Where does he get those wonderful toys?

If you’ve had questions just like that one ever since Batman swooped onto the silver screen in 1989, author John Jackson Miller has some remarkable answers for you. Batman: Resurrection, the new novel set between Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns, fills in a few blanks in the “Burtonverse.”

We’ve got a list of just a few of the things you’ll discover in the Caped Crusader’s new prose adventure. (Don’t worry – it’s spoiler-free!)  It turns out Batman has been asking himself some of the same questions...
 

What Happened to Vicki Vale?

Batman: Resurrection begins about six months after the Joker’s reign of terror ended. Bruce Wayne is still protecting the dark streets of Gotham City as Batman, even though he’s found a sense of closure on his parents’ murder. But his partner and confidant, the reporter Vicki Vale, is long gone from both the streets of Gotham and Wayne Manor. She accepted a story assignment that took her far away—without telling Bruce where she was going. 

“[It] was more than just opportunity that drove her away,” Miller recently told DC.com. “And this is something the book really gets into.”
 

What has Alexander Knox Been Up To?

Vale’s friend and colleague at the Gotham Globe, Alexander Knox, is up to his same old shenanigans for the sake of chasing a story. The reporter has a nose for a good scoop as well as a penchant for landing himself in trouble, as we discover when the book begins. Knox missed his chance to land a byline on the story of the century—the rise and literal fall of the Joker—so he’s back to covering street level crime.

Knox is still working the police beat and investigating a tip that some unsavory characters were seen going into an abandoned building. He finds much more than he bargains for inside, including a familiar, mustached face.
 

What Happened to the Surviving Smylex Victims?

The Bruce Wayne of this universe doesn’t waste energy pretending to be an airheaded billionaire playboy. Instead, he does his good deeds as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, from attending Chamber of Commerce meetings to sponsoring a Gotham General Hospital ward dedicated to caring for the victims of the Joker’s chemical attack. Some “lucky” Smylex victims only experienced mild effects, but others were rendered comatose or plagued by unmanageable symptoms. Bruce gives both his time and money to help them.

“The Smylex poisonings impacted a lot of people before Batman discovered the mechanism,” Miller said. “Bruce Wayne has been working with the city—and one very gifted doctor in particular—to try to help people recover, and that’s a case where Bruce can act where Batman can’t.”
 

What’s the Meaning Behind Some of the Joker’s Last Words?

Bruce Wayne is plagued by nightmares of that fateful night atop the Gotham Cathedral. The mind of the World’s Greatest Detective works at solving mysteries even in his sleep, and in his dreams, he confronts a terrifying version of his nemesis over and over. The question that bothers him the most: Did the Joker uncover his secret identity? Is that why he responded with “I was a kid!” when Batman accused him of killing his parents?

Fans have been asking themselves the same thing since 1989, and Miller is here with the definitive answers.
 

How Do Other Classic Bat-villains Look in this Version of Gotham?

While the figurative ghost of the Joker still haunts Gotham City in the novel, he’s not the only iconic character in town. There are clever winks to Max Shreck, the Penguin and Catwoman from Batman Returns, nods to the Batman ‘89 comic series and even teases for future storytelling.

Miller also adds more villains from Batman’s rogues gallery into Tim Burton’s universe, and they fit in seamlessly thanks to some brilliant new origin stories. They terrify the citizens of Gotham and challenge Batman like he’s never been tested before.

Want to know who these villains are and what they look like in the “Burtonverse”? You’ll have to pick up Batman: Resurrection and find out for yourself!
 

Batman: Resurrection is now available in bookstores, libraries and online retailers in print and as an e-book.

Kelly Knox (no relation to Alexander) writes about all-ages comics and animation for DC.com, and the author of several nonfiction books about some of your favorite film franchises. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox to talk superheroes, comics and pop culture.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Kelly Knox and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.