Comics Bulletin Interview: Getting Inside Batman’s Head
Comics Bulletin writer Laura Akers attended one of my WonderCon presentations this month and later interviewed me about some things I had to say about what goes on beneath Batman’s cowl.
My 2012 WonderCon panels:
“Psychology of Batman” Robin Rosenberg & Travis Langley. My part: “Batman vs. Hamlet”
“Lessons Learned from Batman about Female Superheroes and Trauma: Resilience, Recovery, & Relaunch.” Andrea Letamendi, Robin Rosenberg, Travis Langley, & Bryan Q. Miller.
“Focus on Bob Schreck.” Bob Schreck & Travis Langley.
“All I Really Need to Know, I Learned from Batman and Bart, Man: Embiggening Brains without Crayon Implant.” Travis Langley, E. Paul Zehr, & Karma Waltonen.
Interview by Laura Akers
This year’s Comic Arts Conference at Wondercon was really diverse. From panels that carefully analyzed how meaning is created on the standard comic-book page to the tension between biology and technology in Batman and Iron Man to how comics are used in the classroom, there was something for everyone. Travis Langley, author of the upcoming Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight, gave us two presentations, one on how he uses Batman to teach psychological concepts to his students and a second on the question of Batman’s personal psychological issues and possible diagnosis. His analysis of Batman was so interesting that we had to ask some follow-up questions:
Laura Akers for Comics Bulletin: In your classes, you use Batman and related characters (from the comic books, movies and TV) to talk about specific psychological conditions. Why does the Batman universe lend itself so well to discussing these kinds of issues?
Travis Langley: He’s the superhero with no superpowers. His origin taps into a primal fear that we all understand, but even before that origin, his creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger invested our primal fears in his very look. They created a hero we could all imagine might exist in real life — no secret formula, magic ring or rocket to Earth required. He’s the part of us that wants to scare life’s bullies away… [Go to Comics Bulletin for complete interview.]
WonderCon recap: ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ impress, ‘Community’ returns and Batman isn’t crazy
…Batman versus Iron Man looked at what circumstances each could win a fight in, and while Iron Man generally had the edge, Batman’s intelligence, planning and sheer drive left him with some hope. As for what’s wrong with him, they ran down potential disorders he could have from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder, and ultimately concluded that the character has experience trauma but doesn’t suffer from any of these disorders. As a fan of this stuff, it’s nice to see it being treated seriously (or, as seriously as it’s possible to take it)…
Batman, Psychology, Uberfandom, Wondercon
What’s up with this dude? He runs around in a mask and cape! He broods. He has flashbacks. He can be a bit neurotic. So what’s his deal?
Psychologists Robin Rosenberg and Travis Langley are discussing the psychology of Batman. So far Rosenberg has gone over four disorders, their symptoms, and given examples that people find in the comics. Here’s how the Dark Knight does…
New York Comic Con Panel: Batman vs. Iron Man
Comics Studies Conference 4: Batman vs. Iron Man: Can a Person Truly Become Either?
Date: Saturday, October 15
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: 1B03
Speakers: Andrea Letamendi, Dennis O’Neil, E. Paul Zehr, Robin Rosenberg, Travis Langley
Description:
They’re rich, smart, strong, and they have the most wonderful toys. They’re leaders among superheroes even though they have no superpowers and they intimidate other heroes. Batman and Iron Man belong to that very small group of superheroes who have a veneer of reality. Both superheroes are defined by their human frailty combined with extreme training and use of technological enhancements. Comics legend Dennis O’Neil (Batman, Iron Man) and kinesiologist E. Paul Zehr (Becoming Batman, Inventing Iron Man) join psychologists Travis Langley (Batman in His Belfry), Andrea Letamendi (UCLA), and Robin Rosenberg (The Psychology of Superheroes) plus retired NYPD sergeant Mike Bruen in examining what it takes both physically and mentally to create a superhero without benefit of cosmic rays, magic rings, mutant genes, or otherworldly origins.
Track:
Comics
Nerds in Babeland: Superhero Battlefield Coverage by Kristen McHugh
Excerpt from http://nerdsinbabeland.com/archives/3690
San Diego Comic-Con International Panel: Superhero Battlefield
4:00-5:00 The Superhero Battlefield— What drives superheroes to keep fighting the good fight without getting burned out, disillusioned, or transforming into villains themselves? Trauma psychologist Dr. Andrea Letamendi (UCLA) explores the minds of your favorite comic book heroes and villains, linking them with the very real minds of actual trauma survivors. Alongside Dr. Letamendi are fellow psychologists Dr. Robin Rosenberg (The Psychology of Superheroes) and Dr. Travis Langley (Batman in his Belfry), as well as guest panelists including writer Len Wein (Swamp Thing). Room 4
MTV: 10 Off-Beat San Diego Panels You Have To See To Believe
MTV Geek post by Alex Zalben:
http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/07/13/10-off-beat-san-diego-panels-you-have-to-see-to-believe/
“…You can finish up CCI with what is possibly the most erudite panel on the schedule. Some might call it, ‘the nerdiest panel,’ but not this guy, as it actually sounds kind of fascinating, and calling something the nerdiest at CCI is like going into the sea, pointing to a mackeral, and saying, “You’re the fishiest.” But after four days of watching superguys punch each other, maybe its good to leave with a little education?”
Comics Arts Conference: WonderCon 2011
Comics Arts Conference 5:
Life After Trauma — To Be a Superhero or Supervillain?
Speaker/Artist(s) Info Andrea Letamendi, Robin Rosenberg, Travis Langley.
Did you ever wonder why experiencing trauma led Batman to become a hero but Harvey Dent to become a villain? Why Superman hasn’t given up his Herculean task for good after being exposed to so much loss, stress, and destruction? What makes superheroes keep fighting without getting burnt out, disillusioned, or becoming villains? Join psychologists Andrea Letamendi (UC San Diego), Robin Rosenberg (Psychology of Superheroes), and Travis Langley (Henderson State University) as they address these questions, applying what we know about trauma in our world to the world of superheroes to better understand why the same types of events can lead some folks to heroism and others to villainy.
Newsarama coverage by Jill Pantozzi:
Experts Ask & Answer: Trauma – What Makes Heroes & Villains?
Graphic Novel Reporter coverage by Doré Ripley:
Happy Birthday, WonderCon – A Review of the Show.
Comics Arts Conference 6:
Understanding Superheroes
Speaker/Artist(s) Info: Dyfrig Jones, Travis Langley
About Dyfrig Jones (Bangor University) presents the current Creu Arwyr research project, funded by the Welsh government, in which the pupils of Ysgol Syr Huw Owen are working with artist Mike Collins (Freakhouse Graphics) to create new superheroes and write narratives for these characters based in the community around the school. Travis Langley (Henderson State University) takes a psychological look into the mind of the on-screen Batman.