It’s over, the Joker is dead, and Gotham is saved. There is a lot of cleaning up to do and a lot of people who need help, but Bruce Wayne can handle it; Batman is no longer needed. Or is he? There is still a lot of crime in Gotham. And getting justice for his parents hasn’t filled that hole in Bruce that he thought it would. So Batman remains. And good thing because the Last Laughs, the remnants of Joker’s gang, are still hanging around. And they seem to have a new leader. Or is it the same leader? The Joker couldn’t possibly be back, or could he? Batman needs to find out what’s going on in Gotham before things go too far because Joker’s last attack looks like a day at the beach compared to what’s coming for Gotham in Batman: Resurrection by John Jackson Miller.
[Warning: spoilers from Batman Resurrection by John Jackson Miller are below!]
There’s never a dull day in Gotham
You would think that after a chemical attack that left many dead and many others scarred for life, things in Gotham would settle down. But of course they haven’t. There are plenty of misanthropes who see the Joker as an inspiration. At first, they’re just unorganized punks running around making trouble, but then something changes. Suddenly, their antics are a lot more systematic and worrisome.
Batman is afraid that his old nemesis, the Joker, is somehow back. Even though he knows that the Joker died that night at the cathedral, doubts plague him. At the same time that he’s trying to solve that puzzle, he’s trying to wrap his head around another impossible situation. Someone is stealing faces in Gotham. Somehow, the perpetrator is able to perfectly copy the looks of different people and is running around and impersonating them. Batman isn’t sure about who, what, why, or how in that situation. But he knows it isn’t good, and he needs to bring an end to it, even if he isn’t sure how. And he needs to do it fast before something even worse than the Symlex catastrophe happens.
This sequel to Tim Burton’s Batman films was a long time coming
Batman: Resurrection is intended as a sequel to Tim Burton’s movies, Batman and Batman Returns. Batman is largely considered the movie that brought comics into pop culture from the fringes where they had been hiding for decades. So any book that looks to continue and expand on this world has some pretty big shoes to fill. Happily, John Jackson Miller’s Batman: Resurrection is up to the task. His story is both exciting and engaging. Miller gives us an inside look at Bruce Wayne’s struggle to find direction after the Joker’s death. Is his foray into crime-fighting over now that his parents have been avenged, or should he continue to protect the city he loves?
Before Bruce can really answer that question, Batman is needed to take on another problem that is just beyond what the Gotham Police are equipped to handle. As we’re drawn further into the mystery of Gotham’s newest (or perhaps not so new, even Batman isn’t sure) super villain, the question of Batman’s retirement is put on the back burner. By the end of the book, Bruce knows what he wants to do, and more importantly, he knows why he’s making that choice. Batman is no longer a reaction; he’s a choice. And that’s how it should be. You shouldn’t be doing something so important and so dangerous unless you know why you’re doing it. Like the sequel, Bruce’s decision takes time, but so do all good things.
Batman: Resurrection introduces lots of familiar characters
Miller’s Gotham is populated with a lot of characters. Some of them are important to Batman: Resurrection; some are not. However, the exciting thing is how many familiar names pop up that aren’t really important to the story but give fans a thrill. We cross paths with characters like Selina Kyle and Norman Pinkman. To newcomers, these names don’t mean much. But fans know that these people will eventually be very important in Batman’s world.
Now I have to admit that I’ve already read the second book in Miller’s Batman series, Batman: Revolution. Which means I have already seen some of the characters that are mentioned in Resurrection. And it’s funny to me that even some minor characters that aren’t from the comics are reused in both books by Miller. To me, it makes the world that much more real that characters continue to “live”, “work”, and interact with each other across books. I also have the advantage of knowing that some of the characters that are casually mentioned or introduced in Resurrection are going to have much bigger roles in Miller’s world. I am eager to read the future books that I’m sure are coming, so see how some characters that haven’t been fully developed will be used in Batman’s story.
Batman: Resurrection promises to be the start of a great series
Miller might be expanding on Tim Burton’s Batman world with his new series, but make no mistake, he makes this world his own. The depth that Miller adds to the framework that Burton created is phenomenal. His writing is a joy to read. So far, he has two books in the series, Resurrection and the newly released Revolution. But this certainly has the feel of a much longer series, and I, for one, hope that he takes his time and fully develops Batman’s world. Afterwards, he can perhaps head over to Star City and tell us about what the Green Arrow is up to…I’ve always wanted to know more about Oliver Queen.
Rating: 9/10
Batman: Resurrection is now available to purchase at your retailer of choice.
Learn more about the book at the official website for the title.
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