New Sequel Novel Brings The Riddler Into The World Of Tim Burton’s Batman (Exclusive)

New York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller is set to release the next novel in his Batman series this October. Dubbed Batman: Revolution, The new novel follows last year’s Batman: Resurrection, which garnered a lot of attention as it is set in the world of Tim Burton’s iconic Batman films. Specifically, Resurrection and Revolution are sequels set between the 1989 Batman film and the 1992 follow-up Batman Returns, and the new book brings the Riddler into the mix. Comicbook has your first look at the cover along with the official synopsis and a quote from the author himself. You can find it all below!

After struggling through an ever growing crime ring in Gotham City, Batman: Revolution takes the Bats’ story further, now faced with the twisted villain, the Riddler. As many fans know, Tim Burton wanted a sequel to Batman Returns that included Robin Williams as the Riddler – a role that eventually went to Jim Carrey when Joel Schumacher took over the franchise with the 1995 film Batman Forever. The following synopsis for the new book might have you thinking “what if?”

“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.”

Batman: Revolution is set to release on October 28th 2025, but you can pre-order it now from Amazon. The hardcover copy is currently priced at $30, though a discount is likely between now and the release date. Pre-order customers will automatically get the lowest price offered during this period. Kindle and Audible versions are also available. Author John Jackson Miller himself said about the new release:

“We’ve seen Gotham City at Christmas — now get a load of the Fourth of July! While Batman continues his war on the underworld, Gotham City also has an underground that’s just as active — and even more violent, with tensions rising with the temperatures. Challenged by all his new responsibilities, Batman needs all the help he can get. But when a past ally of Batman’s gets a reason to see him as an enemy, the consequences for the city are explosive!

Both RESURRECTION and REVOLUTION take place between BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS, and I tried to write them both as if they came out then, too — drawing on characters who appeared in both films. You’ll see old favorites — and some new ones, which I again approached with an eye to Tim Burton’s tragi-comic aesthetic.

Readers helped make RESURRECTION a runaway success; they’re amply rewarded here, with a story whose roots we planted in the first book. BATMAN ’89 comics readers will also find that REVOLUTION coexists neatly with the two DC series, which are set later. All will be revealed in the super-hero novel adventure of the year!”