1989’sBatmanretroactively gained a new villain, thanks to John Jackson Miller’sBatman: Resurrection, and we already know what becomes of this antagonist. Set between 1989’sBatmanandBatman Returns,Resurrectionexplores the fallout of Joker’s lethal crime wave in the first film while setting up the rise ofReturnsvillains like Max Shreck and The Penguin. Additionally,Resurrectionintroduces Basil Karlo – Clayface – to its BurtonBatmanuniverse andretroactively adds Hugo Strange– who serves as the book’s true villain – to 1989’sBatmanas a background character.
Batman: Resurrectioncleverly retcons Hugo Strange into 1989’sBatman, revealing that the previously unnamed Axis Chemicals scientist was actually the classicBatmanvillain. Strange’s machinations continue to threaten Gotham City inResurrection, with Strange havingClayfacemasquerade as the Joker and leading Gotham’s citizens, including Batman himself, to believe that Jack Napier faked his death.Resurrectionends with Strange being arrested and presumably sent to Blackgate Penitentiary, but this is not the last readers will hear of Burton’s Hugo Strange.
What Happens To Hugo Strange After Batman: Resurrection?
While Hugo Strange has yet to reappear in other Burton Batman properties, he is notably mentioned in theBatman ’89: Echoescomics by Sam Hamm and Joe Quinones. What the comics reveal is that Strange became a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum sometime afterResurrectionand that he mentored Dr. Jonathan Crane, who becomes Scarecrow inEchoes. The comics also reveal thatHugo Strange died while treating Robert Lowery – the Burton universe’s Firefly.
At the end ofResurrection, Basil Karlo suggests that Strange would likely be transferred to Arkham from Blackgate and might eventually even become an employee of the Asylum, whichEchoesseemingly proves correct.
Is This The End For Burton’s Hugo Strange?
This might seem like an underwhelming and unceremonious end for the BurtonBatmanuniverse’s Hugo Strange, but it can be retroactively improved.Resurrectionalready features several connections to theBatman ’89comics, so the forthcomingBatman: Revolutioncould connect toEchoesby actually showing how Strange died. The book could also show how Strange became an Arkham psychiatrist and perhaps set up Jonathan Crane’s future as Scarecrow in the process.
Batman 1989 Retcon Secretly Gave A Classic DC Villain Secretly His Live-Action Debut
Batman: Resurrection retroactively adds one classic Batman villain to the 1989 film and makes him a new threat to Gotham before Batman Returns.
While perhaps less likely,Revolutioncould also reveal that Hugo Strange did not actually dieduring Lowery’s treatment. Hugo Strange may have fabricated the idea of the Joker faking his death, but Strange himself might have ended up faking his own demise, allowing him to appear in future BurtonBatmanproperties. John Jackson Miller’s next excitingBatmannovel would be tasked with explaining how and why Strange faked his death, if this is the case.
Batman
Cast
Batman is a 1989 superhero movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. The film features Jack Nicholson’s chilling portrayal as Jack Napier, who turns into the Joker and reigns terror on Gotham. Kim Basinger also stars in the film as Vicki Vale, along with Michael Gough as Bruce’s trusty butler named Alfred.
