Batman and Gotham City face a mysterious new threat in this direct sequel to Tim Burton's iconic Batman. The Joker is dead, but not forgotten. Gotham City is saved, but it is still not safe. By night, its new symbol of hope, Batman, continues his fight to protect the innocent and the powerless. By day, his alter ego, Bruce Wayne, wonders whether there may someday be a future beyond skulking the city's rooftops or the cavernous halls of his stately manor alongside the ever-dutiful Alfred Pennyworth. But even after death, the Clown Prince of Crime's imprint can be seen in more than just the pavement. Remnants from The Joker's gang are leading wannabes fascinated by his bizarre mystique on a campaign of arson that threatens the city-even as it serves greedy opportunists, including millionaire Max Shreck. And survivors of exposure to The Joker's chemical weapon Smylex continue to crowd Gotham City's main hospital. Batman finds the forces of evil growing ever more organized-and orchestrated-by a sinister hand behind the scenes. The World's Greatest Detective must solve the greatest mystery of all: Could The Joker have somehow survived? And could he still have the last laugh against the people of Gotham City?
