Training to be a superhero

I received a copy this week of “The Superman Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Day” by Scott Beatty. Beatty also wrote “The Batman Handbook,” which offered the possibility of becoming Batman in a way, with lessons on everything from how to bulletproof your Batmobile to training a sidekick.

Of course, the appeal of Batman is that any guy, if he trains enough and perhaps has millions in the bank, might have a shot at being Batman. Unless you were born on Krypton, your chances of being Superman are pretty nonexistent. But “The Superman Handbook” offers some real-world skills — such as how to perform CPR or save a kitten caught in a tree — that could make you a Superman in someone’s eyes.

It looks like fun. You can judge for yourself when “The Superman Handbook,” from Quirk Books, is released in June.