Batman: Revolution

De: John Jackson Miller

Narrado por: 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.

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.

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

Great

This was a great continuation of the first novel. once I started I couldn't stop listening.

worth the read

you actually made me care about the Riddler and made Killer Moth and the Archer scary. lots of Easter Eggs and hat tips.

the deep cuts from the dcu

the deep cuts in question are pulled from the Batman 66 TV series and the comics.

those being the Bookworm and the archer. from the comics killermoth.

I will note killermoth origin seems to draw inspiration from the Spider-Man villain the vulture.

the archer is given a civilian identity and reimagined as a serial killer.

Bookworm is used as an alias.

Selena Kyle is introduced establishing her as Maxwell shercks secretary, we all know what happens to her in Batman Returns.

one of either pieces of setup for Batman Returns is Bruce Wayne is sitting charges in the North Face of the Batcave in order to set up a water tunnel for batskiboat.

some say the narrator isn't a good fit I say he fits pretty well for a Keaton Batman because he sounds pretty on point for how Keaton sounded when he was wearing the bat suit.

disappointing sequel

ok first, things I like.
The Riddler is done well, I enjoy him and his story, even if it is a little tropey, a couple side villains (archer and killer moth) have interesting enough backstory as minor villains. Loved getting more from Knox and Selena Kyle, and some more background on what was going on with Max directly before Batman Returns (his old partner, Fred Atkins!)

what I didnt like

the whole plot is about a militia group that claims to be trying to tear down the billionaires and uplift those struggling in Gotham (Norman's story with his mother really works here) but is actually a front for another disaffected rich person who's big plan is to do a false flag to get sympathy as opposed to, you know, not doing that incredibly stupid and pointless act. Every time I read about a political group wanting to bring change, they actually are just as bad (if not worse!) than the billionaires they claim to be fighting. Standard capitalist apologia which is always a little present in Batman stories, but this was ridiculous. If you hated Falcom and the Winter Soldier, I imagine you'll dislike this one just as much.