Batman Unmasked

A work of scholarship and a labor of love. "This is the definitive history of the Batman in all media: comics, film, television and the internet. The books combination of rigorous historical research and a witty, fluid writing style make it both vastly instructive and vastly entertaining."--Roberta Pearson, editor of The Many Lives of the Batman "Will appeal to avid students of pop culture and comics, and a gay cult audience...Brookers impressive overview of Batmans history reflects on the masked ones origins, early arch rivals and the introduction of Robin, and concentrates on four periods: WWII, the mid 1950s, the 60s and the 90s. In 1954, child psychologist Fredric Wertham attacked the comic book industrynoting homoerotic undercurrents between Batman and Robin; Brookers lengthy and fascinating gay reading supports Werthams claim, albeit with a positive, postmodern twist. After recalling the campy image of Batman spawned by ABCs 1960s TV show, the author takes a look at Batman writers, fans, fanzines and the Net, concluding with a hilarious chapter on how his research was ridiculed by the British media." -Publishers Weekly Brookers account is bolstered by his fan expertise. This book usefully expands uponThe Many Lives of Batman. Recommended--Library Journal"A historical, detailed, deep analysis of Batman as a cultural icon in America. This isn't a simple polemic or surface-shallow analysis. This is deep stuff-analyzing art styles, histories, individual panels, cultural concepts, and historical documents. plenty of startling revelations and analysesThis is a stunningly well-done, intelligent book. It's proof that comics are not throwaway ephemera, but real, vital, analyzable parts ofour culture. It's also a must-have for the hardcore Batman fan and comics fan-who doesn't mind some idea