New Sequel Novel for Tim Burton's BATMAN Introduces the Riddler to Gotham City

If you’re a fan of Tim Burton’s Batman universe, you’ll be interested to know that New York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller is expending on this corner of the DC Universe with Batman: Revolution, the follow-up to last year’s Batman: Resurrection.

The novel is set for release this October and continues to explore Gotham City in the years between Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). This time, Miller is bringing in one of Batman’s most iconic foes: The Riddler.

Fans have always wondered what could have been if Burton had continued his Batman saga, especially with the long-rumored inclusion of Robin Williams as the Riddler. Instead, the role eventually went to Jim Carrey under Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever (1995).

But now, Batman: Revolution is stepping into that “what if” space, giving us a Riddler fit for Burton’s dark and gothic Gotham.

The novel picks up in a city that seems to be moving forward. With the Joker’s toxic legacy fading, Gotham’s mayor is teaming up with retail mogul Max Shreck to throw a massive Fourth of July celebration.

But beneath the fireworks and festivities, tensions are rising and masked criminals are growing bolder, rival gangs are clashing, and protests are erupting against the city’s unchecked extravagance. And then there’s Norman Pinkus.

Norman is the unnoticed copy boy at The Gotham Globe, secretly the genius behind the paper’s wildly popular “Riddle Me This” word puzzles. But he’s more than just a puzzle-maker, Norman has been solving crimes for years, feeding anonymous tips to the police before Batman even gets wind of them. He believes in Gotham’s promise. Until he doesn’t.

Unrecognized and frustrated, Norman begins to see Batman as the city’s real problem. Why should Gotham look up to a masked vigilante while ignoring the man who’s truly the smartest in the city? With the help of dangerous allies, Norman decides to force Gotham to play his game. And so, the Riddler is born.

The novel promises an intense battle of wits between Batman and the Riddler, uncovering hidden secrets about Gotham’s past, secrets that could shape its future. The official synopsis teases what’s in store:

“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.”

Miller’s take on the Riddler feels like a perfect fit for Burton’s world and comes with a layered and twisted story with a interesting psychological edge. Instead of the over-the-top, cackling trickster we saw in Batman Forever, this version of The Riddler is calculated, methodical, and genuinely believes he deserves Gotham’s admiration.

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.

The auther said in a statement: “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!”

With Batman: Resurrection already proving a hit among fans of Burton’s Gotham, Batman: Revolution looks ready to dive even deeper into this alternate sequel timeline. If you’ve ever wished to see what Burton’s vision for the Riddler might have looked like, this book will be the closest thing we’ll get.