academics who know their stuff, from definitions of mental illness to the first appearance of every player mentioned in this intriguing book. I used the term every player as this is look at more than just the Bat as we also get an insight into his rogue’s gallery as well.

Drawing from a large range of sources from the original Detective Comics to The Dark Knight Rises (the book was released in 2012) Travis Langley displays an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the Bat and his rogue’s gallery. This helps lift this book from a basic look at the character into an insightful study of an iconic symbol/man. The credentials of Langley though reach further than just knowledge of superheroes it’s his work in the real world of psychology that give the book the weight it needs.

A psychology professor at Henderson State University, he teaches on crime, mental illness, social behavior, and media, including a course titled "Batman".  (Taken from Travis Langley Ph.D. details on Psychology today)

Although this could allow Langley to throw around crazy ideas instead he tries to use theories from the world of psychology to explain the motivations of his subjects. This gives the book a measured approach that at times can feel like you are actually in the writers Batman course. This is by no means a criticism as this is a non-fiction title and does its best to wrap its head around a rather complex group of individuals.

The narration by Mike Chamberlain is the most part top notch, however it does fall down when he tries to change his voice to read a few of the quotes that are littered through the work. It’s not a big deal but can be a little off putting. Otherwise his voice is strong but never harsh and there feels genuine excitement in his performance and that helps to keep the information fresh.

Whether you are Batnoob or a seasoned pro you are sure to find a great deal to enjoy in this title. From the criminal case files to the deep look at characters that make up the Batverse each section of the book is important to drawing up final conclusions about the Dark Knight. Of course if you prefer the Light Knight depiction then there is a nice mix of Adam West’s 60’s incarnation of the character to dip into as well. Obviously this is a book of a few years ago and Batman has moved on since then but it still gives you a realistic insight into a complex character as well as the villains that make him such an enigmatic character.