The Caped Crusade

Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture

By: Glen Weldon

Narrated by: Glen Weldon

“A roaring getaway car of guilty pleasures” (The New York Times Book Review), Glen Weldon’s The Caped Crusade is a fascinating, critically acclaimed chronicle of the rises and falls of one of the world’s most iconic superheroes and the fans who love him—now with a new afterword.

Since his debut in Detective Comics #27, Batman has been many things: a two-fisted detective; a planet-hopping gadabout; a campy Pop Art sensation; a pointy-eared master spy; and a grim ninja of the urban night. Yet, despite these endless transformations, he remains one of our most revered cultural icons. In this “smart, witty, and engrossing” (The Wall Street Journal) cultural critique, NPR contributor and book critic Glen Weldon provides “a sharp, deeply knowledgeable, and often funny look at the cultural history of Batman and his fandom” (Chicago Tribune) to discover why it is that we can’t get enough of the Dark Knight.

For nearly a century, Batman has cycled through eras of dark melodrama and light comedy and back again. How we perceive his character, whether he’s delivering dire threats in a raspy Christian Bale growl or trading blithely homoerotic double entendres with Robin the Boy Wonder, speaks to who we are and how we wish to be seen by the world. It’s this endless adaptability that has made him so lasting, and ultimately human.

But it’s also Batman’s fundamental nerdiness that uniquely resonates with his fans and makes them fiercely protective of him. As Weldon charts the evolution of Gotham’s Guardian from Bob Kane and Bill Finger’s hyphenated hero to Christopher Nolan’s post-9/11 Dark Knight, he reveals how this symbol of justice has made us who we are today and why his legacy remains so strong. The result is “possibly the most erudite and well-researched fanboy manifesto ever” (Booklist). Well-researched, insightful, and engaging, The Caped Crusade, with a new afterword by the author, has something for everyone: “If you’re a Bat-neophyte, this is an accessible introduction; if you’re a dyed-in-the-Latex Bat-nerd, this is a colorfully rendered magical history tour redolent with nostalgia” (The Washington Post).

Great History of the Batman. Worst. Narrator. Ever

Loved the story. It was well written, well researched and does an excellent job of presenting the story of Batman as one big character arc. (with plenty of twists & turns.) As a lifelong fan (starting with '66 repeats and SuperFriends in the early 80's) it was great to take such a wide view of the character, and get a sense of the behind-the-scenes drama and historical contexts that shaped the different popular incarnations.

My only real complaint on this is the narration. I nearly returned the title after attempting the first chapter. The narrator (also, author) seems rushed (and flat) at times and the way over-the-top impressions are really dreadful. While I certainly understand using a (bad) version of The Simpsons' Comic Book Guy as the de facto voice of nerd culture, it completely took me out of the story. Same goes for the mediocre brogue of his Grant Morrison or the fey silliness of his Joel Schumaker.

I would still recommend this title fully. Just be prepared to cringe your way through certain passages.

A Fun Tour of Batman's History

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. It is an incredibly fun romp through the history of Batman.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The author clearly "gets" Batman, while repeatedly reminding us that there is no "one true Batman." His knowledge of the entire history of Batman is clearly evident.

What didn’t you like about Glen Weldon’s performance?

The author does a very good job of reading his work with only one fatal flaw to his performance. His use of character voices ruins the flow of the story. As opposed to his clearly understandable and fun normal reading voice, the story is broken up by heavily accented voices. I'm fine hearing a Grant Morrison quote without a heavy Scottish accent, a comic nerd without a geeky voice, or a heavily accented Joel Schumacher. The story would have been much better without these voices.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

I was unaware of how intentionally Joel Schumacher put sexuality into his Batman films.

Any additional comments?

This book was an absolute blast! As a huge Batman nerd, I am squarely in this book's target audience. That being said, any fan of pop culture would likely enjoy this tale of how Batman went from early comics to pop culture phenomenon.

Entertaining, enlightening.

This was a fun walk through the history of Batman, like a lighter version of Sean How's Marvel comics: the untold history. His voices were a little jarring at first, but aside from that, an engaging listen.

A perfect audiobook

It is read by the author, and his reading is as wonderful as the book itself. The writing has fun with the history, and Mr. Weldon has fun with the reading. He does voices for almost every quote. He adjusts his tone and cadence appropriately for each moment in history.

I wish every audiobook was read this well.

Easily the BEST Audible Book I've Ever Read!

I loved every aspect of this book! The author narrates and provided fantastic voices for his characters.