Being Matt Murdock: One Fan’s Journey Into the Science of Daredevil

A lot of nonfiction works on comic books use the comics as the primary source, which makes sense, but readers who have already read all of the referenced comics then walk away feeling like they haven't necessarily learned something new. This is not that type of book; I learned a ton. I didn't expect it to contain so much real-world science, but Hanefalk has a way of explaining it that makes it easy to understand even for someone without a scientific background. It adds another level to my understanding of the character that may not be strictly necessary, but definitely feels like a welcome enrichment.

When you start collecting a comic book when you're 12 years old, and you continue to collect that book 56 years later, you can fall into the trap that you know everything about what makes that character work.Not so.Christine Hanefalk - who I had the great pleasure of meeting at the Baltimore Comic Con in 2013 - has written the most incisive and enjoyable book about Matt Murdock than I could possibly imagine.First, titling it "Being Matt Murdock," she puts the emphasis on the man, not the superhero. He's just a guy who may or may not have these incredible sensory skills.Second, making science fun. Christine gets deep into the science of Matt's so-called "radar sense," his hearing capabilities, his sense of touch, but she imbues the science with so much joy and honest-to-goodness fan appreciation that you (well, I, anyway) come away smiling after reading it.Maybe next time, Christine, you can examine whether or not a man can truly be without fear!!!

So you you've been thinking "If Daredevil were real, just how would his powers actually work? Do they make sense?" This is the book for you. The author breaks down the nature of human senses, and theorizes how they could be enhanced to superhuman level.The author details exactly how human senses (sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing) mechanically, chemically, and electrically trigger the brain. She then supposes the mechanics and limits of how a related super power might be working. A great series of thought experiments, but also a great person lesson in human physiology. That might sound boring, but it isn't. The writing is analytical and scientific, but remains readily accessible and readable by a layperson. It's like a conversation with a knowledgeable medical person who is also into comic books.Very well done. Reading it feels like a great "what if" conversation. Highly recommend.

A fascinating deep dive into how our senses work in real life and how Matt Murdock's enhanced senses might work (or not) in the fictional world of "Daredevil." A must-read for anyone who's watched or read "Daredevil" and wondered, "How did he do that?"

As a huge Daredevil fan, I was intimidated when I started this book. I was afraid the technical terminology and scientific terms would be too much for a person who hasn't studied science since college. I am thrilled to say that I was absolutely wrong. This book does the seemingly impossible job of looking at the biology and physics behind how our human senses work and explaining it in a way that is very understandable and easy to follow, even for a layperson. It also makes me want to go back to read some Daredevil runs that I have not read yet because of the descriptions of how these issues portray Matt Murdock's senses. Just a fabulous book.

Christine knows her stuff! Great read for Daredevil and science fans.

I love this book