WWBD - WHAT WOULD BATMAN DO?

"Each time a man stands for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope." - Robert F. Kennedy

If any fictional character exemplifies these words, it is The Batman, and his ideals and values have inspired millions of readers for more than 70 years. I have often argued that all kids should read comics - not any comics, mind you. Like any medium, comics run the gamut from kiddie humor to horror and yes, even porn. But Super Hero comics offer a unique way to impart real and lasting values to our children in the guise of a grand old adventure! No one likes to be preached to, but caught up in the "Bam"s and "Pow"s, kids can assimilate some important ideals without the inherent rebellion that comes anytime we try to tell them something "for their own good!"

"Wisdom from the Batcave" takes a look at the lessons hidden in the pages of the Batman comics. Rabbi Cary Friedman provides awesome insight on how we can use these lessons to live our own lives with more passion, integrity, and yes - heroism.

I honestly can't recommend this book enough. It's only 90 pages, so you can read it in one sitting, but I'm willing to bet (and hoping, actually) that you'll return to it again and again. In 18 chapters, Friedman looks at such complex issues as "The Blessings of Family", human potential, idealism, self-esteem, and "The Most Effective Way to Fight Evil."

Let me give you an example from the chapter "The Blessing of Family". As I'm sure 98% of the world knows, millionaire Bruce Wayne becomes Batman after witnessing his parents brutal murder. Friedman asks: "Did you ever notice that people rarely appreciate what they have until they don't have it anymore? Loss is often the first step in appreciating the great gifts in our lives....Many of us fantasize about wealth, power and fame...What does Bruce Wayne fantasize about?

"In Perchance to Dream, an episode of Batman: The Animated Series, the Mad Hatter captures the Batman and places him in an ideal imaginary dreamworld that he could never want to leave. What does the Batman dream about?...his parents alive and well. He fantasizes about nothing more grandiose or elaborate than to have his family...(something) commonplace and mundane for most of us.

"The lesson is clear. We may not have Bruce's financial success or his incomparable talents, but we are blessed with loving relationships. Even though our parents, siblings, children, spouses and in-laws are imperfect, they are still forces of love and support in a lonely world...Think what a happy place the world would be if we recognized that we already have what we really want...What if, instead of fantasizing about money, glory...we dreamed of growing old with our spouses, watching our grandchildren grow...Those are wishes that are within our grasp. But more importantly, they are wishes that bring lasting contentment, and not mere fleeting pleasures."


Wisdom from the Batcave is liberally sprinkled with panels from comics over the years illustrating the principals Friedman espouses. What makes Batman so useful in exemplifying these ideals, is that Bruce Wayne became Batman by choice! He wasn't bitten by a radioactive spider, he doesn't have a magic ring, and he isn't an alien being from another planet. He is a man, who chose to follow an ideal, to rise above obstacles, to take a stand! And we can all make the same choice. We don't have to don a pair of tights and beat up bad guys to make a difference in someone's life.

Friedman points out that there are opportunites every day for us to be as heroic as the Batman. "That is, if you consider to be a hero someone who helps people and makes a positive difference in their lives, refuses to bow to difficulty or adversity, and possesses integrity and principles in the face of seductive temptation...Is it any less heroic to help the people around us, perhaps even the members of our own families?"

If you're a Batman fan, this book is a must. If you're not, don't be put off by the Super Hero aspect. This book provides serious lessons and deep insights to simple, everyday truths. Actor Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. writes, "It was with a bemused skepticism that I sat down to read Wisdom from the Batcave. The idea of equating man's highest and noblest aspirations with a cartoon character seemed outrageous, to put it mildly. I couldn't have been more mistaken....A spectacular book!"