Batman: Revolution

By: John Jackson Miller

Narrated by: Will Damron

Batman matches wits with The Riddler and uncovers Gotham’s past in this sequel to Batman: Resurrection, set in the world of Tim Burton's iconic Batman.

It’s summer, and Gotham City has cause for celebration. The last vestiges of The Joker’s toxic legacy have finally faded, just in time for the mayor to partner with retail magnate Max Shreck to stage a Fourth of July celebration for the ages. But not everyone is rejoicing. Batman’s eternal vigilance continues as threats from rival gangs and masked criminals escalate by the day. Meanwhile, on the streets, protests grow in opposition to the city’s lavish excesses.

No one is experiencing the struggle between Gotham’s optimism and doubt more than Norman Pinkus. The Gotham Globe’s humble copy boy, he’s the unacknowledged mastermind behind the newspaper’s mega-popular Riddle Me This word puzzles. But Norman harbors a secret. He is the smartest man in Gotham City, using his prodigious skills to solve crimes anonymously for years via the police tip line—before Batman even knows there’s a crime to solve.

While neither fame nor fortune finds Norman, he believes in the promise of Gotham and what’s right . . . until he doesn’t. The man no one notices watches time and again as the city and its leaders cast their eyes high above the rooftops toward Batman. 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. 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.

Batman series I’d love

This story is set in the Burton Batman universe based on the first movie and the sequel book written by the same author. It would make this book much more enjoyable to have watched that film and then read that previous book. This book was so long and involved that it read more like a series of episodes and the voice actor played both Bruce and Batman like Kevin Conroy rather than Michael Keaton but that’s alright with me! I’d say these novels are more like elsewhere stories of the animated series. Gordon is more competent (like he is in the cartoon) and Batman is more gravely. Also Alfred is much more supportive than he was presented in the film. Overall I like these versions of the characters much more. I hope this guy writes more!

Good Sequel, Not So Great Story

Batman: Revolution achieves the same result as its predecessor in that it wonderfully fleshes out more of the 1989 Batman lore. Only this time around I felt that the story and villains didn't quite live up to my expectations.

Without spoiling too much, this version of The Riddler is more sympathetic than sinister and by a certian point his role in the story gets diminished by another villain. This other villain was a bit of a head-scratcher, though, with their motives not really amounting to anything interesting enough to warrant their addition to the story. If this Riddler had a bit more of an edge to him, something a little bit darker, he could've easily carried the book on his own. He ultimately never truly challenges Batman in any significant way like you would expect from The Riddler.

This book does give us some more time with side characters from Resurrection to give them additional context in this world, but it comes at the cost of not giving Batman himself much to do in this story. Still, he and the rest of the supporting characters were faithfully adapted like they were in the previous book and what time we do spend with them never drags.

Overall, this was a fun read that I burned through in two days. John Jackson Miller still clearly understands how to explore this world and the concepts that could have been, and I hope we get another book in this universe soon.

Very enjoyable

great story and I hope they make more of these adding to one of my favorites Batman universes.

Once again, dissappointed with the Narrator

The Narrator, just does not fit a Batman title. At best he would ve an incredible back ground character, and there is nithing wrong with that. H8s voice dies not fut the tone of this title or tge last Batman book at all, which 7sually yo7 can blame ob the writing, this and Batman Reserection are not two of those times. great writing, poor preformance, irritation at the small keys on my phones keyvoard that keep messing up what i am writing

Excellent read!

It's the Batman story we need AND deserve. Excellent character develepmont and the narrator was spot-on.