Fans of Batman ’89 can return to Tim Burton’s version of Gotham City by picking up the recently released novel Batman: Revolution. Published late last month, Batman: Revolution is a 544-page sequel to last year’s well-reviewed novel Batman: Resurrection. Both novels were written by John Jackson Miller and take place between Batman ’89 and Batman Returns.
The hardcover edition of Revolution is available for $26.40 (was $30) at Amazon. If you haven’t read Resurrection, you can grab the hardcover edition for only $16 (was $30). If you like audiobooks, prolific voice actor Will Damron did a superb job narrating both Batman audiobooks. Plus, if you’re new to Audible, you’ll get your first three months of Audible Premium Plus for $0.99/month. Since you get an Audible credit to spend on any book each month, you can get Batman: Resurrection for one buck this month and then Batman: Revolution for one buck in December.
$26.40 (was $30)
Like its predecessor, Batman: Revolution takes place in the years between Batman 1989 and the Burton-directed sequel, Batman Returns. If you loved Resurrection, chances are you’ll enjoy this one, too. Plus, the sequel is even longer; the hardcover edition is 544 pages and revolves around the Riddler.
In the book, the Riddler goes by the name of Norman Pinkus, a copyboy for the Gotham Globe newspaper who spends his spare hours crafting the mega-popular Riddle Me This word puzzles for the paper. Norman is also secretly the smartest man in Gotham and he has been assisting the police by anonymously solving crimes, often before Batman even knows of the crime. While Norman doesn’t seek fame or fortune, one fateful day sees him tire of being unappreciated by his city and come up with a new scheme to gain the recognition he feels he deserves.
“Dejected and unappreciated, Norman devises a scheme: With the help of dangerous new friends, he exploits the simmering tensions of the long hot summer to draw the Caped Crusader into a volatile game of riddles to crown Gotham’s true savior,” the official plot synopsis reads. “As they clash, Norman–now known as The Riddler–and Batman will uncover hidden secrets about Gotham’s past that will have dire consequences for the city’s future.”
$16 (was $30)
In addition to watching Batman ’89, you’ll want to read Batman: Resurrection for diving into the sequel. Published last October to rave reviews, Batman: Resurrection is discounted to only $16 (was $30) in hardcover at Amazon. Resurrection is 432 pages in hardcover.
It’s also available in paperback for $12.25 (was $19) and as an audiobook with a runtime of roughly 14 hours.
Batman: Resurrection is set in the aftermath of the Joker’s death, as remnants of his gang have begun a campaign of arson in Gotham. While Batman works to stop them, he also works to help the survivors who were exposed to The Joker’s chemical weapon Smylex and confronts a new threat far worse than the clown prince of crime: greedy opportunists, including millionaire Max Shreck.
Batman ’89 (Comic Book Series)
$13.79 ($25)
Beyond the Burtonverse Batman books, there have also been some thrilling Batman comic book series set in that universe. Batman ’89 is a 12-issue series set after Batman Returns, and it picks up several of the threads that were never resolved in the live-action movies. Harvey Dent–who was played by Billy-Dee Williams in the first Batman movie–gets a Two-Face Makeover and Robin made his debut in this series. The comics were written by Batman screenwriter Sam Hamm and it features terrific art by Joe Quinones.
Batman ’89: Echoes (Comic Book Series)
$23.29 ($25)
The hardcover edition of Batman ’89: Echoes released in October, too. Continuing the comic book series, this series paired Hamm and Quinones up once again, and it introduced the Burtonverse versions of Scarecrow and Harley Quinn. Set after his showdown with Two-Face, Batman has gone missing and Gotham is left to fend for itself. This incarnation of the Scarecrow also looks incredibly frightening, and in his normal guise, he bears a striking resemblance to actor Jeff Goldblum. Fear, uh, finds a way!
Batman Movies – 1989-1997
No Batman collection would be complete without the live-action films either. The Tim Burton-directed films have been on Blu-ray for a while, and the 4K versions combine the best presentation with an incredible collection of extras. These are all inherited from the original DVD release, but they’re still a fascinating look at how Batman and Batman Returns were made back in the day. You’re getting informative documentaries, archival material, and Prince music videos on the Batman Blu-ray alone–plus, there’s a Batman ’89 Steelbook Edition–while Batman Returns continues the deep dive into the Dark Knight with its bonus materials.
If you want both Burton films, you may want to opt for the Batman 4K Film Collection instead. This box set contains the four Batman movies released from 1989 to 1997, so you’ll get both of Burton’s films as well as Batman Forever and Batman & Robin. Amazon has the Batman 4K Film Collection discounted to $59 (was $90).
