Within moments of the Aurora, Colorado shooting at the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, media speculation began as to alleged causes in popular culture that may have helped lead to this event. Some of the causes included aspects of fantastic popular culture, including The Dark Knight Rises, Batman, and dark fantasy films. But are such causal connections correct? Helping address these issues is a professor of psychology and comic book scholar.

Dr. Travis Langley is the guest for TheoFantastique Podcast 3.1. Dr. Langley is a social psychologist, professor of psychology at Henderson State University, and author of Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight (John Wiley & Sons, 2012). From the back cover of the book:

Batman is one of the most compelling and enduring characters to come from the Golden Age of Comics, and interest in his story has only increased through countless incarnations since his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Why does this superhero without superpowers fascinate us? What does that fascination say about us? Batman and Psychology explores these and other intriguing questions about the masked vigilante, including: Does Batman have PTSD? Why does he fight crime? Why as a vigilante? Why the mask, the bat, and the underage partner? Why are his most intimate relationships with “bad girls” he ought to lock up? And why won’t he kill that homicidal, green-haired clown?

*Gives you fresh insights into the complex inner world of Batman and Bruce Wayne and the life and characters of Gotham City.
*Explains psychological theory and concepts through the lens of one of the world’s most popular comic book characters.
*Written by a psychology professor and “Superherologist” (scholar of superheroes).

In this podcast interview Dr. Langley touches on alleged connections between the Colorado shooting and Batman, and then discusses the significance of comic superheroes in popular culture.