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Batman
Batman
Here is the novelization of the blockbuster Warner Brothers summer movie of 1989, Batman, from the author of The Lost Boys movie tie-in and the Ebenezzum fantasy series. Stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger. Original.
Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 1988
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807 people want to read
About the author
Craig Shaw Gardner
95 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
August 18, 2019
Ridiculous plot. But they could probably make a movie out of it.
January 6, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up to three. It pains me to do it, but even that's being generous, for this is merely "okay." The extra half star is a nod to the movie which is one of my faves. Not just favorite Batman or comic book movie, but one of my favorite movies ever. It's probably in my top ten, but more on that in a bit.
As for this book... Well, it's a novelization, so we shouldn't expect too much to begin with, but even among that class of, ahem, literature, this ain't great. The story would be great in a comic book format, but it's not in that format; it's in prose, and I'm sorry, but it just doesn't work very well. It would be better if the writing were better, but that wasn't great either. This makes me nervous because Gardner also wrote Batman Returns which is on the docket for this year's Christmas reading. The characters aren't quite right (especially Batman), and the parts from the Joker's point of view were annoying, though Gardner did a good job of showing us that he was a complete loon detached from reality. The love scenes were blech, and the action scenes didn't always translate well to the page. Plus there were a few editing errors and one part where two short paragraphs were repeated right after each other. I think my copy is a first edition, and if this ever gets a reprinting, hopefully they will fix all that. As with most novelizations, this was based on the screenplay. The first half matched the movie pretty closely, but a few scenes were left out of the second half or were heavily altered. As usual, this was a good thing.
I've gushed over this movie in another review where I also sum up my love affair with it and all things Batman/Joker, so I'll try to leave personal details out of this review. The movie is a cinematic work of art. This is the fault of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Prince, the cast (especially Jack Nicholson, the best comic book version of the Joker you'll ever see [Heath Ledger wins the more serious Dark Knight version {Why so serious?!}]), the sets, the costumes, etc., but I've discovered that we can't really blame the story because when you take away all the dressing, what's left is mediocre at best. In someone else's hands, this movie could've been complete crap. In fact, that's exactly how it played out with a couple of sequels. (I won't mention the name, but it starts with Joel T. Schumacher.)* But Tim Burton did this one, and it ended up being one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons in my lifetime.
Seriously, you could not get away from Batman in the summer of 1989. Batmania was inescapable no matter your age or whether or not you had the slightest interest in it. Not since the DALLAS "Who shot JR?" craze of 1980 was the public so caught up in something for a whole summer. The Batman logo was on everything from t-shirts to shoes, and even cut into hairdos.
It also changed the game for the entire film industry with its aggressive marketing campaign. It broke a lot of records for opening weekend and even the second weekend. It went to VHS a mere five months after it came out which was unheard of back then, and that happened a month before it was even finished in the theaters, which I'm not sure had ever happened before. (Can you imagine a movie staying in the theaters for six months nowadays?) It also made comic book movies interesting for adults which had happened only once before with 1978's Superman, and I believe the subsequent interest for all comic book movies can be traced to this one.
Not only that, it has withstood the test of time probably because it's timeless. Can you put a timestamp on the setting? 80s technology mixed with 40s fashion doesn't really belong anywhere, but anyone from any time can appreciate it. It has several quotable lines from the Joker that people still recognize 30 years later. When Stephen King's It was adapted for the screen, the setting was updated to 1989, and you can see what they chose to put on the marquee at the Aladdin Theater.
I mean, 1989 was a bumper year for movies and they picked Batman and Lethal Weapon 2.
I say all that just to point out that Batman was a big deal in spite of its major shortcoming which is the story, but the production quality of the movie was so great that I never even noticed that until now.
I'll close with my usual novelization review advice and suggest that you just watch the movie instead of reading this. And also enjoy various songs from the soundtrack found in the reading progress below.
*Don't get me wrong. I love some of Schumacher's other work such as The Lost Boys and The Client, but his treatment of the Batman movies leaves much to be desired (like a cyanide cocktail), and his version of The Phantom of the Opera is damn near unforgivable. My ears still haven't recovered from the 20 minutes I saw of that, and that was at least 15 years ago!
As for this book... Well, it's a novelization, so we shouldn't expect too much to begin with, but even among that class of, ahem, literature, this ain't great. The story would be great in a comic book format, but it's not in that format; it's in prose, and I'm sorry, but it just doesn't work very well. It would be better if the writing were better, but that wasn't great either. This makes me nervous because Gardner also wrote Batman Returns which is on the docket for this year's Christmas reading. The characters aren't quite right (especially Batman), and the parts from the Joker's point of view were annoying, though Gardner did a good job of showing us that he was a complete loon detached from reality. The love scenes were blech, and the action scenes didn't always translate well to the page. Plus there were a few editing errors and one part where two short paragraphs were repeated right after each other. I think my copy is a first edition, and if this ever gets a reprinting, hopefully they will fix all that. As with most novelizations, this was based on the screenplay. The first half matched the movie pretty closely, but a few scenes were left out of the second half or were heavily altered. As usual, this was a good thing.
I've gushed over this movie in another review where I also sum up my love affair with it and all things Batman/Joker, so I'll try to leave personal details out of this review. The movie is a cinematic work of art. This is the fault of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman, Prince, the cast (especially Jack Nicholson, the best comic book version of the Joker you'll ever see [Heath Ledger wins the more serious Dark Knight version {Why so serious?!}]), the sets, the costumes, etc., but I've discovered that we can't really blame the story because when you take away all the dressing, what's left is mediocre at best. In someone else's hands, this movie could've been complete crap. In fact, that's exactly how it played out with a couple of sequels. (I won't mention the name, but it starts with Joel T. Schumacher.)* But Tim Burton did this one, and it ended up being one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons in my lifetime.
Seriously, you could not get away from Batman in the summer of 1989. Batmania was inescapable no matter your age or whether or not you had the slightest interest in it. Not since the DALLAS "Who shot JR?" craze of 1980 was the public so caught up in something for a whole summer. The Batman logo was on everything from t-shirts to shoes, and even cut into hairdos.
It also changed the game for the entire film industry with its aggressive marketing campaign. It broke a lot of records for opening weekend and even the second weekend. It went to VHS a mere five months after it came out which was unheard of back then, and that happened a month before it was even finished in the theaters, which I'm not sure had ever happened before. (Can you imagine a movie staying in the theaters for six months nowadays?) It also made comic book movies interesting for adults which had happened only once before with 1978's Superman, and I believe the subsequent interest for all comic book movies can be traced to this one.
Not only that, it has withstood the test of time probably because it's timeless. Can you put a timestamp on the setting? 80s technology mixed with 40s fashion doesn't really belong anywhere, but anyone from any time can appreciate it. It has several quotable lines from the Joker that people still recognize 30 years later. When Stephen King's It was adapted for the screen, the setting was updated to 1989, and you can see what they chose to put on the marquee at the Aladdin Theater.
I mean, 1989 was a bumper year for movies and they picked Batman and Lethal Weapon 2.
I say all that just to point out that Batman was a big deal in spite of its major shortcoming which is the story, but the production quality of the movie was so great that I never even noticed that until now.
I'll close with my usual novelization review advice and suggest that you just watch the movie instead of reading this. And also enjoy various songs from the soundtrack found in the reading progress below.
*Don't get me wrong. I love some of Schumacher's other work such as The Lost Boys and The Client, but his treatment of the Batman movies leaves much to be desired (like a cyanide cocktail), and his version of The Phantom of the Opera is damn near unforgivable. My ears still haven't recovered from the 20 minutes I saw of that, and that was at least 15 years ago!
April 11, 2016
I loved this film for many reasons - it was a Tim Burton film with a score from Danny Elfman - I was hooked, however it was also the introduction of a new kind of Batman. Up till that point Batman was a cheesy 60s psychedelic roller coaster that just didnt reflect some of the comics and graphic novels coming out at the time (Year One?)
So yes when this film came out I loved it - okay watching it now especially with the later incarnations to compare against has taken some of the wow factor out of it - and I realise that there was still a lot of comic book left in the film.
However we are talking about the book and for that I was equally blown away with. Now I have put down todays date but in all honesty I cannot remember the first time I read it - no doubt within minutes of getting my copy home as soon as it had been released.
Craig Shaw Gardner has reputation for humorous fantasies and several TV novelisations so he is no slouch at this sort of thing but in places it did feel like it was literally taken from the film script but hey I loved the film so no worries there. So in short it was solid rendition of a favourite film of mine and one that will no doubt be read (and watched again and again)
So yes when this film came out I loved it - okay watching it now especially with the later incarnations to compare against has taken some of the wow factor out of it - and I realise that there was still a lot of comic book left in the film.
However we are talking about the book and for that I was equally blown away with. Now I have put down todays date but in all honesty I cannot remember the first time I read it - no doubt within minutes of getting my copy home as soon as it had been released.
Craig Shaw Gardner has reputation for humorous fantasies and several TV novelisations so he is no slouch at this sort of thing but in places it did feel like it was literally taken from the film script but hey I loved the film so no worries there. So in short it was solid rendition of a favourite film of mine and one that will no doubt be read (and watched again and again)
January 30, 2024
chyba trzeba lubić taki rodzaj pisania, dla mnie zbyt płytkie nawet w swoim przerysowaniu jakieś takie bez głębi
August 4, 2016
I first saw the Batman 1989 version when I was 8 years old, and I thought it was the coolest movie ever since Star Wars! I've been a die-hard Batman film ever since. Michael Keaton was a great Batman and Jack Nicholson was phenomenal as The Joker.
The book follow the movie fairly well. Batman wages war on the criminal underworld of Gotham City, but when the Joker comes to power, he takes over the underworld and wants to rule Gotham City, but also shows interest in Photographer Vicki Vale, who show's a professional interest in Batman, and is also dating Bruce Wayne, who as we all know is also the Caped Crusader, Batman!
The book follow the movie fairly well. Batman wages war on the criminal underworld of Gotham City, but when the Joker comes to power, he takes over the underworld and wants to rule Gotham City, but also shows interest in Photographer Vicki Vale, who show's a professional interest in Batman, and is also dating Bruce Wayne, who as we all know is also the Caped Crusader, Batman!
July 30, 2019
Boy, stripped of Tim Burton's gloriously Gothic cinematic flourishes -- his then-groundbreaking film noir–cum–freak show aesthetic -- this novelization really lays bare just how flimsy the movie's underlying story is.
It does include a few scenes that were substantially reworked for the finished film (particularly in the second half), and at least explains why there was no police presence whatsoever in the third act (even if the explanation is hopelessly stupid and was wisely omitted from the final cut), but the prose is unremarkable, the characterization is thin, and the plot -- over which Gardner, I'll concede, had no control -- is mediocre at best, nonsensical at worst.
I don't think this is even worth reading for die-hard Bat-fans; the movie's stylish direction and compelling performances, still watchable today, make up for a subpar story devoid of smart plotting or thematic complexity -- the very shortcomings so painfully evident in this forgettable (if short of awful) novelization.
It does include a few scenes that were substantially reworked for the finished film (particularly in the second half), and at least explains why there was no police presence whatsoever in the third act (even if the explanation is hopelessly stupid and was wisely omitted from the final cut), but the prose is unremarkable, the characterization is thin, and the plot -- over which Gardner, I'll concede, had no control -- is mediocre at best, nonsensical at worst.
I don't think this is even worth reading for die-hard Bat-fans; the movie's stylish direction and compelling performances, still watchable today, make up for a subpar story devoid of smart plotting or thematic complexity -- the very shortcomings so painfully evident in this forgettable (if short of awful) novelization.
September 4, 2012
Normally I am a big fan of reading books before their movie adaptation is released. This is one example of where I preferred the movie to the book. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of Craig Shaw Garder, and I think the book was well written, however there were some really out of place scenes in this adaptation that I felt did not fit the overall flow of the story. For example, most people will recall the scene in the movie where Bruce Wayne shows up at Vicki Vale's apartment and the two have an arguement. Bruce attempts to tell her that he is Batman, but the Joker and his goons arrive. In the book adaption, Bruce pulls out his utility belt and proceeds to examine the box the Joker sends her, which is there before hand. Additionally, after the Joker leaves, Bruce puts on a ski mask and tries to chase the Joker down in his car, while wearing his utility belt. There are a few other scenes that just didn't quite work for me. Other than that, Gardner did a good job of painting the Gotham City picture as a city of slime and crime.
October 3, 2013
One of the very first books I ever read!
I still have the copy and I get chills reading it!
Viva la Burton's Batman!
I still have the copy and I get chills reading it!
Viva la Burton's Batman!
February 24, 2020
The 1989 Batman movie is and always will be one of my favorite superhero films while most on the internet would now see the film dated with Christopher Nolen's film trilogy out there but that's just a sign how old Willie critical geek culture has become. The book like any novelization of a movie mainly follows the original script so there are things that happened in the book that don't appear in the final film such as a chase down of the joker with that man on horseback. We also get a slight view inside the joker's twisted sense of humor such as him believing to be entertaining the people of Gotham before he kills them.
This was fun quick read I'm glad I found this lying around.
This was fun quick read I'm glad I found this lying around.
February 19, 2021
I came here to have fun and that's what I got. It is what it is and it's good! It's fun and nostalgic.
It could have been better? YES, the story could have been expanded upon the Batman mythos, the characters could have been better fleshed out and the rhythm could have been better, but honestly with this type of books it's not usually the author's fault but rather the company ordering the novel or the publisher.
Craig Shaw Gardner is famous for this type of work so I bealive he has nothing to prove when it comes to doing good adaptations.
It's a fun time, it's enjoyable and I would positively recommend to listen to the audiobook while reading it or to just enjoy it as it is.
It could have been better? YES, the story could have been expanded upon the Batman mythos, the characters could have been better fleshed out and the rhythm could have been better, but honestly with this type of books it's not usually the author's fault but rather the company ordering the novel or the publisher.
Craig Shaw Gardner is famous for this type of work so I bealive he has nothing to prove when it comes to doing good adaptations.
It's a fun time, it's enjoyable and I would positively recommend to listen to the audiobook while reading it or to just enjoy it as it is.
June 1, 2021
"Nieśmiertelny Gacek w wydaniu książkowym!" właśnie taka myśl siedziała w mojej głowie, kiedy kupowałem tę książę na jakimś pchlim targu. W między czasie dowiedziałem się, że to forma literacka przewspaniałego Batmana z 1989 roku.
Jako dzieciak byłem zakochany w tym filmie i do tej pory wracam do niego niesłychaną przyjemnością. Właśnie te wspomnienia i temat sprawił, że miałem dość wysokie oczekiwania względem tego "dzieła".
Cóż... Zawiodłem się.
Największy problem w czytaniu sprawiała mi konstrukcja zdań. Dziwne, proste zdania. Nie wiem czy w wersji angielskiej też tak kulawo to wyglądało, czy to sprawka polskiego tłumacza.
Drugi problem siedział znacznie głębiej. O ile historię w wersji filmowej ogląda się przyjemnie i jesteśmy przyzwyczajeni do pewnych skrótów logicznych czy sytuacyjnych tak w książce nie są one do przejść. Książka wydaje się momentami głupawa. Rozumiem ton i charakter (zwłaszcza, że film tworzył wspaniały Tim Burton), ale kurcze...
Ostatni minus, ale to chyba mój prywatny problem. Brakowało mi jakichś ciekawostek, większych opisów czy historii, które w filmie się nie znalazły. Zdaję sobie sprawę z tego, że literacka wersja filmu po prostu przedstawia to co się dzieje na ekranie w wersji pisemnej, ale liczyłem na coś więcej. Na wejście w ten wspaniały mroczny świat....
Jeśli nie chcecie się krzywdzić weźcie do ręki jakieś dobre komiksy lub zobaczcie sobie film z nietoperzem. /:)
Jako dzieciak byłem zakochany w tym filmie i do tej pory wracam do niego niesłychaną przyjemnością. Właśnie te wspomnienia i temat sprawił, że miałem dość wysokie oczekiwania względem tego "dzieła".
Cóż... Zawiodłem się.
Największy problem w czytaniu sprawiała mi konstrukcja zdań. Dziwne, proste zdania. Nie wiem czy w wersji angielskiej też tak kulawo to wyglądało, czy to sprawka polskiego tłumacza.
Drugi problem siedział znacznie głębiej. O ile historię w wersji filmowej ogląda się przyjemnie i jesteśmy przyzwyczajeni do pewnych skrótów logicznych czy sytuacyjnych tak w książce nie są one do przejść. Książka wydaje się momentami głupawa. Rozumiem ton i charakter (zwłaszcza, że film tworzył wspaniały Tim Burton), ale kurcze...
Ostatni minus, ale to chyba mój prywatny problem. Brakowało mi jakichś ciekawostek, większych opisów czy historii, które w filmie się nie znalazły. Zdaję sobie sprawę z tego, że literacka wersja filmu po prostu przedstawia to co się dzieje na ekranie w wersji pisemnej, ale liczyłem na coś więcej. Na wejście w ten wspaniały mroczny świat....
Jeśli nie chcecie się krzywdzić weźcie do ręki jakieś dobre komiksy lub zobaczcie sobie film z nietoperzem. /:)
July 23, 2021
The shifting in perspective is a cool way of approaching the adaptation, but the writing itself is rather bland and unmemorable—with the exception of the Joker’s consciousness. Still a fun read for fans of Batman, and a solid adaptation of the 1989 film.
December 7, 2025
This book was pretty bad lol!
January 27, 2024
fun adaptation of the movie
December 7, 2024
An interesting curiosity but I much prefer the movie.
August 27, 2024
As a long-time fan of the 1989 film, this novelization was enjoyable. I especially loved the narrators portrayal of The Joker. Awesome film, awesome novel.
June 22, 2015
A nicely done movie adaptation.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
August 20, 2024
Never really cared much for Burton's take on Batman, but the cinematography was beautiful, and the performances were fun. This book novelizes the same bare-bones nothing plot while lacking any of the film's positive attributes, so we're stuck with, essentially, a Batman and Joker with barely a personality trait among the two of them, and a barely existent plot. Prose is forgettable and frequently annoying.
August 8, 2008
Ties both the new and old versions of the movie together, but when I get the visual picture of the Joker, I always picture Heath Ledgers version. To me, that is the Joker that can be Batman's ultimate enemy. Jack Nicholson looks like a clown in comparison.
March 15, 2016
It definitely wasn't the movie...but it wasn't a bad read either. Although I'm not sure I'd be able to read the book and watch the movie that closely together...it might drive me crazy!! But being able to read one of my favorite movies is amazing :)
November 27, 2024
Batman is a novel written by Craig Shaw Gardner and is based on the screenplay by Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren. It was originally released in June 1989.
There are whispers that in the dark of night, the criminals of Gotham City are being hunted by a giant bat. Gotham’s police department and District Attorney play off any rumors, but Gotham Gazette reporter Alexander Knox and photographer Vicki Vale are on a mission to uncover the scoop on who the Batman is and what drives him. And hopefully win a Pulitzer Prize along the way.
Gotham City’s underworld is run by Crime Lord Carl Grissom and his right hand man Jack Napier. Grissom sets up Napier to go down after learning Napier had been sleeping with his girl, but a botched raid ends with Napier falling into a vat of industrial chemicals. Believed dead, Napier drags himself out but has been driven psychotic. Now going by The Joker, he quickly sets out on a path of revenge and chaos before setting his sights on the beautiful Vicki Vale and drawing the attention of Batman.
My biggest pet peeve while reading this book was that Gardner must not have known what kind of music would be featured in scenes, so he writes all music as “BOOM shakalakalaka” over and over and over.
The script of Batman is not the strongest, especially compared to Christopher Nolan’s trilogy and Matt Reeves recent film. The film is beloved because of its unique style and performances. Gardner’s writing adds little insight to the characters and events. The first two-thirds of the book are almost exactly aligned to the film with the last third being altered some, but not enough to drastically change what happens in the film. There are times where the writing feels like the author is just taking notes from the film, especially during the art museum and parade scenes. If this had been released today, I would have thought those parts were just an AI generated summary.
The book is written in a third person point of view with most scenes coming from Vicki Vale, Jack Napier/The Joker, and Bruce Wayne/Batman. Bruce Wayne is written especially bad. It’s just not a good depiction of the character. I would have liked more motivations from the primary characters and well as some extra added scenes. After recently reading the comic book adaptation and rewatching the film, I feel like I did not gain anything from reading this novelization.
There are whispers that in the dark of night, the criminals of Gotham City are being hunted by a giant bat. Gotham’s police department and District Attorney play off any rumors, but Gotham Gazette reporter Alexander Knox and photographer Vicki Vale are on a mission to uncover the scoop on who the Batman is and what drives him. And hopefully win a Pulitzer Prize along the way.
Gotham City’s underworld is run by Crime Lord Carl Grissom and his right hand man Jack Napier. Grissom sets up Napier to go down after learning Napier had been sleeping with his girl, but a botched raid ends with Napier falling into a vat of industrial chemicals. Believed dead, Napier drags himself out but has been driven psychotic. Now going by The Joker, he quickly sets out on a path of revenge and chaos before setting his sights on the beautiful Vicki Vale and drawing the attention of Batman.
My biggest pet peeve while reading this book was that Gardner must not have known what kind of music would be featured in scenes, so he writes all music as “BOOM shakalakalaka” over and over and over.
The script of Batman is not the strongest, especially compared to Christopher Nolan’s trilogy and Matt Reeves recent film. The film is beloved because of its unique style and performances. Gardner’s writing adds little insight to the characters and events. The first two-thirds of the book are almost exactly aligned to the film with the last third being altered some, but not enough to drastically change what happens in the film. There are times where the writing feels like the author is just taking notes from the film, especially during the art museum and parade scenes. If this had been released today, I would have thought those parts were just an AI generated summary.
The book is written in a third person point of view with most scenes coming from Vicki Vale, Jack Napier/The Joker, and Bruce Wayne/Batman. Bruce Wayne is written especially bad. It’s just not a good depiction of the character. I would have liked more motivations from the primary characters and well as some extra added scenes. After recently reading the comic book adaptation and rewatching the film, I feel like I did not gain anything from reading this novelization.
January 27, 2025
"Boom shaka laka, boom shaka laka!" as the Danny Elfman Batman Film Score plays in the background.
With my little joke out of the way, IYKYK, I decided to give this audiobook a listen, because I recently bought "Batman Resurrection." A recent title that was written to be a sequel to the movie this audiobook is based off of but also taking place before the film Batman Returns. Now I was going to just watch the movie to get into mood for reading that book, but was then recommended the audiobook on Spotify. For those of you who don't know, if you have a premium account on that service, you get fifteen hours of listening time a month on a good number of audiobooks on their app. This one came up as a recommend, so I decided why not, I've seen the movie a bunch a times as a kid growing up. Its only 1 hour and 37 minutes, so its a knock out of the park to get through. I know most novelizations of films are done generally from just the script and not the final film. Which is why a good number of them come out before said film is released. This audiobook pretty much follows the film beat for beat. It doesn't really add anything extra, besides the occasional context to what a character is thinking in a scene where they are convening it with just actions in the movie. With that being said, this made me realize how bare bones the plot of that Batman movie really is. And how much the score, tone, sets, and actors really bring this story together for the movie. The audiobook on the other hand will make you notice that missing right off the bat. As most people know, Prince did a soundtrack for the film, and one of the songs is used prominently during a scene with the Joker. When that scene comes up during this reading, the music is describe as the joke I quoted at the start of this review. Which is kind of horrifying as it is humorous to describe something that supposed to be a Prince song. Its little things like that this audiobook continuously does that keeps taking me out of being fully invested the story being told. Maybe this would come off better had I just read the novelization instead of listing to this audiobook. But if I had to ponder that, then I would just watch the movie again. Which I will be paying more attention to the story next view because of how this experience left me. Is this worth your time, I don't think so...
With my little joke out of the way, IYKYK, I decided to give this audiobook a listen, because I recently bought "Batman Resurrection." A recent title that was written to be a sequel to the movie this audiobook is based off of but also taking place before the film Batman Returns. Now I was going to just watch the movie to get into mood for reading that book, but was then recommended the audiobook on Spotify. For those of you who don't know, if you have a premium account on that service, you get fifteen hours of listening time a month on a good number of audiobooks on their app. This one came up as a recommend, so I decided why not, I've seen the movie a bunch a times as a kid growing up. Its only 1 hour and 37 minutes, so its a knock out of the park to get through. I know most novelizations of films are done generally from just the script and not the final film. Which is why a good number of them come out before said film is released. This audiobook pretty much follows the film beat for beat. It doesn't really add anything extra, besides the occasional context to what a character is thinking in a scene where they are convening it with just actions in the movie. With that being said, this made me realize how bare bones the plot of that Batman movie really is. And how much the score, tone, sets, and actors really bring this story together for the movie. The audiobook on the other hand will make you notice that missing right off the bat. As most people know, Prince did a soundtrack for the film, and one of the songs is used prominently during a scene with the Joker. When that scene comes up during this reading, the music is describe as the joke I quoted at the start of this review. Which is kind of horrifying as it is humorous to describe something that supposed to be a Prince song. Its little things like that this audiobook continuously does that keeps taking me out of being fully invested the story being told. Maybe this would come off better had I just read the novelization instead of listing to this audiobook. But if I had to ponder that, then I would just watch the movie again. Which I will be paying more attention to the story next view because of how this experience left me. Is this worth your time, I don't think so...
June 21, 2025
Gonna go ahead and be perfectly clear that Batman (1989) is one of my all time favorite movies & has been most of my life. Being a novelization fan, you’re reminded how it can be a fun & frustrating experience which is exactly what Craig Shaw Gardner’s adaptation is in this case. Since this book is based off the screenplay, you’re missing a large portion of iconic one liners, right off the bat (pun intended) “I’M BATMAN” is replaced by “I am the night!” which while still cool, doesn’t bring the impact we’ve grown to love from the great Michael Keaton. But it’s Nicholson’s improvised lines as the Joker that are missing most “Oh I’ve got a live one here!”, “Bob…remember…you are my number one!”, “Bob…gun.” Etc But that said, you are treated to some new scenes/changes such a horseback riding date at Wayne Manor between Bruce & Vicki, extended chase scene via horseback with Batman after he kidnaps Vicki from her apartment, plus an extension on the parade climax revealing Joker’s throwing phony money to the crowd too. The main story beats are there but Gardner is quick to get to the action & not very heavy on description. A fine novelization but not a must read for any fans hoping for some new content or elements. But at 225, it’s still a quick & fun read for any fans of the film & characters.
November 12, 2024
"I am the Night"
I still remember how, as a boy, I came across this book by Gardner in the library. He took it and got lost in his room, reading page after page, plunging into the dark and gloomy world of Gotham.
This is a great novel where the author shows the noir Batman, sullen and still experiencing the death of his parents in early childhood.
I don't know what was created earlier: this novel or Tim Burton's film, but the book describes everything much deeper. You read about what you can't see on the screen, you get into it, you understand the motivation of the characters. On the one hand, a billionaire who creates an image of a simpleton and a klutz (more like Clark Kent), on the other — a dangerous avenger in a bat mask. And he is opposed by probably the most iconic and dangerous opponent, Jack Napier, aka the Joker, who in this incarnation is a gangster who, after an accident, becomes a mad joker.
I really liked Gardner's work. Atmospheric, gloomy, in the spirit of the times. An excellent description of an alternative universe, where everything is somewhat exaggerated, but the work and the plot only benefit from this.
10 out of 10
I still remember how, as a boy, I came across this book by Gardner in the library. He took it and got lost in his room, reading page after page, plunging into the dark and gloomy world of Gotham.
This is a great novel where the author shows the noir Batman, sullen and still experiencing the death of his parents in early childhood.
I don't know what was created earlier: this novel or Tim Burton's film, but the book describes everything much deeper. You read about what you can't see on the screen, you get into it, you understand the motivation of the characters. On the one hand, a billionaire who creates an image of a simpleton and a klutz (more like Clark Kent), on the other — a dangerous avenger in a bat mask. And he is opposed by probably the most iconic and dangerous opponent, Jack Napier, aka the Joker, who in this incarnation is a gangster who, after an accident, becomes a mad joker.
I really liked Gardner's work. Atmospheric, gloomy, in the spirit of the times. An excellent description of an alternative universe, where everything is somewhat exaggerated, but the work and the plot only benefit from this.
10 out of 10
August 8, 2025
I was going to give this 3 stars, since I'm biased towards Batman, even though the writing is very middle-of-the-road and the characters seem flat compared to the movie. But as it went on, the book had more and more typos and either repeated passages or wasn't consistent in the slightest, making me question if anyone even proofread this book. For example, in Chapter 10:
Vicki lurched out of her seat. She couldn’t help herself. The chair fell with a crash as she stumbled
away.
“I’m no Picasso,” the Joker continued, as modest as before. “You like it?”
Vicki threw a second chair in the Joker’s path. Like it? She couldn’t look back at Alicia, no matter
how much she tried.
Then a few lines down, still referring to Vicki:
“I think you’re insane!” she spat back, half rising from her chair.
Or there was this outright repeat later on in Chapter 17:
Bob handed him the gas mask, standard World War II issue, except that it had thoughtfully been painted with purple, gold, and green Joker colors.
Again, a few lines down:
Bob—good old Bob—finally handed him a gas mask. The Joker screamed with laughter as he fitted the mask over his nose and mouth.
Am I being petty by noting exact stuff like this? Sure. But if you're going to put out a book, I expect someone to at least proofread it before it goes to market. Especially a novel slapped with a big budget name like Batman.
TLDR: It's basically like reading the screenplay, but not as good. Just watch the movie.
Vicki lurched out of her seat. She couldn’t help herself. The chair fell with a crash as she stumbled
away.
“I’m no Picasso,” the Joker continued, as modest as before. “You like it?”
Vicki threw a second chair in the Joker’s path. Like it? She couldn’t look back at Alicia, no matter
how much she tried.
Then a few lines down, still referring to Vicki:
“I think you’re insane!” she spat back, half rising from her chair.
Or there was this outright repeat later on in Chapter 17:
Bob handed him the gas mask, standard World War II issue, except that it had thoughtfully been painted with purple, gold, and green Joker colors.
Again, a few lines down:
Bob—good old Bob—finally handed him a gas mask. The Joker screamed with laughter as he fitted the mask over his nose and mouth.
Am I being petty by noting exact stuff like this? Sure. But if you're going to put out a book, I expect someone to at least proofread it before it goes to market. Especially a novel slapped with a big budget name like Batman.
TLDR: It's basically like reading the screenplay, but not as good. Just watch the movie.
December 19, 2018
This movie, and this book, are so goddamn stupid.
but I love them to bits.
This is one of those films where I think it's brilliant on an analytic and thematic level but falls short of its source material and falls short in terms of narrative (namely, anything resembling a plot).
The book makes some fixes to the narrative by pulling from previous drafts of screenplays and giving us inner monologues of characters, but the whole thing is written in a fashion best called telling rather than showing.
It's a quick, somewhat enjoyable, somewhat lousy read, almost exactly like the movie it adapts.
but I love them to bits.
This is one of those films where I think it's brilliant on an analytic and thematic level but falls short of its source material and falls short in terms of narrative (namely, anything resembling a plot).
The book makes some fixes to the narrative by pulling from previous drafts of screenplays and giving us inner monologues of characters, but the whole thing is written in a fashion best called telling rather than showing.
It's a quick, somewhat enjoyable, somewhat lousy read, almost exactly like the movie it adapts.
May 30, 2021
Like most movie novelizations, this book is two things.
First, it's thin. It is a prose rending of the script—an ekphrasis.
Second, it has the deleted scenes and deleted plot points, such as the Joker's money being counterfeit, the cops drinking tainted coffee, the John T. Gotham statue switcharoo, Batman on a horse, and Wayne and Vale horse-riding.
And these deleted elements are what make novelizations, like this and Back to the Future I and II, and Temple of Doom and Crystal Skull great experiences.
First, it's thin. It is a prose rending of the script—an ekphrasis.
Second, it has the deleted scenes and deleted plot points, such as the Joker's money being counterfeit, the cops drinking tainted coffee, the John T. Gotham statue switcharoo, Batman on a horse, and Wayne and Vale horse-riding.
And these deleted elements are what make novelizations, like this and Back to the Future I and II, and Temple of Doom and Crystal Skull great experiences.
February 1, 2025
Oof. That was rough. I did the audiobook version of this. It's an abridged version of the story. I think that's probably a good thing.
I feel like no one told Roddy MacDowell that this wasn't the 60s version of Batman. His narration was very cartoony and over the top. Did not convey the darker tone of Tim Burton's film at all. I am sure this was written based on the script and probably the author never saw the finished film before this book was published.
I really can't recommend it. At least it's short.
I feel like no one told Roddy MacDowell that this wasn't the 60s version of Batman. His narration was very cartoony and over the top. Did not convey the darker tone of Tim Burton's film at all. I am sure this was written based on the script and probably the author never saw the finished film before this book was published.
I really can't recommend it. At least it's short.
March 15, 2017
Published in 1989 a few weeks before Tim Burton’s massively successful film, this novelization by Craig Shaw Gardner is a bit rough around the edges, and I don’t mean from shelf wear. Gardner’s approach to writing is hit or miss, but fortunately, despite being very workmanlike, his Batman novel is a good read.
Gotham City is a cesspool of crime. We begin with a family trying to find their way home through the crowded, dirty city at night, only to be waylaid by a pair of muggers while taking a shortcut through an alley. No, this isn’t the Waynes. The little boy is named Jimmy, and the crooks just knock his dad out rather than killing him, before absconding with his wallet. The bad guys, Nick and Eddie, think they’ve gotten away scot-free, but unfortunately for them, a dark avenger has witnessed the crime…
Hiding out on a rooftop, the thieves count their loot and shoot the breeze. Eddie is nervous. He chides Nick for his use of too much violence in the mugging, and is also eager to get home because of “the Bat.” Nic mocks him for his worries. “The Bat” is a legendary figure in the seedy underworld of Gotham; a mysterious cloaked figure who may or may not be a humanoid bat. Nick pooh-poohs such ridiculous talk… until the crunch of foot on gravel alerts the men that they’re not alone.
A caped figure in a mask quickly takes out Eddie, and then holds Nick over the ledge as he begs for his life.
“You’re trespassing, rat breath,” Batman says.
“Trespassing? You don’t own the night!” Nick protests with some unwarranted bravado.
“I want you to tell your friends,” Batman goes on as if the scumbag hadn’t spoken. “Tell all your friends. … I am the night!”
And with that, we’re introduced to Craig Shaw Gardner’s Batman.
This is a novelization of the 1989 Tim Burton film. Gardner’s prose is a little workmanlike and dry, but it’s still a decent enough read if you’re a fan of the film, and the best scenes are the parts told from the Joker’s P.O.V. They’re very darkly humorous.
Like many such books contains some deleted or otherwise entirely invented material such as the Joker kidnapping Vicki Vale from her apartment and then driving to the unveiling of a statue of Mayor Borg. Bruce Wayne follows, changing into Batman, and, not having the Batmobile handy, swipes a horse from a mounted policeman, and consequently Gardner treats us to an extended horse vs. van chase scene. At the unveiling, the Joker substitutes the statue of Borg for a rocket-powered statue of himself (!) because, well, he’s the Joker and that’s the kind of idiotic nonsense he does, I guess.
When Batman appears, the Joker takes Borg hostage. The Dark Knight orders the villain to release the mayor, whereupon the Joker pleads, “Can’t I keep him? I’ll feed him! Honest!” This is great stuff. When he’s inevitably foiled by Batman, the Joker escapes by riding on the statue as it shoots off into the sky (!!!).
The reason for Commissioner Gordon and co. being late to the parade is given as the Joker dosing their coffee with sleeping drugs. There’s also an extended sequence of the Joker and his henchmen stealing the parade floats and balloons from a warehouse, explaining where he got them from.
And speaking of explaining things, you know how in the movie when Batman gets to the top of the church there’s suddenly three henchmen he has to fight? Gardner explain’s their presence by saying that following Batman attacking the Joker’s parade in the Batwing, they ran up there to hide. Good work, Mr. Gardner! This is what tie-in books are good for, explaining stuff that was confusing in the movie.
There’s also some added dialogue from the Joker in a couple of scenes, and one in particular I liked following the destruction of Axis Chemicals, just before the Joker leaves for the parade. He demands Batman show up there because he wants that “big duke-a-roo” he promised viewers on TV, vowing to kill “a thousand people an hour” until Batman arrives. What a jerk!
There’s one weird scene at the end, though. Somehow, after he gets himself and Vicki down from the church, Batman takes off his cape and cowl and wraps Alexander Knox in it (!) before the police get there. I guess they’re busy examining the Joker’s body but Gardner isn’t entirely clear. Of course, when the cops run over, they think they’ve got Batman, but upon whisking the cape off of the shrouded, unconscious form, they discover it’s just everyone’s least favorite reporter. Knox wakes up and jokingly asks if he can still make the late edition.
Insert laugh track.
The ending is superb, so I’ll quote it verbatim. It describes Batman standing atop a roof surrounded by gargoyles (gargoyles being a motif in the book): “They turned off the Bat-Signal as the Sun set over Gotham City. A much quieter Gotham City. Down on the streets, music played, people laughed, life went on. And overhead, the gargoyles watched silently from the old Gotham Cathedral. Long ago, it was believed that gargoyles could protect a place from evil. One of the gargoyles moved. It was the Batman.”
Great stuff!
All in all, a pretty thorough novelization with some fun sequences by Gardner. Gardner’s book was popular when it came out, too. According to a news segment from ‘89, it sold over a million copies and spent several weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.
A shame his Batman Returns novel wasn’t as great, and was even more workmanlike.
Gotham City is a cesspool of crime. We begin with a family trying to find their way home through the crowded, dirty city at night, only to be waylaid by a pair of muggers while taking a shortcut through an alley. No, this isn’t the Waynes. The little boy is named Jimmy, and the crooks just knock his dad out rather than killing him, before absconding with his wallet. The bad guys, Nick and Eddie, think they’ve gotten away scot-free, but unfortunately for them, a dark avenger has witnessed the crime…
Hiding out on a rooftop, the thieves count their loot and shoot the breeze. Eddie is nervous. He chides Nick for his use of too much violence in the mugging, and is also eager to get home because of “the Bat.” Nic mocks him for his worries. “The Bat” is a legendary figure in the seedy underworld of Gotham; a mysterious cloaked figure who may or may not be a humanoid bat. Nick pooh-poohs such ridiculous talk… until the crunch of foot on gravel alerts the men that they’re not alone.
A caped figure in a mask quickly takes out Eddie, and then holds Nick over the ledge as he begs for his life.
“You’re trespassing, rat breath,” Batman says.
“Trespassing? You don’t own the night!” Nick protests with some unwarranted bravado.
“I want you to tell your friends,” Batman goes on as if the scumbag hadn’t spoken. “Tell all your friends. … I am the night!”
And with that, we’re introduced to Craig Shaw Gardner’s Batman.
This is a novelization of the 1989 Tim Burton film. Gardner’s prose is a little workmanlike and dry, but it’s still a decent enough read if you’re a fan of the film, and the best scenes are the parts told from the Joker’s P.O.V. They’re very darkly humorous.
Like many such books contains some deleted or otherwise entirely invented material such as the Joker kidnapping Vicki Vale from her apartment and then driving to the unveiling of a statue of Mayor Borg. Bruce Wayne follows, changing into Batman, and, not having the Batmobile handy, swipes a horse from a mounted policeman, and consequently Gardner treats us to an extended horse vs. van chase scene. At the unveiling, the Joker substitutes the statue of Borg for a rocket-powered statue of himself (!) because, well, he’s the Joker and that’s the kind of idiotic nonsense he does, I guess.
When Batman appears, the Joker takes Borg hostage. The Dark Knight orders the villain to release the mayor, whereupon the Joker pleads, “Can’t I keep him? I’ll feed him! Honest!” This is great stuff. When he’s inevitably foiled by Batman, the Joker escapes by riding on the statue as it shoots off into the sky (!!!).
The reason for Commissioner Gordon and co. being late to the parade is given as the Joker dosing their coffee with sleeping drugs. There’s also an extended sequence of the Joker and his henchmen stealing the parade floats and balloons from a warehouse, explaining where he got them from.
And speaking of explaining things, you know how in the movie when Batman gets to the top of the church there’s suddenly three henchmen he has to fight? Gardner explain’s their presence by saying that following Batman attacking the Joker’s parade in the Batwing, they ran up there to hide. Good work, Mr. Gardner! This is what tie-in books are good for, explaining stuff that was confusing in the movie.
There’s also some added dialogue from the Joker in a couple of scenes, and one in particular I liked following the destruction of Axis Chemicals, just before the Joker leaves for the parade. He demands Batman show up there because he wants that “big duke-a-roo” he promised viewers on TV, vowing to kill “a thousand people an hour” until Batman arrives. What a jerk!
There’s one weird scene at the end, though. Somehow, after he gets himself and Vicki down from the church, Batman takes off his cape and cowl and wraps Alexander Knox in it (!) before the police get there. I guess they’re busy examining the Joker’s body but Gardner isn’t entirely clear. Of course, when the cops run over, they think they’ve got Batman, but upon whisking the cape off of the shrouded, unconscious form, they discover it’s just everyone’s least favorite reporter. Knox wakes up and jokingly asks if he can still make the late edition.
Insert laugh track.
The ending is superb, so I’ll quote it verbatim. It describes Batman standing atop a roof surrounded by gargoyles (gargoyles being a motif in the book): “They turned off the Bat-Signal as the Sun set over Gotham City. A much quieter Gotham City. Down on the streets, music played, people laughed, life went on. And overhead, the gargoyles watched silently from the old Gotham Cathedral. Long ago, it was believed that gargoyles could protect a place from evil. One of the gargoyles moved. It was the Batman.”
Great stuff!
All in all, a pretty thorough novelization with some fun sequences by Gardner. Gardner’s book was popular when it came out, too. According to a news segment from ‘89, it sold over a million copies and spent several weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.
A shame his Batman Returns novel wasn’t as great, and was even more workmanlike.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2020
This book follows the novel closely, but is much better in many ways. There are extra scenes that the movie left out and scenes not in the book that should have been left out of the movie. In fact, I would say that if you had the choice, read this before seeing the movie from 1989 and it might enrich your viewing. There is also a much abridged audiobook version of this novel read by the great Roddy McDowell which is definitely worth checking out.
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