Summary
Batman: Resurrection by John Jackson Miller expands Tim Burton's Batman universe, connecting the 1989 film with its sequel, Batman Returns. The story begins after the Joker's death, with Gotham City facing chaos and uncertainty. Miller extends Burton's dark, gothic setting, depicting Gotham as Batman experiences it. Gotham confronts a crisis linked to the Joker's legacy. Batman faces external threats and internal conflict. The narrative questions the Joker's death, challenging Batman's resolve. This novel fits into the cinematic timeline, providing an additional chapter in Burton's Batman vision.
Plot
Batman: Resurrection by John Jackson Miller explores the chaos following the Joker's death and its aftermath in Gotham City. The Joker's influence lingers as former gang members known as The Last Laughs conduct arson and crime sprees. Max Shreck, a wealthy opportunist, uses the disorder to further his interests.
Batman stays alert, balancing his roles as Gotham's vigilante and Bruce Wayne, the city’s billionaire. Dr. Hugh Auslander, later revealed to be Hugo Strange, emerges as a threat. He conducts experiments on survivors of the Joker's Smylex attacks. Basil Karlo, transformed into Clayface due to defective cosmetics, uses his abilities to create chaos.
While Bruce Wayne deals with personal struggles, including a strained relationship with Vicki Vale, his alter ego Batman is haunted by doubts about the Joker’s death. His doubts only intensify when the Joker's grave is disturbed as a diversion.
To resolve these issues, Batman forms alliances with Commissioner Gordon and Clayface, who wavers between vengeance and redemption. Hugo Strange’s plan to unleash havoc with his Monster Men at a charity event escalates tensions. A final confrontation at the cathedral involves Batman and Clayface attempting to thwart Strange's plans. This highlights the ongoing instability in Gotham, suggesting further conflicts ahead.
Characters
Bruce Wayne/Batman: Gotham's protector, Bruce Wayne confronts his past trauma while managing the responsibility of shielding the city from the Joker’s threat. His dual role as Batman drives the narrative, focusing on themes of justice and internal conflict.
Karlo Babić/Clayface: Former actor Karlo Babić becomes the shape-shifting villain Clayface after contact with Smylex-laced cosmetics. His change triggers a quest for identity and revenge, complicating his role as both adversary and victim.
Dr. Hugo Strange: A scientist driven by the creation of a superior race, Strange operates under the alias Dr. Hugh Auslander to conduct experiments. His actions challenge Batman on intellectual and moral grounds.
Alfred Pennyworth: Bruce Wayne’s butler and confidant, Alfred acts as a father figure. He offers guidance and questions Bruce's choices on his mission.
James Gordon: Gotham City's police commissioner, Gordon partners with Batman in their crime-fighting efforts. Their relationship reflects the balance between law and vigilantism.
Vicki Vale: A journalist with ties to Bruce, Vicki Vale returns to Gotham with her investigative skills. Her presence introduces personal challenges for Bruce amidst the chaotic environment.
Max Shreck: Wealthy businessman Max Shreck navigates Gotham’s chaos to pursue power. His clandestine activities in the criminal world present significant threats.
Harvey Dent: Gotham's district attorney, Dent underscores the legal struggle against crime. His presence emphasizes the law's role in addressing the city’s moral complexities.
Norman Pinkus: A reporter for the Gotham Globe, Pinkus matches Batman’s detective skills by providing crucial insights through cryptic riddles. His interactions add mystery to the narrative.
Setting and mood
In Batman: Resurrection, John Jackson Miller captures the atmospheric depth of Gotham City as envisioned by Tim Burton. Like Burton’s original Batman film, the novel is set in the late 80s and early 90s, and retains the dark aura characteristic of Burton's metropolis. The novel vividly depicts familiar settings like shadowy streets and urban decay. The story explores the lingering impact of the Joker, capturing the persistent unease among the city's residents. Miller also populates Gotham with characters consistent with Burton's universe.
Themes
Throughout Batman: Resurrection, the following themes and related actions reinforce the Joker's continuing influence on Gotham and its resident, as well as Batman:
Arson and anarchy
The Joker's legacy continues in Gotham as his former gang amplifies its destructive activities. Inspired by the Joker's ideology, the group carries out arson attacks, creating chaos exploited by figures like millionaire Max Shreck.
Smylex survivors
The toxic fallout of the Joker's chemical weapon, Smylex, still affects Gotham's citizens and strains the healthcare system. Batman works with a scientist to address this crisis, which underscores the ongoing impact of the Joker's actions on the community.
Batman’s obsession
The Joker's influence deepens Bruce Wayne's commitment to protecting Gotham. This dedication strains his relationships and fuels his nightly efforts, keeping psychological scars from their previous encounter active.
Sinister manipulations
Turmoil in Gotham intensifies due to unseen forces manipulating events. These actions suggest the possibility of the Joker's survival, mirroring his unpredictability and challenging Batman's investigative skills.
Resolving cinematic gaps
In Batman: Resurrection, John Jackson Miller addresses narrative gaps from Tim Burton's films. The book explains the absence of characters like Vicki Vale and Alexander Knox between Batman and Batman Returns. Miller reintroduces these characters to maintain continuity and enhance the universe for fans.
The book also resolves the 1989 Batman's climax, where the Joker's goons appear on the Gotham Cathedral roof without explanation. Miller clarifies that Joker placed them there to monitor federal agents. This provides insight into the Joker's actions as well as raises questions about his intentions and death, affecting Bruce Wayne's reflections on past events.
Hugo Strange is introduced working with the Joker on the Smylex toxin, expanding Batman's adversaries and deepening Gotham's conflict with Joker's legacy. These narrative enhancements add context to Burton’s films for avid Batman fans.
Quick facts
Batman: Resurrection is a direct sequel to Tim Burton's iconic 1989 Batman movie, set between the original film and its sequel, Batman Returns.
Author John Jackson Miller was passionately inspired by Tim Burton's Batman, watching the 1989 film 12 times and studying it rigorously.
The story focuses on Batman facing a mysterious new threat even after the Joker’s confirmed death, a significant thematic element.
Batman: Resurrection introduces notable villains like Clayface, Hugo Strange, and the Riddler, adapted to fit Tim Burton’s dark vision.
Survivors of Joker’s chemical weapon Smylex remain a focal challenge in Gotham, driving key aspects of the plot.
Bruce Wayne partners with a charismatic scientist to address Gotham's health crisis resulting from Joker’s attack.
Batman: Resurrection captures the Joker’s lingering influence in Gotham, raising doubts about a possible resurrection or survival.
The novel emphasizes Batman's detective skills, with less traditional superhero action and more mystery solving.
Important character arcs are explored, including Bruce Wayne’s strained relationships with Vicki Vale and Alfred after the Joker’s demise.
Returning characters such as Vicki Vale and Alexander Knox help to maintain continuity with Burton’s original Batman film.
Selina Kyle briefly appears in the novel, foreshadowing her transformation into Catwoman in Batman Returns.
A planned sequel, Batman: Revolution, will continue the story and is scheduled for release on October 28, 2025.
About the author
John Jackson Miller (1968-) is a science fiction author. He is known for writing the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comic book series, spanning 50 issues. In Batman: Resurrection, Miller uses his skills in narrative construction to expand on themes introduced in Tim Burton's Batman, examining the lasting impact of the Joker on Gotham City. In the novel, Miller adds new dimensions to the Batman narrative, enhancing understanding of both the character and his world.
