Batman '89

*This page is about the comic series. For the film, see Batman (film).*

***Batman '89*** is an ongoing superhero comic book limited series published by DC Comics. A continuation of the films *Batman* and *Batman Returns* directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton, it is written by the films' screenwriter Sam Hamm and illustrated by Joe Quinones. It released its first issue in August 2021, and is set to run for a total of six issues until January 2022.

## Staff

* **Writer**: Sam Hamm
* **Artist**: Joe Quinones
* **Cover artists**: Joe Quinones, Jerry Ordway, Steve Oliff
* **Colorist**: Leonardo Ito
* **Letterer**: Clayton Cowles
* **Editors**: Andrew Marino, Andy Khouri

## Development

Following the success of the *Batman '66* comic series which continued the story of the 1966 *Batman* TV series starring Adam West, Joe Quinones pitched a similar comic set in the universe of Tim Burton's *Batman* films to DC Comics in 2015 and submitted concept art. The comic was to have picked up following the events of *Batman Returns*, ignoring the events of the two subsequent films directed by Joel Schumacher. Quinones explained that Catwoman would have returned in the comic, which also would have introduced new versions of Robin, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy. It also would have featured Harvey Dent, portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in *Batman*, becoming the supervillain Two-Face. The pitch was, however, initially rejected by DC. DC's Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee stated in 2019 that many proposals had been made for a comic continuation of Burton's films over the years, and that it was not impossible for such a comic to be published in the future.

In February 2021, DC formally announced that Quinones would be illustrating a comic continuation of *Batman* and *Batman Returns* titled *Batman '89*, with the films' writer Sam Hamm writing the comic. The company revealed that the comic would feature the return of Catwoman and introduce a new version of Robin (inspired by actor Marlon Wayans, who was originally cast as Robin for *Batman Returns*), while also showing the transformation of Harvey Dent into Two-Face. The comic, like Quinones' original pitch, ignores the events of *Batman Forever* and *Batman & Robin*, with Hamm revealing that the latter two films took place in the Earth-97 universe, separate from the Earth-89 universe in which the Burton films took place.

## Setting

*Batman '89* is set in the Earth-89 universe within the DC Comics Multiverse. It picks up after the events of the film *Batman Returns*, following the defeat of the Penguin and the disappearance of Catwoman. Batman has been defending Gotham City for several years with the full support of the Gotham City Police Department and its Commissioner James Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent, after taking down the Joker. By the time the comic begins, Gotham City has been plunged into chaos due to a gang war between criminals inspired by the Joker and vigilantes dressed like Batman. This has driven a wedge between the triumvirate of Batman, Gordon, and Dent.

## Issues

* *Batman '89* #1, "Shadows" (August 2021)
* *Batman '89* #2 (September 2021)
* *Batman '89* #3 (October 2021)
* *Batman '89* #4 (November 2021)
* *Batman '89* #5 (December 2021)
* *Batman '89* #6 (January 2022)

## Trivia

* The character designs and architecture of Gotham in the comic appear to be partially inspired by those in *Batman: The Animated Series*, which was itself heavily influenced by Tim Burton's *Batman* films.
* Jerry Ordway, who worked on the 1989 comic adaptation of *Batman*, illustrated a variant cover for issue #1.