PLEASE CLICK TO DONATE TO OUR SITE!!!!
|
|
Primetime TV Book Reviews
 "The
Boy Who Loved Batman: A Memoir" by Michael Uslan
This is a very strange book. It goes quite a ways before
you realize that the person writing the book actually wrote comic books.
It just seems like some guy reminiscing about his childhood love of
comic books. I was thinking, "This guy writes well, but why should I
care?" and then he finally does tell about his professional connection
to comics. Up to that point, it seems like someone's blog or something
(albeit very well-written).
It's clear that the author really loves comic books, and anyone who has
ever loved or collected them will relate to the book. There is a lot of
interesting history and anecdotes as well, plus many pictures from old
comics. I enjoyed learning about some of the old comic book stuff that I
didn't know.
I like Batman, although I don't share his love for the Dark Knight. I
love Superman, though, so I can certainly relate to the way he feels.
I'm glad to have found the book because it seems like the whole world
always says they prefer Marvel comics. It's nice to find another DC
Comics fan. (Not that I don't like Marvel Comics as well...)
It is a really good book, and anyone who loves comics should own it. It
looks nice on the coffee table, too! Written 11/12/11
More Information:
Film Producer Dishes on The Dark Knight 'The Boy Who
Loved Batman' Shares 5 Things You Didn't Know About His Fave Superhero
Excitement about the newest Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," is
already revved up for its July 20th premiere. Details about the Warner
Brothers film starring Christian Bale as Batman and Anne Hathaway as
Catwoman are cloaked in secrecy. But executive producer and diehard
Batman fan Michael Uslan knows a Dark Knight thing or two that may
surprise you.
"I grew up immersed in comics. I loved them all. My hands-down favorite,
though - then and now - is Batman," says Uslan, who wrote about his
comic obsession in his new memoir, THE BOY WHO LOVED BATMAN (www.theboywholovedbatman.com),
available in bookstores and on amazon.com.
"I knew every detail. I was the kid who wrote to the comic book
publishers when they got something wrong, like the date on the giant
penny on display in The Bat-Cave's Hall of Trophies," he says. "That's a
fact a true Batman fan never forgets so, of course, I can fill a book
with those details. And I did!"
For Dark Knight fans, counting down the days till their hero once again
comes to life, Uslan offers these little-known nuggets sure to impress
your friends.
• Bruce Wayne's murdered father, Dr. Thomas Wayne, was actually the
first Batman. He created a Batman costume to wear to a party when Bruce
was a child. Bruce realized many years later that this vision of his
father dressed as a "Bat-Man" subconsciously influenced him in the
creation of his own name and guise.
• Before shortened to "The Dark Knight," Batman was first referred to as
"The Darkknight Detective."
• Bruce Wayne was engaged to Julie Madison (1939) and Linda Page (1941)
before World War II.
• Before she was known as The Catwoman, Selina Kyle was referred to as
simply "The Cat."
• Alfred Pennyworth was a member of the OSS in World War II (which was
the forerunner to the CIA), operating in occupied France. When first
introduced in the comic books, he was quite rotund, a far cry from the
slimmed-down version most fans recognize. And originally, his last name
was Beagle, mystically changed to Pennyworth later on.
Uslan is the man credited with the vision of bringing Batman to life in
a realistic movie portrayal and originating the dark and serious Batman
movie franchise. Its success was ensured by the genius of Christopher
Nolan, Tim Burton and Anton Furst, whom Uslan says deserve all the
accolades and credit.
Dark and serious Batman movies portraying The Batman as a creature of
the night, as he was created in 1939 by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, has
been Uslan's mission since childhood, a story that unfolds in THE BOY
WHO LOVED BATMAN.
"I was a New Jersey kid growing up as the son of a working-class stone
mason," he says. "We weren't rich, but I always had big dreams. I drew
my inspiration from comic books, and my favorite character was Batman."
"Batman was accessible. To be Superman, you had to come from Krypton,
but Batman was just a man. He made himself the strongest, the smartest,
the best detective. His greatest super-power was simply his humanity. As
a kid, I found one dream to hold above all others: to make a movie that
would make people take Batman seriously, that would make people see in
him the same thing I saw - the inspiration to be anything you dreamed
you could be."
About Michael Uslan
Michael Uslan, (www.theuslancompany.com), is the executive producer,
along with his partner Benjamin Melniker, of the Batman franchise of
motion pictures. In his 36 years in the film and television industry, he
has been involved with such projects as "National Treasure,"
"Constantine," and countless animated projects. His projects have won
Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmy Awards. He recently formed a motion
picture development and production consulting company called The Uslan
Company, LLC.
Back to the Main Primetime TV Page
|
