Batman And Theology #CFP

Editors: Matthew William Brake and Rev. C. K. Robertson, Ph.D.

In 2019, Batman turned 80 years old. First appearing in Detective Comics #27, that famous title hit #1000 back in March. Since his debut, Batman has been a cultural force across multiple medium, whether in the comics that spawned him, the 1960s campy television series, the animated series in the 1990s, or the movies of Tim Burton, Zack Snyder, and especially Christopher Nolan. With Warner Brothers set to debut a new Batman film in 2021, now is the perfect time a book exploring the intersection of theology and Batman. No other volume currently exists which explores Batman in a peer-reviewed theological format.

Matthew William Brake is the editor of the Theology and Pop Cultureseries from Lexington, and has presented on the topic of theology and Batman and teaches a Religion and Literature course at George Mason University exploring the Batman works of Grant Morrison. The Rev. C. K. Robertson, Ph.D. has spoken and written extensively on the intersection of Batman and theology, including a chapter in B.J. Oropeza’s critical work The Gospel According to Superheroes.

This work will explore the theological and religious significance of Batman across multiple mediums.

Potential Topics

There are over 80 years worth of Batman stories to draw from written by multiple authors and spanning across multiple mediums. Potential topics include but are not limited to:

What Religion is Batman? Catholic, Atheist, or Other?
Batman knowsgods exist, but can he believe?
Grant Morrison’s Neo-Platonic Bat-god.
Psychodelic Religious Experiences and Corrupt Priests in Batman: The Cult
The Cult of the Cat, Mad Monks, and Scary Religions in the World of Batman
Simon Hurt, the Hole in Things, and Evil as Deprivation in Augustine
Gothic Cathedrals and Religious Architecture in the World of the Dark Knight
Sin and Salvation in Batman: Damned
An Agnostic Mortal on Mount Olympus: Batman Alongside the Super Heroes
A Sacred Oath: The Power of Ritual in the Batman’s World
Recovering from Religion: Denny O’Neill’s Azrael and the Order of St. Dumas

Abstracts between 250-500 words are due by Oct. 31, 2019 and should be sent to Matthew Brake at popandtheology@gmail.com. Final Drafts of between 5,000-7,000 words will be due by March 1, 2020.

Of related interest:

Batman and Theology #CFP