Book Review: Batman's Arsenal by Matt MacNabb
by Paul (ral)

Batman's Arsenal: An Unauthorised Encyclopedic Chronicle. Pop culture historian Matt MacNabb is probably best known to visiors here are the man behind Legions Of Gotham - one of the best Batman fan sites in existence. Matt has been a freelance writer for varous publications for over a decade, covering a multitude of geek interests. Everything from Ghostbusters to He-man!

With his book "Batman's Arsenal", it's evident that the Caped Crusader is where Matt's knowledge and passion is second to none. Covering Batman's crime fighting tools since his inception in 1939 Matt has amassed an indespensible reference book that is HUGE in both information and insight.

From the opening introduction, where Batman is described as a "responsible" and "creative" vigilante, it is clear that MacNabb is someone who just "gets" Batman. And that love of the character makes this book a joy to read. It's also a reassurance that this book is as factually correct as you can get.

The book itself is broken down into chapters, each one dedicated the most prominent of Batman's gadgets - Batmobile, Batarang, etc. Within each chapter the highlighted gadget is explored through Batman's history in comics, films...even roleplay books! This is a great way to organinse the information and makes the book instantly accessible to readers young and old!

I have to say, as someone who thought he knew Batman, "Batman's Arsenal" was an education for me. Matt MacNabb's writing style also elevates this book beyond a simple by the numbers A-Z of Batman tech.

At over 450 pages it is a beast of a book. The design is simple yet gergeous, in black and yellow with a cool comic/pop art look. Adam West himself provided the Preface, also it is packed with quotes and thoughts from Batman writers, artists, filmmakers and fans - such as Michael Uslan, Paul Levitz, Kelley Jones and Norm Breyfogle to name but a few.

Batman's Arsenal: An Unauthorised Encyclopedic Chronicle by Matt MacNabb, published by OPUS News is available to buy now on Amazon.

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