THE BATMAN HANDBOOK: THE ULTIMATE TRAINING MANUAL

You know how it goes. Minding your own business, not doing anything wrong when suddenly you just HAVE GOT to know how to rappel down the side of a building or need to figure out how to escape from a criminal genius out to kill you in some horrible manner and then go on a killing spree of biblical proportions.

Well, here is that information. Yep, everything the future crime fighter needs can be found right here in this little book. It took Bruce Wayne over a decade to learn everything he knows but thanks to Scott Beatty and Quirk Books you can have not only a quick leg up on the competition but a handy reference book to fall back to when you are faced with something unexpected.

Detailing how to fight crime just like Batman, you can learn from real life world champions and experts how Batman gets “Those wonderful toys?” and how to use them. Oh, it takes practice and dedication.

Let me tell you, you don’t just go outside and automatically know how to throw a Batarang. My cat still won’t come to me. And building a Batcave is not just walking into a big hole in the side of a mountain. You have to actually know something about building stuff.

Everything from how to create a Super-hero costume to putting together your very own Batmobile is covered by Beatty in his new book. Need to know how to do a back flip? It’s in here. Everything from the basics… learning a foreign language to regular forensic work… to some of the more specialized needs… How to survive being frozen or trapped by poison gas to getting free after being bound by handcuffs or ropes.

And the ever popular “How to Jump a Batmobile Over a Bridge”.  I drive a Kia Rio; I have a hard enough time jumping a two inch puddle. Well, I guess it is important here to mention that the author, Scott Beatty and the publisher, Quirk Books, both admit that the best way to be able to have all the things Batman does is to be a multi-billionaire. So for most of us, about the best we could do experience the vicarious thrill of Batman by reading his exploits.

But, this book does a good service. It gives the average reader some idea of just how much a person could do, if they had access to the funding. While vigilantism is not always an option, and is certainly not something that the law or courts often condone, it is nice to know what to do if someone has you in a choke hold.

Plus, for all of us wannabe writers it is a great reference book of ‘how to’ do some things. Like how to make a fighting suit. Did you know that Nomex (http://www.dupont.com/nomex/) , the fabric Batman’s costume is made from, is available from DuPont? That’s right folks. You can actually buy the fabric and make your very own bulletproof and fire resistant fighting costume. And while many of us will never need a real ‘utility belt’ loaded with miniature cameras, gas bombs or lock picks, it gives you an idea of what you could carry in an emergency kit in a car or even a briefcase of back-pack.

Using some of the ideas here, a reader can add their own levels of safety in their personal lives. The book includes information on bulletproofing a car (http://www.texasarmoring.com/#) as well as how to develop detective skills.

Why would you need a bulletproof car or know how to tell the time or cause of death of someone? I don’t know, but wouldn’t it be nice to have that knowledge? Impress your friends, win at trivia contests, drive through dark and dangerous areas of town without fear.

The Batman Handbook is an impressive, handy little book that will look good on a bookcase and give the reader a lot of fun.