Tuesday, March 26, 2019

100 Things Batman Fan Should Know and Do Before They Die by Joseph McCabe

Billed as "Your unauthorized guide to the comics, the movies, and beyond," author Joseph McCabe has written a fun encyclopedia of Bat-Things that span the decades. The publication date is 2017, so the last entry is the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie.

I first learned about McCabe's book on the Holy Batcast podcast when host Andy Digenova interviewed the author. The episode was a great one, getting me home one afternoon on my then hour-long commute. I ordered the book the same week, and it's been on my bookshelf ever since.

McCabe list is pretty good, too. Sprinkled throughout various entries are interviews with particular creators and actors. I remember quickly scanning the table of contents to see if some of my favorites made the list. Imagine my glee when I noted two of my all-time favorite Bat-Things were included: the tabloid story of Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk and the animated TV series Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Not only that, but McCabe includes two interviews, one with Diedrich Bader, the voice of Batman for the series, and producer James Tucker. Look, I know and agree that The Animated Series is arguably the best version of Batman on screen, but you can't deny the sheer joy of the Brave and Bold series. If B:TAS is the best, then Brave and Bold is my favorite. Plus, it's named after my favorite Bat-Title.

I suppose you could read this book cover to cover, but it's more fun to pick up and just open the book and read whatever entry on which you happen to land. I have enjoyed the book for over a year now, and I recommend it for every Bat-Fan.

Need another reason to buy it? Paul Dini, one of the creators of Batman: The Animated Series and noted Bat-Author writes the introduction. With that stamp of approval, what more do you need?

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