This is a lavishly illustrated memoir about a boy who loved Batman and would grow up to turn his passion into a vision of the Dark Knight, and ultimately one of the most successful pop culture franchises of all time. When he was eight, Michael Uslan fell in love with the comic book character known as Batman. He watched unhappily as the dark, serious superhero he knew and loved was turned into the camp '60s TV show starring Adam West, and in 1979 he purchased the film rights to Batman with the goal of realizing his infinitely cooler vision of the caped crusader. After ten years of desparately pitching a film that no one wanted, he sold and then produced Tim Burton's critically acclaimed and phenomonally popular re-telling of Batman. Twenty years later, having produced every Batman film to date, Ulsan finally brought his full vision of Batman to the screen with The Dark Knight. Michael, a consummate story-teller, recounts his story here, in a memoir that will draw in comics and movie fans, film students, and of course, people throughout the world who love Batman.
This is a lavishly illustrated memoir about a boy who loved Batman and would grow up to turn his passion into a vision of the Dark Knight, and ultimately one of the most successful pop culture franchises of all time. When he was eight, Michael Uslan fell in love with the comic book character known as Batman. He watched unhappily as the dark, serious superhero he knew and loved was turned into the camp '60s TV show starring Adam West, and in 1979 he purchased the film rights to Batman with the goal of realizing his infinitely cooler vision of the caped crusader. After ten years of desparately pitching a film that no one wanted, he sold and then produced Tim Burton's critically acclaimed and phenomonally popular re-telling of Batman. Twenty years later, having produced every Batman film to date, Ulsan finally brought his full vision of Batman to the screen with The Dark Knight. Michael, a consummate story-teller, recounts his story here, in a memoir that will draw in comics and movie fans, film students, and of course, people throughout the world who love Batman.
Michael Uslan has produced every Batman movie since the 1989 Tim Burton-directed film. He is a well-known name in the business, with many connections in the comic book and film industries. He is a film producer with numerous award winning projects to his credit. He has been a speaker at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and at the Smithsonian Institution, and was the first professor to teach a course in comic books at an accredited U.S. university.
"An inspirational tale of how one individual, armed only with a
lifelong desire of restoring dignity to his beloved Batman, can
prevail against all odds and emerge triumphant, forever altering
the pop-culture landscape in the process. Informative, warmly witty
and deeply human, it should be required reading, not just for comic
book and movie fans like me, but for anyone looking for a concrete
plan to make their own dreams come true!"
-Mark Hamill, voice of the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and
Arkham Asylum video game, creator of the Dark Horse comic, The
Black Pearl, and Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars
trilogy
"Don't miss this spellbinding tale of one man who saw what Batman
was-and realized what he could become. See how Michael Uslan took a
comic book hero and, through the magic of motion pictures, helped
transform him into a world-wide icon!"
-Stan Lee, Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Comics and Chairman of Pow!
Entertainment, co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, and The
Hulk
"Michael Uslan brought comic books to academia in the 1970s with
class (figuratively and literally) and he brought Batman to
Hollywood a decade later with the same sort of integrity. I've been
reading or watching his work since my youth and the intellect
always shined through - now with his memoir I also see the
emotional backbeat of his hero's journey."
-Geoff Boucher, Los Angeles Times
"Michael Uslan writes exciting superhero stories, produces
blockbuster superhero films, curates historic superhero
exhibitions. Readers of this fascinating insider's look at how
comics and movies are made will discover the biggest secret known
to all of us in the business: Michael Uslan is a superhero!"
-Jerry Robinson, co-creator of the Joker and Robin the Boy
Wonder
"Mike Uslan went 'firmly in the direction of his dreams, ' as Henry
David Thoreau suggested, and on the journey helped redefine popular
culture and confer respectability on a maligned art form. Mike's is
a great American success story and The Boy Who Loved Batman is a
terrific read."
-Dennis O'Neil, comic book writer and editor of many works,
including Green Lantern, Batman, and The Shadow
"The fact that Mike Uslan has developed his love for comic books
into a full-blown (and very successful) career is nothing short of
amazing. It's a wonderful world."
-Joe Kubert, comic book artist of Sgt. Rock, Hawkman, Tarzan, Tor,
and Flash
"This story is such an inspiration for anyone looking to make his
or her passion into a lifetime career. Michael reached his goal of
restoring the integrity of Batman because he never gave up!"
-Malin Akerman, Silk Spectre II in the film Watchmen
"Who in the world is lucky enough to have a "grand dream," then to
enter it, embrace it, and have it become part of their life?
Michael Uslan is just such a blessed person. His name and persona
is forever linked to the Batman. Isn't that the coolest damn thing
you ever heard?"
-Neal Adams, Creator's Advocate and artist and writer of Batman,
X-Men, Crazyman, and Blood
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