Every kid who has donned a cape and run around the backyard has asked the question, “Could he be a superhero?” Dr. Zehr answers this question with his detailed analysis of the possibility of becoming a superhero in Become Batman.

One of my earliest Batman-related memories occurred when I transformed into the Dark Knight for a kindergarten Halloween party. While running around in that “Adam West” style costume, one of the teachers commented that my eyes were “perfect” for the mask. That level of authentication started a lifelong fascination with all things Dark Knight. As I got older, I realized what is most appealing to Batman: his character represents a common archetype: the hero.

However, becoming Batman requires more than just giving the right kind of suit. (And it requires more than access to a lot of money.)

Zehr, whose academic credentials stretch back from a college emphasis in kinesiology to a Ph.D. in neuroscience, brilliantly discusses someone’s potential to become a superhero. His writing is witty and informative, striking an appropriate balance between pure scientific discourse and extensive explanation to keep less able readers intrigued. In addition to the neuroscientific development, Zehr infuses the text with historical references to Batman by comic and year. Such references are sure to satisfy any collector of Batman memorabilia.

The narrative includes highlights on the genetics, training, and necessary realities that would accompany the life of someone who aspires to be Batman. Zehr’s development of the appropriateness of martial arts training stems from his own fascination with martial arts and is a compelling analysis of the rigors Bruce Wayne would necessarily have been exposed to acting as Batman. A look at the author’s website reveals that his research interests revolve around how he controls the nervous system, a fact that makes his move to analysis of the probability of becoming Batman seem plausible.

We see ourselves in the characterization of Batman because he is human, not an alien from another planet or someone who received his prowess from the bite of a radioactive insect. When Batman dons the Batsuit, the archetypal conquest of good over evil becomes possible. Perhaps such an aspiration is possible for any of us.

Is there hope for those of us who have put on a costume to become Batman? The answer might surprise you: if you have the right genetics; passionately seek your goal; and have enough time and money.