Prepare to return to the world of Tim Burton‘s Batman in a new sequel novel. Batman: Revolution, by John Jackson Miller, will introduce a new incarnation of the classic Batman villain the Riddler. ComicBook.com has the news that the book will be released on October 28, 2025.
Batman: Revolution is a sequel to Miller‘s previous Batman novel, Batman: Resurrection, and is set between 1989’s Batman and its 1992 sequel, Batman Returns. It takes place on the Fourth of July, when tycoon Max Shreck (played memorably in Returns by Christopher Walken) has an Independence Day extravaganza planned for Gotham City. The book’s plot centers around Norman Pincus, the so-called smartest man in Gotham, who’s been anonymously providing tips to the Gotham Police for years. Overshadowed by Batman, he decides to turn to crime, instead — as the costumed criminal known as the Riddler! He and Batman face off in a battle of wits that may inadvertently uncover some of Gotham’s deepest, darkest secrets… The book disregards the two Joel Schumacher-directed sequels, so the Riddler in the book won’t conflict with the Jim Carrey interpretation of the character from Batman Forever. However, it will dovetail neatly with DC Comics‘ two Batman ’89 miniseries, which take place after Returns.
Who Is The Riddler?
The question-mark-adorned Riddler has been a thorn in Batman’s side for decades. Edward Nygma (as in E. Nygma — “enigma”), a criminal obsessed with puzzles and wordplay, was created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang in 1948’s Detective Comics #140. However, he didn’t become a mainstay in the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery until he was featured on the 1960s Batman TV show; his gleefully maniacal portrayal by comedian Frank Gorshin made the character a sensation. At the height of his mid-1990s fame, Jim Carrey delivered a Gorshin-inspired performance as the Riddler in Batman Forever, although reviews (from both critics and co-star Tommy Lee Jones) were mixed. The Riddler has also been frequently depicted in animation, most famously on Batman: The Animated Series, where he was voiced by character actor John Glover. Recently, the character made his live-action big-screen return opposite Robert Pattinson‘s Caped Crusader in The Batman; the Zodiac Killer-inspired interpretation of the character was played by Paul Dano.
What Happens in 1989’s ‘Batman’?
Set in the urban wastelands of Gotham City, Batman centers around Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) and his crusade against the city’s underworld as the masked manhunter, Batman. Hunted by the police and criminals alike, Wayne is also pursued by photojournalist Vicky Vale (Kim Basinger), who is intrigued by both the eccentric Wayne and the elusive Batman, not realizing that they’re both the same man. Meanwhile, Batman accidentally created his own archnemesis when he knocks gunman Jack Napier (Jack Nicholson) into a vat of chemicals, gruesomely transforming him into the jovial Joker.
The Joker unites Gotham’s gangland and kicks off a war on terror against Gotham’s populace, prompting a final confrontation with the Batman. Although the casting of Keaton, then best known for his comedy roles, was controversial at the time, Batman was an enormous success, grossing over $400 million USD at the box office on a $48 million budget.
Miller is a prolific author; he has published an array of Star Wars comics and novels, and has also written for Star Trek and Iron Man. His previous Batman novel, Batman: Resurrection, introduced the characters Clayface and Hugo Strange to Burton’s Gotham City.
Batman: Revolution will hit bookstores on October 28, 2025.
via Collider