Book #161: Batman Returns by Craig Shaw Gardner

 

Batman Returns

Craig Shaw Gardner

 Released: January 1st, 1992

My 27th book for  was Craig Shaw Gardner’s Batman Returns.  

This was the last film of the 90's Batman that I ever saw.  I grew up on Batman (1989), and Batman Forever in our home VHS library, and caught Batman & Robin on cable, but this one eluded me until the early 2000's.  

The Penguin is a deformed person who is abandon into the sewer at birth by his disgusted parents.  He lives and grows up beneath Gotham City, and plans a comeback for mayor of Gotham aided by local millionaire Max Schreck.  His plans are foiled when Batman reveals that his intentions are a lot less sincere than he seems (much like any politician).  Along for the adventure is Selina Kyle, who's alter ego Catwoman lays some destruction upon Gotham, while taking a liking to our caped crusader Batman.

I struggled to get into this one.  The book and film are good good, and the sets and gothic appearance were very well done by Tim Burton & crew.  Something just feels off.  We got that back in Batman Forever, albeit at the expense of a lesser movie.

The story of the Penguin is a tragic one.  Themes of abandonment, redemption, selfishness, and cold holiday themes are all around.  I want to like it, but struggle with it...hmm.  This one is very different from Batman 1989, where the Joker is woven in the Bruce Wayne origin story, and the modern elements tie into the past to create a stronger story.

Here is what I learned:

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• Gotham City is filled with litter.

• Gotham thrived in the 1950’s.

• The Cobblepots relieve themselves of their son Oswald by throwing him off a bridge at Christmastime.

• Alfred served the Wayne’s for more than 40 years prior to their death.

• This raises a question.  If Thomas and Martha Wayne were 35 at the time of their deaths, this sentence suggests Alfred served Bruce’s grandfather.

• Max Shreck is a corrupt businessman dealing with the Mayor and City Council of Gotham.

• Shreck Corporate Offices are in downtown Gotham.

• Gotham City puts up a Christmas Tree annually in Gotham Plaza.

• Shreck wants to build a Power Plant.

• Max’s secretary is Selina Kyle.

• Selina is new to her job.

• She makes one hell of a cup of coffee.

• Shreck’s Department Store is pivotal to the Gotham economy.

• Chip is Max’s son.

• Max forgets to bring his speech to the Gotham Tree lighting ceremony.

• Oswald Cobblepot is the Penguin.

• Bruce still has trauma from his parent’s death and has PTSD flashbacks.

• Selina knows she needs therapy.

• Selina steals the clown’s taser.

• Selina is single.

• She lives in an apartment.

• Selina attended college.

• She has a Murphy bed.

• Selina has a pet cat named “Miss Kitty”.

• Selina’s mom is disappointed that she isn’t coming home for Christmas.

• Her boyfriend Paul cancels their weekend getaway.

• Paul sees a therapist named Dr. Shaw. (Named after the author perhaps?)

• Selina attends Rape Prevention classes.

• Selina belittles herself by calling herself a corn dog.

• Miss Kitty sensed danger for Selina.

• The Penguin kidnaps Max.

• The Penguin has retained everything Max has ever flushed down his toilet.

• The Penguin’s gang are the Red Triangle Circus Gang.

• Ramon was sexually abused as a child.

• The Penguin’s parents are Tucker & Esther Cobblepot.

• Vichyssoise is supposed to be served cold.

• Max shoves Selina through an upper story window in an attempt to kill her.

• Stray cats turn Selina Kyle into Catwoman by biting her fingers.

• Gotham City has a power surplus.

• “I am Catwoman.  Hear me roar.”

• The Penguin is running for mayor.

• You never know when a bomb will come in handy in Gotham City.

• “Tatooed” is misspelled on page 120.

• Batman kills a strongman with a bomb.

• Selina serves Max coffee with a cockroach in it.

• The Penguin is attracted to Catwoman.

• Catwoman is thought to weigh 140 lbs.

• Vicki Vale is referenced.

• Selina drinks diet soda.

• The Red Triangle Circus Gang tampers with the Batmobile.

• The Penguin kills the Ice Princess when she falls off a building.

• Penguin filled the Christmas tree with Bats.

• Batman has wings that allow him to glide safely off rooftops if his belt becomes indisposed.

• The Penguin attempts to “hang” Catwoman with his Umbrella-Coptor.

• The Penguin claims his license has expired.

• “You gotta admit.  I played this stinking city like a harp from Hell!”

• The Batmobile becomes the BatMissile to escape narrow spaces.

• The Penguin is a horny bastard.

• The Penguin plans to kidnap all the first-borns of Gotham, and drown them in the sewer.

• The Penguin has a rubber duck boat.

• The Penguin plans to kidnap the first born children of Gotham, and execute them in the sewer.

• Bruce and Selina attend the masked ball dressed as themselves.

• The Batskiboat is Batman’s boat.

• Arctic World is the penguin exhibit at the Gotham Zoo.

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Overall, the movie is good, and I recommend a watch, but in terms of the novel, you have to be engaged into the themes of the movie to truly enjoy it, otherwise it become another book.  Recommended only to Penguin fans, and Batman fans.

Not Recommended

On to Book #162: Batman Forever by Peter David.

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Need to catch up?  See previous blog post: Batman (1989) by Craig Shaw Gardner.