Ricky Church reviews Batman: Revolution…
It does not need to be said that Tim Burton’s 1989 epic Batman remains an influential piece of the Caped Crusader’s legacy, shifting perception away from the campy 1960s image to remind audiences Batman is a dark and solitary figure. Burton’s Batman and his sequel Batman Returns are both beloved and iconic even 30 years after their releases, evidenced by the fact Michael Keaton is often named as the best Batman on the big screen even now.
Fans can return to Burton’s Batman era with Batman: Revolution, a new book by Batman: Resurrection and Star Wars: Kenobi author John Jackson Miller. Set between the two Burton films, Revolution sees Batman up against several different factions in Gotham City, including the latest costumed villain with a penchant for puzzles and riddles who gives Batman and Gotham all sorts of chaos to deal with.
Miller continues to capture such a specific take on Batman/Bruce Wayne and other characters from Burton’s films, namely reporter Alexander Knox, Returns‘ Max Shreck and Harvey Dent among several others. The inclusion of Shreck hits particularly well as you can hear Christopher Walken’s delivery in Miller’s dialogue and point of view, showcasing Shreck’s narcissism, corruptness and ability to overestimate himself that made Walken such a joy to watch in Returns.
Of course though, the highlight of Revolution is The Riddler, one of Batman’s most well known villains Burton never got the chance to use. Though Riddler is in Batman Forever, which is technically set in the same continuity as the previous two films, the film doesn’t match with Burton’s specific style and take on these characters. Despite that, one could easily see Jim Carrey or even The Batman‘s Paul Dano in the role of Miller’s interpretation as a shy and brilliant man who gets fed up with how much strife Gotham’s elite system keeps dumping on him (though this Riddler is far less sadistic than Dano’s). It is easy to feel sympathetic to this Riddler as he faces a conga line of tragedy in a relatively short period of time after an already tough life and his turn from an admirer of Batman’s to an enemy is not rushed or unbelievable.
As for Batman, it is like he stepped off the screen and into the page with all of Keaton’s intimidation as Batman and eccentricities as Bruce Wayne. Miller writes him and his character growth very well, using this new case as a means to further develop Batman’s partnership with Commissioner Gordon, Alfred, his work with other police and Bruce Wayne’s role as an influential and wealthy figure in Gotham. A critical point to his story is also the lingering trauma of his parents murder and coming face-to-face with their killer in the first film, yet knowing Joker’s accomplice that night has still escaped justice. It is a captivating story for Batman that fleshes out the time between Batman and Batman Returns.
There is a lot going on in Revolution as The Riddler is not the only villain Batman faces. There’s a militia whose goal is to dismantle any and all corrupt authority as well as two other villains from Batman’s vast rogues gallery. It is a lot of moving pieces, but Miller balances them all well without the book feeling overstuffed and crowded. By the third act all aspects come together nicely in an exciting finale that also heightens the character drama Miller’s been building between the cast. The pace of the book takes its time with the characters when it needs to, delving into their motivations and insight, and ramps up with tense encounters. Riddler’s gimmick is utilized in clever ways with fun wordplay and intriguing puzzles for Batman and others to solve.
Batman: Revolution is a worthy follow-up to Resurrection and Burton’s specific take on the hero and Gotham City. Miller’s story and character work is compelling by creating new interpretations on Riddler and other villains while his use of Easter eggs to aspects throughout Batman’s history or foreshadowing of events to Returns and even the Batman ’89 comics will give longtime fans pleasure in seeing how the ’89 world meshes together. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Batman fan or just really enjoy the Burton films, Batman: Revolution will be right up your alley – just not a crime alley of course.
Rating: 8/10
Ricky Church – Follow me on Bluesky for more movie news and nerd talk.
