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Cross Fire: An Original Companion Novel
Batman(TM) and Superman(TM) are on the case!
After saving Metropolis from an alien invasion, Superman is now famous around the world. Meanwhile Gotham City's own guardian, Batman, would rather fight crime from the shadows. But when the devious Doctor Aesop escapes from Arkham Asylum, the two very different heroes begin investigating the same case and a young boy is caught in the cross fire.
This action-packed junior novel tells an original story about the stars of Batman v Superman(TM): Dawn of Justice. The book also includes a full-color insert with images from the feature film.
After saving Metropolis from an alien invasion, Superman is now famous around the world. Meanwhile Gotham City's own guardian, Batman, would rather fight crime from the shadows. But when the devious Doctor Aesop escapes from Arkham Asylum, the two very different heroes begin investigating the same case and a young boy is caught in the cross fire.
This action-packed junior novel tells an original story about the stars of Batman v Superman(TM): Dawn of Justice. The book also includes a full-color insert with images from the feature film.
144 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2016
12 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Michael Kogge
60 books45 followersMichael Kogge is an American screenwriter and author who has written for several Star Wars projects, including the Star Wars Adventure Journal, Star Wars Gamer magazine, Hyperspace, Star Wars Insider magazine, and the Star Wars: Edge of the Empire roleplaying game. He has also authored a series of Star Wars Rebels chapter books, adapting episodes from the show's first season.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 6, 2016
The book was nothing special it was only good when it talked about batman and superman. The book has made me anticipate batman vs superman even more.
December 1, 2019
TL;DR -- honestly a good read for a kids book, better than the disastrous movie it's based on
Cross Fire is a short tie-in novel to Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. It's aimed squarely at kids but, surprisingly, isn't actually too bad.
As a kids book, Cross Fire is not quite the dark and brooding melodramatic mess that Dawn of Justice is. It focuses on four characters -- Batman, Superman, a reader-insert middle school student, and Dr. Aesop (a villain pulled from the DC comics). Batman and Superman aren't fleshed out beyond what anyone passingly familiar with these characters would know. The middle school kid works fine as a way to put kids in the story, and Dr. Aesop is cartoonishly evil but at least provides a little conflict.
As a tie-in to the movie, Cross Fire doesn't do very much (but given how much I dislike the movie, that's actually a plus!). It introduces Lex Luthor, shows Batman and Superman fighting a villain instead of each other (but never meeting), and seemingly has to only make one obvious and annoying concession to the movie -- Metropolis and Gotham are separated by nothing but a big bridge. Beyond that, this novel expands a bit on how kids are dealing with knowing about Batman and Superman but otherwise doesn't indulge in a lot of world-building.
Cross Fire is a nice, quick read that I honestly enjoyed more than watching Dawn of Justice. It's a simple tale aimed at children, so keep that in mind if you read it, but this DC movie universe could've done a whole lot worse for its first tie-in novel.
Cross Fire is a short tie-in novel to Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. It's aimed squarely at kids but, surprisingly, isn't actually too bad.
As a kids book, Cross Fire is not quite the dark and brooding melodramatic mess that Dawn of Justice is. It focuses on four characters -- Batman, Superman, a reader-insert middle school student, and Dr. Aesop (a villain pulled from the DC comics). Batman and Superman aren't fleshed out beyond what anyone passingly familiar with these characters would know. The middle school kid works fine as a way to put kids in the story, and Dr. Aesop is cartoonishly evil but at least provides a little conflict.
As a tie-in to the movie, Cross Fire doesn't do very much (but given how much I dislike the movie, that's actually a plus!). It introduces Lex Luthor, shows Batman and Superman fighting a villain instead of each other (but never meeting), and seemingly has to only make one obvious and annoying concession to the movie -- Metropolis and Gotham are separated by nothing but a big bridge. Beyond that, this novel expands a bit on how kids are dealing with knowing about Batman and Superman but otherwise doesn't indulge in a lot of world-building.
Cross Fire is a nice, quick read that I honestly enjoyed more than watching Dawn of Justice. It's a simple tale aimed at children, so keep that in mind if you read it, but this DC movie universe could've done a whole lot worse for its first tie-in novel.
November 14, 2024
It's not a novelization, but an original prequel to the Batman vs. Superman movie. Despite clearly being aimed at young readers (12-15 years), the language and the plot of this short novel, while simpler, aren't too dumbed down and are quite interesting even to an adult reader. The two titular superhero characters could have been a bit more fleshed out to make them more real, but otherwise the book is worth a read.
August 11, 2017
First of all, the very fact this is a Scholastic book means I'm not the target audience. The protagonist is a kid and it's written for kids. And since it's a companion book, it's not about Batman or Superman, but it's about the characters around them. Keeping that in mind, it's a fun book.
March 13, 2021
To date, this is the best depiction of the DC movie universe's version of Clark Kent. Here we see his "mild manner" side.
Kid's book setting up characters for Batman v Superman film. Actually clever story that involves Superman & Batman without their pathes actually crossing.
Kid's book setting up characters for Batman v Superman film. Actually clever story that involves Superman & Batman without their pathes actually crossing.
September 5, 2019
I like how Batman and Superman weren't the focus. I like Rory. I loved the action, and how the two superheroes maneuvered around each other.
April 11, 2023
could have been better during spring break I squeezed time in for this book and read it all but could have been better so I give the author a 4/5 star rating.
March 19, 2023
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice: Cross Fire By Michael Kogge, is a junior companion/prequel novel to the 2016 DCEU film “Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice”.
Set a few weeks after the events of Man of Steel, In the aftermath Superman has become a famous hero around the world after saving humanity from General Zod’s invasion. Meanwhile in Gotham City the vigilante known as the Batman fights a growing crime rate in his city due to the alien attack. When the mad scientist known as Doctor Aesop escapes Arkham Asylum, these two different superhero’s find themselves investigating the same case, and a young boy is caught up in the crossfire
Probably the first thing I should mention regarding about BvS: Crossfire is its target audience: if the fact that Scholastic is publishing doesn’t give it away, this is definitely a book geared towards the younger fans of these characters, and as such it does lack in depth somewhat. There’s a number of sub-plots going on here, but one of them does follow a young boy during his time at elementary school, definitely the demographic this is aimed at. It doesn’t ruin the book because some of the context we get in this book is clearly going to have an impact on the film. It’s not necessarily a problem, but if you’re looking for a deeper, more character-driven and mature plot, perhaps this isn’t for you.
For what it is though, Batman V Superman: Cross Fire does tell a rather interesting story. The famous heroes never meet, but we do see them in both their public and private guises, giving us a pretty good grounding of how their characters are portrayed in the 2016 film and how their relationships with other characters go. The villain of the novel is Doctor Aesop, a niche Batman villain that mainstream fans no doubt will not recognise, which allows for the writing to focus on our heroes and allowing the villain’s arc to complement this. Its loyalty to the lore established in Man of Steel is admirable as well, with a number of plot elements deriving directly from the consequences of the (2013) Man of Steel although I won’t reveal them here.
Another thing that’s worth talking about is the action described in the book. It’s definitely faithful to Man of Steel when Superman gets going, and the glimpses of fights that we’ve caught in the films, especially the brutal hand-to-hand and gadget-based combat the Caped Crusader will no doubt capitalise on. The action scenes are really well described by author Michael Kogge, and at times the stakes are pretty high: obviously neither Batman nor Superman were going to die in this novel, but there were times where you really had to admire how they got out of some situations, which, for a plot revolving around unmanned drones controlled by a mad scientist, is pretty great.
One of the main problems with the novel, however, is the imbalance between Batman and Superman. We see a lot more of the Dark Knight than the Man of Steel, with Clark Kent doing a lot more work in his reporter mode than with his Kryptonian drapes on. Batman has a lot more to do in the cape and cowl, and there’s even a few existential lines here: ‘Batman could only imagine the teasing this creature must have endured… was Batman any different?’, which wonderfully portrays the darker subject matter of this novel and the psyche of Ben Affleck’s Batman. Superman, however, is barely in his outfit until the villain situation is handled, though I will say that Clark is brilliantly written, with his dialogue with Lois Lane and Perry White some of the novel’s highlights.
It’s really quite hard to go into my usual detail on a hundred-page book aimed at those substantially younger than me, but, despite this, I did enjoy reading BvS: Cross Fire. It tells a compelling, albeit unbalanced story that helps flesh out the world of the DCEU established in 2013 Man of Steel and give some grounding to what acts as a prequel to what unfolds in the (2016)Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice film. There’s definitely an imbalance between the two heroes, but both have their moments where they shine excellently and are portrayed so accurately that it’s hard to penalise it.
Overall, BvS: Crossfire not necessarily a deep or layered story, but, as long as you go in knowing it won’t be the richest superhero story you’ve ever read, and you remind yourself it’s aimed for children, you’re sure to have a good time with Batman V Superman: Cross Fire.
Set a few weeks after the events of Man of Steel, In the aftermath Superman has become a famous hero around the world after saving humanity from General Zod’s invasion. Meanwhile in Gotham City the vigilante known as the Batman fights a growing crime rate in his city due to the alien attack. When the mad scientist known as Doctor Aesop escapes Arkham Asylum, these two different superhero’s find themselves investigating the same case, and a young boy is caught up in the crossfire
Probably the first thing I should mention regarding about BvS: Crossfire is its target audience: if the fact that Scholastic is publishing doesn’t give it away, this is definitely a book geared towards the younger fans of these characters, and as such it does lack in depth somewhat. There’s a number of sub-plots going on here, but one of them does follow a young boy during his time at elementary school, definitely the demographic this is aimed at. It doesn’t ruin the book because some of the context we get in this book is clearly going to have an impact on the film. It’s not necessarily a problem, but if you’re looking for a deeper, more character-driven and mature plot, perhaps this isn’t for you.
For what it is though, Batman V Superman: Cross Fire does tell a rather interesting story. The famous heroes never meet, but we do see them in both their public and private guises, giving us a pretty good grounding of how their characters are portrayed in the 2016 film and how their relationships with other characters go. The villain of the novel is Doctor Aesop, a niche Batman villain that mainstream fans no doubt will not recognise, which allows for the writing to focus on our heroes and allowing the villain’s arc to complement this. Its loyalty to the lore established in Man of Steel is admirable as well, with a number of plot elements deriving directly from the consequences of the (2013) Man of Steel although I won’t reveal them here.
Another thing that’s worth talking about is the action described in the book. It’s definitely faithful to Man of Steel when Superman gets going, and the glimpses of fights that we’ve caught in the films, especially the brutal hand-to-hand and gadget-based combat the Caped Crusader will no doubt capitalise on. The action scenes are really well described by author Michael Kogge, and at times the stakes are pretty high: obviously neither Batman nor Superman were going to die in this novel, but there were times where you really had to admire how they got out of some situations, which, for a plot revolving around unmanned drones controlled by a mad scientist, is pretty great.
One of the main problems with the novel, however, is the imbalance between Batman and Superman. We see a lot more of the Dark Knight than the Man of Steel, with Clark Kent doing a lot more work in his reporter mode than with his Kryptonian drapes on. Batman has a lot more to do in the cape and cowl, and there’s even a few existential lines here: ‘Batman could only imagine the teasing this creature must have endured… was Batman any different?’, which wonderfully portrays the darker subject matter of this novel and the psyche of Ben Affleck’s Batman. Superman, however, is barely in his outfit until the villain situation is handled, though I will say that Clark is brilliantly written, with his dialogue with Lois Lane and Perry White some of the novel’s highlights.
It’s really quite hard to go into my usual detail on a hundred-page book aimed at those substantially younger than me, but, despite this, I did enjoy reading BvS: Cross Fire. It tells a compelling, albeit unbalanced story that helps flesh out the world of the DCEU established in 2013 Man of Steel and give some grounding to what acts as a prequel to what unfolds in the (2016)Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice film. There’s definitely an imbalance between the two heroes, but both have their moments where they shine excellently and are portrayed so accurately that it’s hard to penalise it.
Overall, BvS: Crossfire not necessarily a deep or layered story, but, as long as you go in knowing it won’t be the richest superhero story you’ve ever read, and you remind yourself it’s aimed for children, you’re sure to have a good time with Batman V Superman: Cross Fire.
March 7, 2016
Well, I'm an avid Batfan. That's why I even thought of buying this book.
The book starts with a Batman villain, Dr. Aesop fleeing the Arkham Asylum. The whole book is rather small, it revolves around with Batman saving the day by catching the villain and Superman trying to do some journalism and saving some kids. That's all. The plot is so simple that if I add one more line I'll have to spoil the book.
I knew fully well that this book was geared towards the kids. I knew I won't enjoy it as much as I'd have enjoyed any other comic or book. But the fanboy inside me won't listen, I had to buy the book. And yes, I did not enjoy the book or get my money's worth. But the fanboy inside is sated, I can sleep happily now.
The book starts with a Batman villain, Dr. Aesop fleeing the Arkham Asylum. The whole book is rather small, it revolves around with Batman saving the day by catching the villain and Superman trying to do some journalism and saving some kids. That's all. The plot is so simple that if I add one more line I'll have to spoil the book.
I knew fully well that this book was geared towards the kids. I knew I won't enjoy it as much as I'd have enjoyed any other comic or book. But the fanboy inside me won't listen, I had to buy the book. And yes, I did not enjoy the book or get my money's worth. But the fanboy inside is sated, I can sleep happily now.
February 23, 2016
WHY.
i wouldn't even bother reading it through the end had it not been about batman v superman. the story was boring and unoriginal, which is somewhat acceptable because they don't want to spoil the movie so the book basically has nothing important happening in it. (so why does this book even exist?? i will never understand. it's SO RANDOM.)
two things that were cool:
1. lois lane being a badass reporter and scolding clark because he sucks
2. ALFRED BUYING A LUNCH DATE WITH BRUCE UNDER A WOMAN'S NAME TO DINE WITH HIM
(by the way, is doctor aesop completely expendable because that's the only way i can explain the complete alteration of his origins/character.)
i wouldn't even bother reading it through the end had it not been about batman v superman. the story was boring and unoriginal, which is somewhat acceptable because they don't want to spoil the movie so the book basically has nothing important happening in it. (so why does this book even exist?? i will never understand. it's SO RANDOM.)
two things that were cool:
1. lois lane being a badass reporter and scolding clark because he sucks
2. ALFRED BUYING A LUNCH DATE WITH BRUCE UNDER A WOMAN'S NAME TO DINE WITH HIM
(by the way, is doctor aesop completely expendable because that's the only way i can explain the complete alteration of his origins/character.)
April 10, 2016
+ bahasa inggrisnya tidak sulit utk dicerna bagi kita orang indonesia
+ ceritanya lumayan seru
- tidak sepenuhnya movie companion book karena cerita di dalamnya berdiri sendiri dan tdk berhubungan dgn filmnya batman v superman
Overall : Patut dibaca bagi fans batman maupun superman namun jangan ber-ekspetasi lebih
+ ceritanya lumayan seru
- tidak sepenuhnya movie companion book karena cerita di dalamnya berdiri sendiri dan tdk berhubungan dgn filmnya batman v superman
Overall : Patut dibaca bagi fans batman maupun superman namun jangan ber-ekspetasi lebih
March 7, 2016
Considering this was written for a young audience, I was pleasantly surprised. The story is simple, but entertaining. It provides some background on the Batman v. Superman world. Definitely not required reading, but it's a quick and enjoyable read.
March 4, 2016
This book definitely took me back to my elementary school days of reading junior companion novels with the pictures in the middle. I nice simple juvenile adventure in the BvS world.
April 14, 2016
it read like a young adult novel, prolly meant for young readers or just an auxiliary for the movie.
March 23, 2016
Mehhhh
I Wasn't expecting much so I'm not to surprised I didn't get it. Is ok for what it is. Love the pictures of the movie at the end though
I Wasn't expecting much so I'm not to surprised I didn't get it. Is ok for what it is. Love the pictures of the movie at the end though
April 9, 2016
A fun, short read as a 'prequel' to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
September 10, 2016
Better plot than Batman v Superman lol
April 22, 2019
a enjoyable book to read a movie tie in story featuring superman and batman working on the same case without the other knowing a definite must read.
Read
February 2, 2017short sweet to the point
Batman and superman never fight though
Dr barbarius aesop escapes from arkham asylum
Batman and superman never fight though
Dr barbarius aesop escapes from arkham asylum
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews