What do you think?
Rate this book
Batman
The Batman Murders
A banker, missing for months, finally turns up dead - wearing the unique costume of the Caped Crusader. Three other prominent Gotham City citizens are also missing, and the only clue to their abductor's plot is a calling card - a joker with a bullet hole through it. It's only the beginning of the ultimate prankster's devastating new scheme to destroy the real Batman, even if he's got to spill the blood of everyone in Gotham City to do it. If the Joker succeeds, it will be his greatest gag of all time. But only one very twisted and very dangerous man will be laughing...
246 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1990
4 people are currently reading
382 people want to read
About the author
Craig Shaw Gardner
151 books134 followersCraig Shaw Gardner was born in Rochester, New York and lived there until 1967, when he moved to Boston, MA to attend Boston University. He graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Broadcasting and Film. He has continued to reside in Boston since that time.
He published his first story in 1977 while he held a number of jobs: shipper/receiver for a men's suit manufacturer, working in hospital public relations, running a stat camera, and also managed of a couple of bookstores: The Million Year Picnic and Science Fantasy Bookstore.
As of 1987 he became a full time writer, and since then he has published more than 30 novels and more than 50 short stories.
He also published under these pseudonyms:
Peter Garrison
He published his first story in 1977 while he held a number of jobs: shipper/receiver for a men's suit manufacturer, working in hospital public relations, running a stat camera, and also managed of a couple of bookstores: The Million Year Picnic and Science Fantasy Bookstore.
As of 1987 he became a full time writer, and since then he has published more than 30 novels and more than 50 short stories.
He also published under these pseudonyms:
Peter Garrison
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 2, 2012
The Batman Murders is the first of a three book series of Batman novels. These novels was unique in that the books were not straight novelizations of any existing material, but new adaptations featuring the Batman characters in situations partially derived from the comic books. On his website, Gardner opines bookstores were somewhat befuddled by the work, not knowing whether to rack it with science fiction, mystery, young adult, or media. This, according to Gardner, lead to the failure of the series.
I was all set to get my hate on with The Batman Murders because it has one of the most overwritten introductions I’ve ever read in any book. Here’s the first page. Phrases like “It brought crime into the city like a roach” are so overwrought they almost distract you from how clumsy the repetition of “There was no moon in Gotham City.” It’s like every bad impulse a writer ever had when it comes to writing a shitty Batman monologue made its way into the prologue and I’m going to be honest with you, boys and girls. I was ready to throw in the towel on this thing. I’m glad I didn’t though, because Gardner plays a great trick on his readers when it’s revealed the person who is thinking this dialogue is NOT Batman… it’s an overweight banker masquerading as Batman for reasons yet undetermined. I have to wonder if Gardner was playing on reader expectations with this reveal, but I felt the thing worked quite well.
The prologue effectively sets the stakes – there are random crimes being committed throughout Gotham City and, at the scenes of those crimes, a murdered citizen is discovered, dressed as the Dark Knight. Batman works both with the police and his own support team to stop these crimes, committed by (surprise) his archenemy The Joker.
The scenes with Batman and the police are sort of awesome when you view them through the characterization of the character in 2012 as an obsessed loner, growling out one syllable responses to criminals. The Batman in The Batman Murders happily wanders through police headquarters in the middle of the day and is on a first-name basis with most of the staff at the Gotham City mortuary. I could see this being a problem for some readers, but I did this friendlier, more easy-going version of ol’ Bats.
The Batman presented here is firmly rooted in the mythology and plot lines occurring in the Batman comic books published by DC Comics at the time. One of the crucial background details to the novel involves Batman/Bruce Wayne grieving over the death of the second Robin, Jason Todd. Todd was killed in the controversial Death in the Family storyline wherein The Joker beat Robin to death. It was a dark story and The Batman Murders seems takes place only months after Todd’s death.
I think it’s ambitious as hell, hooking these books up to the comic books… especially since, due to a weird scheduling snafu, some of the actual Batman comic books didn’t even get around to acknowledging Jason’s death until almost a year after the fact.
Other tie-ins to the comics include the character of Dick Grayson/Nightwing, the original Robin having long since taken on a new heroic identity. Grayson’s supporting role in The Batman Murders is pretty important and Gardner does not skip on the details. Numerous references are made not only to Grayson/Nightwing’s role as leader of The Teen Titans, but to more specific character details, like his relationship with Titans’ founding member Starfire. I was a little surprised to see these seemingly complicated elements worked into the characterization of Nightwing. Gardner does a fine job filling in the blanks and admirably pulls back on some of the more fantastic elements presented here; Starfire is referred to by her first name (Koriand’r) but the author doesn’t get into the whole “She’s an alien princess with superpowers” stuff. This was a good choice on Gardner’s part.
Unfortunately, the Nightwing stuff falls flat due to the demands of the story. What I mean is, Gardner needs Dick to be a little less competent than I know the character to normally be portrayed in the comics in order for certain pieces of his novel to fall into place. At various times, Dick seems to do three or four exceedingly dumb things in a row in order to advance the plot! It’s a real weakness in the overall story and a shame, since Gardner does do an admirable job elsewhere of taking cues from the source material.
The Batman Murders is a decent Batman novel. Like I said, there are some aspects of the story that don’t exactly hold up under scrutiny, but Gardner’s characterizations of Batman and The Joker are pretty well done.
I was all set to get my hate on with The Batman Murders because it has one of the most overwritten introductions I’ve ever read in any book. Here’s the first page. Phrases like “It brought crime into the city like a roach” are so overwrought they almost distract you from how clumsy the repetition of “There was no moon in Gotham City.” It’s like every bad impulse a writer ever had when it comes to writing a shitty Batman monologue made its way into the prologue and I’m going to be honest with you, boys and girls. I was ready to throw in the towel on this thing. I’m glad I didn’t though, because Gardner plays a great trick on his readers when it’s revealed the person who is thinking this dialogue is NOT Batman… it’s an overweight banker masquerading as Batman for reasons yet undetermined. I have to wonder if Gardner was playing on reader expectations with this reveal, but I felt the thing worked quite well.
The prologue effectively sets the stakes – there are random crimes being committed throughout Gotham City and, at the scenes of those crimes, a murdered citizen is discovered, dressed as the Dark Knight. Batman works both with the police and his own support team to stop these crimes, committed by (surprise) his archenemy The Joker.
The scenes with Batman and the police are sort of awesome when you view them through the characterization of the character in 2012 as an obsessed loner, growling out one syllable responses to criminals. The Batman in The Batman Murders happily wanders through police headquarters in the middle of the day and is on a first-name basis with most of the staff at the Gotham City mortuary. I could see this being a problem for some readers, but I did this friendlier, more easy-going version of ol’ Bats.
The Batman presented here is firmly rooted in the mythology and plot lines occurring in the Batman comic books published by DC Comics at the time. One of the crucial background details to the novel involves Batman/Bruce Wayne grieving over the death of the second Robin, Jason Todd. Todd was killed in the controversial Death in the Family storyline wherein The Joker beat Robin to death. It was a dark story and The Batman Murders seems takes place only months after Todd’s death.
I think it’s ambitious as hell, hooking these books up to the comic books… especially since, due to a weird scheduling snafu, some of the actual Batman comic books didn’t even get around to acknowledging Jason’s death until almost a year after the fact.
Other tie-ins to the comics include the character of Dick Grayson/Nightwing, the original Robin having long since taken on a new heroic identity. Grayson’s supporting role in The Batman Murders is pretty important and Gardner does not skip on the details. Numerous references are made not only to Grayson/Nightwing’s role as leader of The Teen Titans, but to more specific character details, like his relationship with Titans’ founding member Starfire. I was a little surprised to see these seemingly complicated elements worked into the characterization of Nightwing. Gardner does a fine job filling in the blanks and admirably pulls back on some of the more fantastic elements presented here; Starfire is referred to by her first name (Koriand’r) but the author doesn’t get into the whole “She’s an alien princess with superpowers” stuff. This was a good choice on Gardner’s part.
Unfortunately, the Nightwing stuff falls flat due to the demands of the story. What I mean is, Gardner needs Dick to be a little less competent than I know the character to normally be portrayed in the comics in order for certain pieces of his novel to fall into place. At various times, Dick seems to do three or four exceedingly dumb things in a row in order to advance the plot! It’s a real weakness in the overall story and a shame, since Gardner does do an admirable job elsewhere of taking cues from the source material.
The Batman Murders is a decent Batman novel. Like I said, there are some aspects of the story that don’t exactly hold up under scrutiny, but Gardner’s characterizations of Batman and The Joker are pretty well done.
October 25, 2020
This is a pretty fair Batman prose novel, entertaining though not especially elegant in either writing or plot. Dick Grayson as Nightwing figures almost as heavily as Bruce Wayne, and perhaps too much of the book is a philosophical look at the demise of Jason Todd. The story does stick quite closely to the DC Bat-chronology of the time. Good cover. Holy-playing-card-with-a-bullet-hole, who can be behind these bankers murders?
September 16, 2016
Not bad for a batman story that's not in the usual comic book format! So the story is that bankers are disappearing, one turns up dressed as Batman, and Batman has to find out what's going on! The Book has a slow start but as soon as the main villain shows up, it gains some momentum! We also get to see, the death of Jason Todd, and how it affects Batman shortly after, as its incorporated nicely into the main story! Negatives, well firstly you have to read pages of description, as opposed to see that expressed in the form of artwork, which might throw some people off; also the inclusion of Dick Grayson was badly done, I often found myself skipping through the pages to do with Dick's story after a while! But overall its an okay read, nothing special!
January 6, 2024
*Too short!
*Batman investigates a pop-psychology religion!
*Barney Miller vibes!
*Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne family stuff!
This novel takes place in a world that includes details from the comics--there's a lot about Jason Todd dying. And Dick Grayson mentions the Titans a couple times. But it also has the feel of some forgotten 1990s Batman-procedural-live-action-TV-show.
We get a little bit of Gotham's politics, some insights into police work, Gordon's administrative assistant calling the shots... I kept hearing the theme to Barney Miller. That's a compliment from me.
The end kind of fizzled--I could have used another 100 pages or another whole book. There was a lot of set up--which does come together at the end, but too quick for me.
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this. I like the idea of Batman investigating a church/cult.
Also, I wish there were less of the Joker. It just seems lazy to have him be the villain. But in 1990, with the movie out, I guess that was the deal.
I have to say again, prose Batman is my favorite Batman. He's like a fun detective who needs work on his personal relationships.
I found this at Title Wave Books in Anchorage. They have a bunch of media tie-in and superhero novels at the end of the sci-fi section.
*Batman investigates a pop-psychology religion!
*Barney Miller vibes!
*Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne family stuff!
This novel takes place in a world that includes details from the comics--there's a lot about Jason Todd dying. And Dick Grayson mentions the Titans a couple times. But it also has the feel of some forgotten 1990s Batman-procedural-live-action-TV-show.
We get a little bit of Gotham's politics, some insights into police work, Gordon's administrative assistant calling the shots... I kept hearing the theme to Barney Miller. That's a compliment from me.
The end kind of fizzled--I could have used another 100 pages or another whole book. There was a lot of set up--which does come together at the end, but too quick for me.
Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this. I like the idea of Batman investigating a church/cult.
Also, I wish there were less of the Joker. It just seems lazy to have him be the villain. But in 1990, with the movie out, I guess that was the deal.
I have to say again, prose Batman is my favorite Batman. He's like a fun detective who needs work on his personal relationships.
I found this at Title Wave Books in Anchorage. They have a bunch of media tie-in and superhero novels at the end of the sci-fi section.
February 25, 2024
That was surprisingly enjoyable.
November 11, 2015
I'm not usually keen on reading superhero novels, so my selection of this book is surefire evidence I've succumbed to the furvor over next year's BATMAN vs. SUPERMAN movie.
But why THE BATMAN MURDERS? Well, first off, I like the title and cover art. More importantly, though, it was written by Craig Shaw Gardner, who also penned the novelizations of Tim Burton's BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS--leading me to hope THE BATMAN MURDERS would retain that same Tim Burton-esque flavor.
In actuality, though, THE BATMAN MURDERS adheres more closely to the traditional comic book incarnation of Batman, even utilizing such characters as Jason Todd and Dick Grayson, who don't exist in the Burton universe, and The Joker, who died onscreen in BATMAN. Not that there's anything wrong with Gardner's decision to stick with the comics...but, what can I say?, at heart I'm just more of a movie guy than a comic book guy.
The book starts out surprisingly good. There's a neat little twist in the first chapter, and Gardner lays down the foundation for a pretty good mystery, like something out of the DETECTIVE COMICS of yore. Unfortunately, the book goes downhill from there.
For one thing, you've got Robin (um, sorry, "Nightwing"), who's as useless as ever. If Batman ever needs for someone to get kidnapped, believe me, Robin's got that covered. It's pretty much the only thing he's good for. But the worst characterization comes in the form of The Joker, who is as poorly rendered and one-dimensional here as I've ever seen him. This came as a surprise, since Gardner is best-known for writing stories with lots of humor; however, in this book, The Joker doesn't get off a single amusing line. The plot is strictly Kiddie Hour stuff, more suited to BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES than anything else.
Gardner tries to sprinkle in some character depth throughout, but none of it works. There is an attempt to portray Batman as emotionally tormented by the recent death of Jason Todd, but he mostly just comes across as being moody and disagreeable. When he and Robin converse, it's like eavesdropping on a divorced couple. The Joker is shown as having some kind of deep-rooted psychological need to let Batman in on his plans, but all this does is undermine the mystery angle by introducing a character who WANTS to get caught and intentionally leaves clues to ensure it happens.
The writing itself gets lazier and lazier as the book progresses. I have a feeling that Gardner produced the first few chapters as a writing sample for landing the publishing contract, then completed the remainder of the book on autopilot. It's acceptable storytelling for kids whose only concern is that Batman get the chance to punch a few bad guys. Adults, however, will feel short-changed.
But why THE BATMAN MURDERS? Well, first off, I like the title and cover art. More importantly, though, it was written by Craig Shaw Gardner, who also penned the novelizations of Tim Burton's BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS--leading me to hope THE BATMAN MURDERS would retain that same Tim Burton-esque flavor.
In actuality, though, THE BATMAN MURDERS adheres more closely to the traditional comic book incarnation of Batman, even utilizing such characters as Jason Todd and Dick Grayson, who don't exist in the Burton universe, and The Joker, who died onscreen in BATMAN. Not that there's anything wrong with Gardner's decision to stick with the comics...but, what can I say?, at heart I'm just more of a movie guy than a comic book guy.
The book starts out surprisingly good. There's a neat little twist in the first chapter, and Gardner lays down the foundation for a pretty good mystery, like something out of the DETECTIVE COMICS of yore. Unfortunately, the book goes downhill from there.
For one thing, you've got Robin (um, sorry, "Nightwing"), who's as useless as ever. If Batman ever needs for someone to get kidnapped, believe me, Robin's got that covered. It's pretty much the only thing he's good for. But the worst characterization comes in the form of The Joker, who is as poorly rendered and one-dimensional here as I've ever seen him. This came as a surprise, since Gardner is best-known for writing stories with lots of humor; however, in this book, The Joker doesn't get off a single amusing line. The plot is strictly Kiddie Hour stuff, more suited to BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES than anything else.
Gardner tries to sprinkle in some character depth throughout, but none of it works. There is an attempt to portray Batman as emotionally tormented by the recent death of Jason Todd, but he mostly just comes across as being moody and disagreeable. When he and Robin converse, it's like eavesdropping on a divorced couple. The Joker is shown as having some kind of deep-rooted psychological need to let Batman in on his plans, but all this does is undermine the mystery angle by introducing a character who WANTS to get caught and intentionally leaves clues to ensure it happens.
The writing itself gets lazier and lazier as the book progresses. I have a feeling that Gardner produced the first few chapters as a writing sample for landing the publishing contract, then completed the remainder of the book on autopilot. It's acceptable storytelling for kids whose only concern is that Batman get the chance to punch a few bad guys. Adults, however, will feel short-changed.
May 8, 2015
Despite the opening to this book, which came off as clumsy and just poorly written the author Craig Shaw Gardner pulled off the same trick as the story. With the revelation of a sloppy, fake Batman the focus turned towards the Bruce Wayne that we all know and love, as Craig turned from sloppy and poor writing into someone who capably wrote the character with real knowledge.
The only downside of this book was that the flashbacks with Jason Todd and the Joker felt forced in for no real story benefits. These sections were obviously inserted after his death within the comics to make the book feel more modern. However in a time many years after this has all happened, it makes no sense for these flashbacks to be so prominent.
The only downside of this book was that the flashbacks with Jason Todd and the Joker felt forced in for no real story benefits. These sections were obviously inserted after his death within the comics to make the book feel more modern. However in a time many years after this has all happened, it makes no sense for these flashbacks to be so prominent.
February 10, 2014
This was an interesting take on how Batman and Nightwing/Dick Grayson dealt with the loss of Jason Todd psychologically and how strained their relationship became. The Batman murders that transpire affect Bruce Wayne on a very deep level and he pushes himself too far trying to ignore the emotional pain he has. The story kept me glued but the shortcomings I must mention is that Dick Grayson is portrayed far weaker than he should be and the methods of the Church of Happiness are not fully explained. some loose ends there.
Still, I recommend this to every Batman fan.
Still, I recommend this to every Batman fan.
March 10, 2014
As a fan of Batman comics, I thought I'd branch out into the novels. It was good story, and I'd recommend it to any Batman fan.
January 8, 2019
I’m honestly shocked to see that I am writing pretty much the only real positive review of this novel here. So if you’re looking for a different approach to reviewing this novel, look no further.
First I’d like to point out the elephant in the room. The writing isn’t fantastic. At times it can be awkward but at no point did it hold up the plot. It’s story is certainly engaging enough that you can read past the imperfections of the prose. And the other elephant, maybe more akin to a calf, would be the ending. I’m. It going to spoil it but I will say the way it is designed mixed with his writing style... it can get a bit confusing but don’t let that stop you from finishing it. Stick with it because it does get clearer.
Of course there were other small issues, such as plot holes or lack of character development... but you know what it does have? Batman kicking ass and solving crime. Look, don’t get me wrong, I know there are many talented people out there who have done Batman projects that are near masterpieces (see Frank Miller, Scott Snyder, Chris Nolan, and Paul Dini) but to be honest, sometimes it’s okay to have a story of Batman just being an awesome detective and crime fighter. That’s pretty much this book.
For one thing, I enjoyed reading these characters in a novel as opposed to that of the graphic variety a lot more than I though I would. Gardner did a decent job at focusing on the detective side of Batman and Nightwing, as well as seeing Commissioner Gordon at work. The book read like a pulp detective novel and it works. It just needs a bit more action scenes and I could see them adapting this for a solo Ben Affleck Batman film following the DCEU’s Justice League. That’s actually how I more or less pictured this novel— in that universe.
I’d highly recommend this book for anyone who is simply a Batman fan, especially since information about the book or characters in it are barely even mentioned in the DC Wiki. That just proves not nearly enough fans have read, much less heard of this book— of the concept of original Batman novels that haven’t been made into comics, games or films. If anything, this is worth reading once, so don’t be afraid to give it a try.
First I’d like to point out the elephant in the room. The writing isn’t fantastic. At times it can be awkward but at no point did it hold up the plot. It’s story is certainly engaging enough that you can read past the imperfections of the prose. And the other elephant, maybe more akin to a calf, would be the ending. I’m. It going to spoil it but I will say the way it is designed mixed with his writing style... it can get a bit confusing but don’t let that stop you from finishing it. Stick with it because it does get clearer.
Of course there were other small issues, such as plot holes or lack of character development... but you know what it does have? Batman kicking ass and solving crime. Look, don’t get me wrong, I know there are many talented people out there who have done Batman projects that are near masterpieces (see Frank Miller, Scott Snyder, Chris Nolan, and Paul Dini) but to be honest, sometimes it’s okay to have a story of Batman just being an awesome detective and crime fighter. That’s pretty much this book.
For one thing, I enjoyed reading these characters in a novel as opposed to that of the graphic variety a lot more than I though I would. Gardner did a decent job at focusing on the detective side of Batman and Nightwing, as well as seeing Commissioner Gordon at work. The book read like a pulp detective novel and it works. It just needs a bit more action scenes and I could see them adapting this for a solo Ben Affleck Batman film following the DCEU’s Justice League. That’s actually how I more or less pictured this novel— in that universe.
I’d highly recommend this book for anyone who is simply a Batman fan, especially since information about the book or characters in it are barely even mentioned in the DC Wiki. That just proves not nearly enough fans have read, much less heard of this book— of the concept of original Batman novels that haven’t been made into comics, games or films. If anything, this is worth reading once, so don’t be afraid to give it a try.
May 10, 2024
This book was good but I can see why I had never heard of it before finding a copy at a thrift store. It's a quick pulpy light read that you'll enjoy if you love Batman.
Some minor complaints are that it was mostly structured like a mystery novel...but there wasn't much myserty too it, some of it was predictible and some of it was given away intentionally...but it took a lot of the suspense out of it. I also found it hard to suspend disbelief with the elements of Jokers plan, but not much more than a typical comic book plot.
I thought the characters were pretty true to form and it fits within canon. I was able to hear the Joker as Mark Hamill which is a good sign.
The ending was not good partially because it got confusing who the author was talking about. And also because the ending was rushed...it was like the author got tired of writing his own story and was just like screw it its over...timeskip to the end and an explanation of what happened in the final moments. Lazy, but to be honest I was ready for it to be over too. Overall I still enjoyed it though.
Some minor complaints are that it was mostly structured like a mystery novel...but there wasn't much myserty too it, some of it was predictible and some of it was given away intentionally...but it took a lot of the suspense out of it. I also found it hard to suspend disbelief with the elements of Jokers plan, but not much more than a typical comic book plot.
I thought the characters were pretty true to form and it fits within canon. I was able to hear the Joker as Mark Hamill which is a good sign.
The ending was not good partially because it got confusing who the author was talking about. And also because the ending was rushed...it was like the author got tired of writing his own story and was just like screw it its over...timeskip to the end and an explanation of what happened in the final moments. Lazy, but to be honest I was ready for it to be over too. Overall I still enjoyed it though.
June 11, 2022
A neat Batman story that felt like a part of the Tim Burton movie era, with some storylines from the comics. It was a bit confusing at times with the multiple identities, and the ending seemed a bit abrupt. It also took me a long time to read for some reason, even though it's relatively short. I did feel that the author had a good grasp of the Batman ethos and overall I did enjoy it. It's not a definitive Batman story by any means, but it's one to add to the collection for sure.
January 15, 2025
The Batman Murders is a novel written by Craig Shaw Gardner. It was published October 1990.
During a bank robbery gone wrong, Batman has died. And Batman is on the case to solve the murder. In a strange series of cases, people dressed up as Batman are dying while trying to prevent crimes around Gotham City.
To make matters more interesting, evidence found at the scenes point to a new church that has opened. A church that seems to be taking advantage of the youth and others who have been misrepresented and misunderstood into becoming fanatical followers. Batman asks his protégé Dick Grayson to infiltrate the church and learn everything he can.
The Batman Murders is the first in three series of novels released by Warner Books and DC Comics in the early 1990s. Interestingly enough, the books falls into the canon of the comics of that time, being set a few months after Jason Todd’s, the second Robin, brutal murder at the hands of The Joker.
I had heard some good things about these novels but then was hesitant after seeing the first novel is written by the same author who wrote the novel adaptations of Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns. I didn’t think the author did a great job with those. In The Batman Murders, he shows better writing skills with character interactions and setting up scenes, though he still doesn’t do a great job of capturing action.
I’m curious to see what kind of connections are in the next two books of the series!
During a bank robbery gone wrong, Batman has died. And Batman is on the case to solve the murder. In a strange series of cases, people dressed up as Batman are dying while trying to prevent crimes around Gotham City.
To make matters more interesting, evidence found at the scenes point to a new church that has opened. A church that seems to be taking advantage of the youth and others who have been misrepresented and misunderstood into becoming fanatical followers. Batman asks his protégé Dick Grayson to infiltrate the church and learn everything he can.
The Batman Murders is the first in three series of novels released by Warner Books and DC Comics in the early 1990s. Interestingly enough, the books falls into the canon of the comics of that time, being set a few months after Jason Todd’s, the second Robin, brutal murder at the hands of The Joker.
I had heard some good things about these novels but then was hesitant after seeing the first novel is written by the same author who wrote the novel adaptations of Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns. I didn’t think the author did a great job with those. In The Batman Murders, he shows better writing skills with character interactions and setting up scenes, though he still doesn’t do a great job of capturing action.
I’m curious to see what kind of connections are in the next two books of the series!
April 28, 2021
Its okay... Its a book based on batman written during the 90s comic boom. So dont expect anything amazing. Its not the worst, but if it was not a childhood memory of seeing this cover but not being aloud to read it, i may have given up. Its a solid 3 stars.
January 4, 2018
A fun quick mystery which sets Batman against the Joker for the first time after the Joker has killed Jason Todd.
January 28, 2023
Very mature commentary about how someone gets sucked into a cult.
June 9, 2023
Honestly, a much more satisfying Batman story than I was expecting.
January 27, 2024
not bad but not impressive
April 6, 2024
It is exactly what you expect it will be. Think of any older Batman movie - that's what you get with this. Still a fun break from what I would normally read.
January 25, 2015
Previously Published at TheQwillery.com
I've been a fan of Batman since I saw my first Batman cartoon in the late 70s. I read the novelization of the Tim Burton Batman film after watching and falling in love with the film as a 13-year-old boy. Since then I've always kept my eyes open for other Batman fiction outside of the regular comic format. Some are great and others fall very flat. Sadly, this book was one of the latter.
I can see how writing Batman can be a hard thing to do. To do it right you have to really get into the character's mind and understand his motivation for doing what he does. If the author can make the readers feel like they are in Batman's head, it's a great book. If the author doesn't do this properly, he can still salvage the story by presenting Batman with an interesting challenge or villain, and, at the very least, have Batman do some cool stuff.
In this book, Batman and Joker both come across as boring and one dimensional. Gardener tries to bring some emotion to Batman by having the story take place just after the second Robin is blown up by the Joker, giving him reason to be mad or in mourning, but none of the emotion feels real. I think Gardner picked the hardest villain to do right. If a reader is going to spend anytime inside the mind of the Joker, they should leave scared, confused and a little amused. The Joker acted more like a birthday clown that had performed at one too many kid's birthday parties.
The story itself was full of holes and had no wonder or mystery to it. Gardner, had the habit of telling instead of showing, over and over again. I think the success of the novelization made the studio greedy and demanded a second book without bothering to actually have a story worth writing or reading. There are no issues with violence, adult situations, and little language so it would be safe for teens or adults to read. However, this is definitely a book to pass on if you see it anywhere. Even for those of you who want to own every bit of Batman merchandise you can, just let this one go.
I've been a fan of Batman since I saw my first Batman cartoon in the late 70s. I read the novelization of the Tim Burton Batman film after watching and falling in love with the film as a 13-year-old boy. Since then I've always kept my eyes open for other Batman fiction outside of the regular comic format. Some are great and others fall very flat. Sadly, this book was one of the latter.
I can see how writing Batman can be a hard thing to do. To do it right you have to really get into the character's mind and understand his motivation for doing what he does. If the author can make the readers feel like they are in Batman's head, it's a great book. If the author doesn't do this properly, he can still salvage the story by presenting Batman with an interesting challenge or villain, and, at the very least, have Batman do some cool stuff.
In this book, Batman and Joker both come across as boring and one dimensional. Gardener tries to bring some emotion to Batman by having the story take place just after the second Robin is blown up by the Joker, giving him reason to be mad or in mourning, but none of the emotion feels real. I think Gardner picked the hardest villain to do right. If a reader is going to spend anytime inside the mind of the Joker, they should leave scared, confused and a little amused. The Joker acted more like a birthday clown that had performed at one too many kid's birthday parties.
The story itself was full of holes and had no wonder or mystery to it. Gardner, had the habit of telling instead of showing, over and over again. I think the success of the novelization made the studio greedy and demanded a second book without bothering to actually have a story worth writing or reading. There are no issues with violence, adult situations, and little language so it would be safe for teens or adults to read. However, this is definitely a book to pass on if you see it anywhere. Even for those of you who want to own every bit of Batman merchandise you can, just let this one go.
September 9, 2016
This Batman novel follows the conventions of the early nineties by putting the hero at an emotionally weakened crossroads, submitting him and /or his sidekick into emotional and physical danger, and working in the subplots of cults and brainwashing. The author puts the story into the DC Comic universe, featuring Dick Grayson as Nightwing, complete with Teen Titan baggage, as well as the recent death of Jason Todd (aka Robin), and yet completely rehashes the stories that were already being told there. DC editors probably didn't care one bit about continuity, simply seeing dollar signs off the success of the Tim Burton movie and Death of Robin media binge. The novel itself is simple and best geared toward young audiences. I did enjoy the brainwashing sequence at Drolle's church, the only bit that came off halfway realistic and slightly scary.
March 17, 2025
The first act teases a mystery that’s spoiled by the jacket summary, and the third act builds into a confusing climax that’s solved in roughly 3 pages of rushed exposition.
Despite that, there’s some good characterization for Batman dealing with the aftermath of Jason Todd. There’s also some interesting stuff in the second act involving cult indoctrination that feels like the author either properly researched it or lived through it.
Overall, an interesting but somewhat unsatisfying read.
Despite that, there’s some good characterization for Batman dealing with the aftermath of Jason Todd. There’s also some interesting stuff in the second act involving cult indoctrination that feels like the author either properly researched it or lived through it.
Overall, an interesting but somewhat unsatisfying read.
February 13, 2016
Didn't finish this book. Got a third of the way done and the bad writing turned me off to the point that I couldn't finish it. This is the last Batman novel I read.
2/5 Stars
_____________________________________
2nd Review:
I actually decided to finish this book (unfortunately). The story is stupid, the character development is nonexistent, and the characters are just plain bad.
.9/5 Stars
2/5 Stars
_____________________________________
2nd Review:
I actually decided to finish this book (unfortunately). The story is stupid, the character development is nonexistent, and the characters are just plain bad.
.9/5 Stars
June 11, 2011
A couple hours of life I wish I could have back...terrible
September 1, 2012
Not a bad read, but I think I've come to the conclusion that I like stories about comic book characters better in their traditional format. :)
October 22, 2016
Book started a off good. but went down hill and ended poorly.
Author lost touch with characters.
Author lost touch with characters.
October 16, 2011
A quick read with a nice story. I felt the end was a little abrupt and unfilling.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews