The Housemaid - The scoop and digest

From a screenplay by Rebecca Sonnenshine, co-producer and director Paul Feig adapts Freida McFadden's 2022 novel of same name.

Sydney Sweeney - Millie Calloway

Amanda Seyfried - Nina Winchester

Brandon Sklenar - Andrew Winchester

Michele Morrone - Enzo

Elizabeth Perkins - Evelyn Winchester

Summary

Shortly after being released from prison for manslaughter, Millie Calloway is hired as a live-in maid by Nina and Andrew Winchester at their luxury estate home.

Her room in the attic has a window that doesn't open and locks from the outside.

It's revealed that Nina allegedly tried to drown her daughter Cecelia when she was a child.

When a mix up forces Nina to miss a Broadway play, Millie and Andrew secretly go together, leading them to have a special cuddle.

After Nina leaves, Millie discovers Andrew has a personality darker than an eclipse.

Hundred strands of hair

Story twists and turns in predictable fashion, but thanks to committed performances (particularly by Seyfried), this ticks along nicely, definitely feeding off psychological thrillers from the 90's, such as The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (not 2025 remake) and Single White Female.

A flashback shows a teenage Millie bludgeoning a boy to death while he's raping her best friend Kelsey.  After finding this out, Nina believed Millie was capable of doing what she couldn't: kill Andrew.

Andrew is an unhinged control freak, who likes to imprison and 'punish' women before setting them free.

Millie turns the tables, forcing him into DIY dentistry.

In the book, Millie keeps Andrew trapped inside the room until he dies of thirst.

Here, Millie pushes him over the edge of a spiral staircase.  She then unscrews and drops a lightbulb below, making out his death was an accident.

McFadden wrote two sequels, The Housemaid's Secret and The Housemaid is Watching.  Winter-themed bonus short The Housemaid's Wedding is supposed to bridge the gap between Book 2 and 3, but is apparently also standalone.

'Probably' everything that Avatar ripped off

2009 original was lauded for revolutionizing 3D and went on to break multiple box office records, but what's more amazing than technical achievement is that James Cameron and 20th Century Fox were never successfully sued for plagiarism.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Pandora's animals stole T-rex's iconic roar and the Raptors' husky communications.

Now let's really get stuck in.

Films

The Emerald Forest (1985)

Dances with Wolves (1990)

FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)

Pocahontas (1995)

Princess Mononoke (1997)

The Last Samurai (2003)

Battle for Terra (2007)

While I'm sure most of the above have formed part of many lists, this may not.

A Man Called Horse (1970)

In 1825, an English aristocrat, John Morgan (Richard Harris), is captured by Native Americans and begins to understand their way of life.

Eventually, he is accepted by the tribe and aspires to become their leader.

Well shit.

It spawned two sequels, The Return of a Man Called Horse (1976) and Triumphs of a Man Called Horse (1983).

Literature

Jungle planet Pandora was introduced in Noon: 22nd Century (1961), the first book in Arkady and Boris Strugatsky's ten-strong series, which fans later called the Noon Universe.

The girlfriend of biologist Mikhail Sidorov is called Nava, which sounds nothing like Na'vi.

Back in 2010, Boris reportedly said: "The Americans have 'borrowed' our idea - it's very unpleasant. But I won't take them to court. Or shall I?"

Legal action never came to fruition and Boris died in 2012.  Arkady passed years before in 1991.

Dune (1965)

Before amalgamated as one, Frank Herbert's epic sci-fi novel was originally published as two separate serials (Dune World) and (Prophet of Dune).

Anyway, precious commodity unobtanium is basically spice melange, commonly just spice.

Sticking with Mr. Herbert, Destination: Void (1965) shouldn't be ignored, the first in The Pandora Sequence series.

The rest he wrote with Bill Ransom.

But 'worst' of all though is this:

Call Me Joe

Poul Anderson's novelette was first published in Astounding Science Fiction in April 1957.

Paraplegic astronaut Ed Anglesey telepathically connects with an artificially created life form (nicknamed "Joe"), enabling him to explore Jupiter's harsh surface and geezer gradually goes native.

UNBELIEVABLE.

Comics

Firekind (1993)

Originally published in 2000 AD progs 828-840 (between 27th March-19th June), xeno-botanist Hendrick Milhouse Larsen is sent to Gennyo-Leil to study jungle planet's fauna, flora and indigenous alien race the Gennyans.

Toxic hallucinogenic atmosphere is filled with psychotropic pollen so geezer wears a filter mask to survive.

Loylee-Coh

Sully riding an Ikran vs Hendrick on a Kesheen

Cameron says he wrote an 80-page treatment for Avatar in 1994.

How convenient.

The Light and Darkness War (October 1988-September 1989)

The first collaboration between Cam Kennedy and Tom Veitch concerns disabled war veteran Lazarus Jones, who after a car accident is placed in a coma.

He's transported to the Outer Darkness in a star system called Abraxas, where his war buddies (dubbed Light Warriors), are still alive.

Together, they fight against Na, Lord of Reality, and his motley crew of Deadsiders.

Mentep engineer Mu-Mun-Da-Mandra-Lue Urumm.

Roger Dean

British artist rose to fame in the 1970s, creating album covers for the likes of Yes, Asia, Uriah Heep and Gentle Giant.

He also designed a host of shit for video game developer Psygnosis, including Brataccas, Obliterator and Shadow of the Beast.

He was also responsible for company's logo, with owl used as the sprite for Agony (1992), notable for title music composed by Tim Wright.

When Norwegian black metal band Dimmu Borgir released their album Stormblåst in 1996, keyboardist Stian Aarstad passed off Wright's piece as his own for instrumental track Sorgens kammer. 

Album was re-recorded in 2005, shit was replaced by Sorgens kammer - del II.

Moving on.

Hometree vs Pathways

Stone Arches vs Arches Morning

Hallelujah Mountains vs April 1st

Hallelujah Mountains vs Stairway Heaven

Thanator vs Paladin Charge

Open and shut case, right?

Wrong.

In June 2013, Dean took geezer to court, seeking damages of $50m, but Judge Jesse F. Furman threw the case out in September 2014, ruling static cannot be substantially similar to fluid.

(Vigorously shakes head).

As a special bonus, check out sequels.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Tulkuns produce amrita in their glands and is said to stop humans aging, thus replacing unobtanium as the most valuable substance known to man.

Captain Mick Scoresby uses the SeaDragon to hunt marine animals.

Firekind

Gennyo-Leil is frequently raided by ruthless poachers, who delight in torturing and mutilating their victims while seeking Hexacrin, which is kind of like an elixir of eternal youth.

To domesticate Kesheen, locals attach symbiotic organism the Lantrisant to giant dragons, with leech creature being the only source of hallucinogen.

Archduke Ruggerio Neumann and his sordid outfit of hired mercenaries slaughter flying monsters for this very reason. 

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

Spider's oxygen mask runs out of battery and he collapses from asphyxiation.  After his body is wrapped with mycelia, he's able to breathe on Pandora without a mask.

Firekind

Hendrick finds himself stumbling through the forest, twelve hours without a filter mask, breathing in the psychotropic air.

He should be dead, but works out the pollen (a class 'C' hallucinogen) works directly on the sensory vortex, causing neurological changes and making his body immune.

On behalf of creators John Smith and Paul Marshall, I have two words for Iron Jim.

FUCK and YOU.

Avatar: Fire and Ash - The scoop and digest

James Cameron directs and co-writes third entry with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

Sam Worthington - Jake Sully

Zoe Saldaña - Neytiri

Sigourney Weaver - Kiri

Stephen Lang - Colonel Miles Quaritch

Oona Chaplin - Varang

Cliff Curtis - Tonowari

Joel David Moore - Dr. Norm Spellman

CCH Pounder - Mo'at

Edie Falco - General Frances Ardmore

David Thewlis - Peylak

Summary

Following the death of their son Neteyam, Jake and Neytiri encounter Varang, leader of hostile Na'vi tribe the Mangkwan, aka the Ash People.

Meanwhile, the Na'vi-fied Colonel Quaritch seaches for his son Spider and in the process, begins a romantic relationship with Varang.

Back at Bridgehead, RDA scientist Norm Spellman plans to colonize Pandora and Mick Scoresby's team continue having a whale of a time hunting tulkun herds.

Breathing the air

Visually spectacular yes, but the real challenge was staying awake.

Yeah, it's really fucking boring.

Practically nothing happens for nearly two hours and action during the last 40 minutes is very similar to previous film.

Oh sorry, we get a rubbish version of Obi-Wan vs Anakin, and ironically; is when CG looked 'Sith'.

Knowing he's going to be shot anyway, Quaritch jumps into fiery abyss and says "Ain't this a bitch."

To be fair, at least he didn't bow out with: "Game over man."

More could be in the pipeline, but those blue bastards won't be wasting my precious time again.

Terminator 2D: No Fate

Bitmap Bureau's tribute to classic run and gun is sealed with a loving blob of liquid metal.

Modes

Story

Arcade

Level Training

Infinite, Boss Rush and Mother of the Future are initially locked.

Difficulties

Easy Money - unlimited continues, weaker enemies

No Problemo - normal - a balanced fight

Hasta La Vista - hard - more enemies, faster reactions

Judgment Day¹ - very hard - relentless enemies, ultimate challenge

¹complete MOTF to unlock.

Story

The opening stages are set in 1994, a year before the film.

Level 1 - Desert Town

While Sarah is putting John through weapons training in Copper Valley, Bandit Bob kidnaps him.

I guess name is a nod to 'Uncle Bob'?

Whatever, he's Allen O'Neil from Metal Slug.

Levels 2 and 3 are set in Cyberdyne Research and Factory respectively.

 

Both are inspired by dialogue between John and Tim.

[finds a picture of John's mother] Is that her?

John: Yes.

Tim: She's pretty cool, huh?

John: No, she's complete psycho. That's why she's up at Pescadero. It's a mental hospital. Okay? She tried to blow up a computer factory, but she got shot and arrested.

Levels 4-5 jump to 2029, with John Connor fighting HK's.

Future War has been done countless times before, largely in games based on The Terminator and the first mission of T2 arcade.

Although Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert Patrick and Edward Furlong lent likeness, Linda Hamilton refused over a payment dispute, so stunt performer Debbie Evans portrayed the digitized sprite of Sarah Connor.

Oh, nice "bangs" btw.

(Winks).

Levels 6-11 play out meat of iconic action in 1995, with the final stage putting us back in control of John in 2029.

Clothes, boots and motorcycle

I appreciate the passion and effort, but £42.95 for basically an hour's gameplay is ridiculous.

While silent dialogue is pretty accurate, it's not verbatim.

Also, music doesn't reflect situation.

Pixel art is impressive, but nothing mind-blowing.

Cut scenes and in-game character animations knock things out of the park though.

Those who can be bothered to play more than once will unlock ghosted modes and can trigger an alternative continuity by ordering the T-800 to kill Dyson.

A few 'new' stages play out, including Cyberdyne HQ: Annihilation, which let's us have fun with the T-800 and his mini-gun, with A.P.C. as a boss.

But then story is as you were, until an older Sarah takes on a pair of T-808's in Future War.

Finally, if we reset chip and have Sarah pull the trigger on Dyson, a T-808 kills John in the final stage.

In an alternative universe, this should've been released for consoles on August 29th 1997, but nobody had the balls and/or ingenuity to end three billion human lives.

Verdict 5/10

Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) - The scoop and digest

Writer-director Mike P. Nelson remakes Charles E. Sellier Jr's 1984 controversial cult classic of same name.

Original was previously re-imagined as Silent Night (2012), also the title of several other unrelated films.

Rohan Campbell - Billy Chapman

Ruby Modine - Pamela "Pammy" Sims

Mark Acheson - Charlie

David Lawrence Brown - Dean Sims

David Tomlinson - Max Benedict

Summary

At a care home, an eight-year-old Billy Chapman (Logan Sawyer) visits his Grandpa who tells him:

"Good boys get good things. Naughty boys get punished. Santa is always watching."

Shortly after, he suddenly vomits blood, as Billy watches in horror.

10 years later (presumably in 2025), Billy has recurring nightmares about his parents shot dead by a man dressed as Santa called Charlie, who through more flashbacks, transferred his 'curse' over to Billy before he died.

Having fled to the town of Hackett (where kids have a habit of going missing), Billy literally has Charlie's voice in his head and when he 'gets one of those feelings', Billy claims a new victim.

Amidst all this is romantic interest Pamela, who suffers from what her father Dean dubs EPD (Explosive Personality Disorder).

Suffice to say, those on Billy's annual 'naughty' list better watch out.

Guns are for pussies

Not great by any means, but still pretty decent.

As bizarre as it sounds, the curse idea rips off Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), as like Jamie touched Michael's hand, Billy does the same to Charlie.

Going further, Halloween Ends lifted concept and also starred Corey Cunningham.

(Laughs).

The regularity of voice and goofy humour may annoy people, but I was fine with it.

Fun nods to the original include Elroy's Trees, since 1984, Ida's Trinket Tree rather than Ira's Toy Store, Billy using a box cutter to open packages (he used the same weapon to murder Pamela) and Billy impaling The Foster Mother on a set of deer antlers (identical to how Denise dies).

Undoubtedly the standout sequence is Billy attending the I'm Dreaming of a White Power Christmas party on 22 December and massacring a room full of Nazi Santas.  The batshit factor is cranked up further, when its leader Delphine (Sharon Bajer) pulls out an uzi and is then decapitated in the woods.

HA HA HA!

On Christmas Day, after Dean was shot dead by a masked assailant, Pammy wants revenge.

Billy tells her that Charlie was the janitor at the care home and he knew about his parents poisoning grandpa, prior to him signing over his inheritance.

Anyway, they find the Snatcher's lair and find the missing kids hidden beneath a ball pool.  Billy manages to kill him, but is seriously injured in the process.

Max turns up and fatally shoots Billy, who before succumbing to his wounds, transfers his power to Pammy, allowing her to see visions of the past.  Knowing Max was Elroy's accomplice and probably killed Dean, she bites his nose off and hacks him to death with the axe.

Before leaving the scene, she hears Billy's voice speaking to her.

While door is left open, a sequel is 50/50.

Man Finds Tape - The scoop and digest

The next found footage horror I"ve discovered is written and directed by Peter Hall and Paul Gandersman.

Kelsey Pribilski - Lynn Page

Willaim Magnuson - Lucas Page

John Gholson - Reverend Endicott Carr

Brian Villalobos - The Stranger

Nell Kessler - Wendy Parker

Summary

Larkin, Texas.

Summer 2023.

Lucas Page shows his sister Lynn security footage of a man (later revealed to be Charles Danforth) who becomes catatonic while crossing a road, resulting in him being killed by a van travelling at a snail's pace.

Lynn reveals Lucas shot to viral fame by releasing creepy footage, which became known as the Man Finds Tape series.

We predictably jump back and forth, and at the centre of town's dense mystery is Endicott Carr.

Paranoia and transgressions

First off, like Dream Eater, both begin with a distressed woman making a 911 call.

Coincidence?

Anyway, home recordings, YouTube clips, CCTV footage, text messages, Reddit comments and interviews ensures all the tropes and more are present and correct.

Tension simmers, and you're sucked in like dirt up a hoover.

Carr has been a predatory feeder for decades and Wendy is carrying his surrogate child, which he plans to use to continue his legacy.

To apparently save the town, The Stranger slashes Wendy's throat.  But this is all a ploy, as while Carr uses his feeder to heal her wounds, The Stranger takes the opportunity to swallow all feeders from Carr's holy body.

Lynn chases him through a door to a tunnel opening to an endless spiral staircase, with The Stranger nowhere to be seen.

After an hour of intrigue, third act did stumble somewhat and Lynn being able to watch footage and retain memories isn't really explained.

Also, ambiguity did feel as though filmmakers didn't really know how to bring the curtain down on Lovecraftian yarn, especially when Carr spontaneously combusts.

Does that mean Larkin's ruling baton has changed hands?

Well that's my interpretation.

Dream Eater - The scoop and digest

Found footage horror is written, produced and directed by its stars Alex Lee Williams, Mallory Drumm and Jay Drakulic, with Eli Roth as an executive producer.

Summary

In 2023, Mallory and her parasomnia-stricken boyfriend Alex holiday at a snowy cabin in a remote location.

Yes, it's their Overlook (Alex's words, not mine).

On the first night, Alex claims "He's here. He's with me."

Could something supernatural be in our midst?

As Alex's behaviour grows increasingly more disturbing, Mallory video calls sleep therapist Dr. Armitage (David Richard) for advice, as he wrote a book on such phenomena called The Blackened Dream.

He tells her that Cthulhu-like figure is ancient entity Phobetor, described in Greek mythology as a personification of nightmares, and believed to possess a person through their dreams, almost like a sleepwalking zombie.

The black sun rising

Even if jump scares suck and Dr. Armitage is a blatant clone of Professor Jonas in Sinister (2012), you could still do much worse.

It's revealed Alex's biological mother Catherine Thorne was a member of cult The Night's Disciples that worshipped Phobetor, whose goal was impregnating vulnerable women through a breeding ritual.

Different principle, but Shelby Oaks also dealt with a birthing ritual.

Anyway, when she murdered the cult (including her husband Jerry), Catherine gave birth to Alex in police custody and then committed suicide in her cell, with the words "endless night" found etched into wall.

When Alex turned 30, he became the permanent host for the Eater of Dreams.

Alex attacks Mallory and she fatally stabs him in self-defense.

After Alex is cremated, Mallory discovers she's pregnant, and Alex's naked corpse suddenly appears, promising in a gruff demonic voice 'she'll never lose him'.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 - The scoop and digest

Emma Tammi returns as director, but unlike 2023 original, sequel is solely written by series creator Scott Cawthon.

Josh Hutcherson - Mike Schmidt

Elizabeth Lail - Vanessa Shelly

Piper Rubio - Abby Schmidt

Freddy Carter - Michael Afton

Theodus Crane - Jeremiah

Wayne Knight - Mr. Berg

Skeet Ulrich - Henry Emily

Matthew Lillard - William Afton

Summary

In 1982, at Freddy Fazbear's Pizziera, Charlotte Emily is murdered by serial killer William Afton for preventing him from killing a boy.  Shortly after, an animatronic known as the Marionette emerges from its compartment holding her corpse. 

20 years later, and a year after original, Mike's younger sister Abby becomes fascinated with the animatronics, calling them 'friends'.

Hosts of paranormal show Spectral Scoopers, Rob, Lisa and Alex, and security guard Michael (unrelated to Mike), visit the 1982 site.

While exploring, Lisa deactivates a music box in the basement, which awakens the Marionette possessed by Charlotte's soul, which manipulates the other Toys.

The team are killed, but Michael manages to escape.

Not that I actually cared, but a code inputted by Abby allows the Toys to wreak havoc outside, leaving Mike and co to save the day.

Mid-credits

Three men find a hidden room at the original Fazbear joint and discover a decaying rabbit animatronic with William's rotting corpse inside.  As they leave, the Toy activates.

Post-credits

Right near the end, we hear Henry's voice in a message left for Mike, explaining he was William's business partner and helped create the Toys.  Also, the girl killed from 1982 was his daughter.  Before shit ends, loud noises imply the Marionette has broken into his house.

F for Fail

Once again, puppets by Jim Henson's Creature Shop are great.

But the rest of incoherent trainwreck is fucking dreadful, giving video game adaptations and sequels in general a bad name.

Even Uwe Boll would be embarrassed by such an atrocity.

If shit storm rained blood and guts, then that would ease the pain, but the assholes in charge couldn't even manage to spill a drop.

Willy's Wonderland (2021) may be a blatant rip off, but was a much better time than this and original put together, begging the question why filmmakers didn't take note.

Batman: Revolution

Stylized as Revolut?on, John Jackson Miller's sequel takes place during the summer, so a few months after Resurrection.

Check out my scoop of original book.

https://nukesandknives.blogspot.com/2025/03/batman-resurrection-2024-novel.html?m=1

Prologue

Created Equal

Story begins with nine-year-old Norman Pinkus, who lives with his mother Martina in Gotham Library.

His father Philmont is also mentioned.

Year is not stated, but for timeline to gel, must be 1959.

Norman finds the newspaper from Batman (1989).

THOMAS WAYNE MURDERED

ONLY CHILD SURVIVES!

To recap, a young Bruce was eight when Jack Napier killed his parents in the alley of Phillips Street behind Monarch Theatre.

Norman grew up loving books, puzzles and word games.

30 years later (unofficially).

Summary

Following the defeat of Karlo Babić and Doctor Hugo Strange, a new threat rises in the form of Norman Pinkus (who goes under the pen name of Edward Nygma for his Riddle Me This feature in the Gotham Globe).

Batman must also contend with The Archer, Killer Moth, 'Camille' and the Aeterna Militia, the successor to The Last Laughs.

Question everything

Book spans four Parts and 64 Chapters, so longer than its predecessor (five Acts and 52 Chapters).

One Nation Under Siege

Two Worlds One War

Three Weeks of The Riddler

Four Flights No Exit.

Each slice is presented as a traditional word search, challenging reader to 'Seek the Hidden Words'.

One page is blank and the other side solved, giving title.

It's a really nice touch.

The Archer originates from the classic 60's TV series, not the comics.  However, character is re-imagined as a serial killer, who murders pedestrians with arrows.

Another callback to TV show is Norman (as The Bookworm) calling the GPD tip line.

This version of Killer Moth wears an armoured suit and utilizes technology allowing him to fly.

Fun fact.

Killer Moth wears a flying suit in the NES version of Batman: The Video Game.

Founded in 1757, The Servants of Freedom is what Norman ends up associating with.

It's revealed that Gordon comforted Bruce in the aftermath of the murders and they've remained close ever since.

As a child, Norman sent the GPD a letter saying that Napier's associate was Joe Chill, but Gordon dismissed theory as nonsense.

As a cute nod to common knowledge, Max sarcastically 'thanks' his parents for naming him after an actor (Max Schreck) in an old vampire movie (Nosferatu).

Along with Shreck, Selina Kyle and Alexander Knox are major players.

Remember how The Penguin used Fred Atkins' hand to blackmail Max in Returns?

Sure ya do.

Here, Max's business associate is shall we say very 'hands on' with women, falling victim to Camille's seductions.

To address the mobility issue Batman had in Resurrection (ie. getting the Batmobile into Gotham and changing into the Batsuit), the Batvan is both a ride and changing room.

Clever or daft? Down to personal opinion.

Comparable to medieval torture device the Catherine Wheel, one of Batman's new mobile weapons is the Batspiral.

The mystery of what happened to Addison Fish, the accountant for the late Carl Grissom is solved.  

When the Joker killed Grissom and made Gotham a laughing matter, he disappeared.  Turns out he never left the city, and went into hiding at a local hotel.

Elena, really Eleonora (the latter also a short story by Edgar Allen Poe), Camille uses alias as a tribute to Camille Desmoulins (even though French revolutionary was male).

Err, okay.

But her actual name (Emily Van Cleer) isn't mentioned until Chapter 63, simultaneously revealing that Cameron van Cleer (Killer Moth) is her long-lost father.

Overstuffed

While again nailing the Burtonverse's atmosphere and giving established characters dialogue they deserve, there's too much going on and over 500 pages was a slog.

Apart from a decent chase sequence with drones, action with Batman is hit and miss.  Finally, Camille's militia (and its goal) closely resembling the terrorist outfit in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) felt lazy.

Climax

Emily is involved in a major confrontation with her father.

After refusing help from Cameron to 'destroy', she screams "Get out of my life!" and opens fire.  Batman ducks for cover, as Killer Moth's armour takes severe punishment.

When the shooting suddenly stops, Batman notices that Cameron's cheek is bleeding.  His armour is a bullet-pocked, sparking mess, having deflected bullets everywhere - including one place in particular (unspecified).

On his knees, Cameron cradles Emily drenched with blood.

"My name... is Camille. And I don't... want your..."

Removing her flak jacket, Cameron sees her shots pierced it.

Batman suggests taking her to Gotham General Midtown, but Killer Moth doesn't listen.  He activates the turbines on his armour and the Van Cleers vanish in a colossal burst that lights the whole atrium, leaving fate slightly ambiguous.

Batman and Norman escape the library Camille earlier planted with time bombs, but Norman's face is critically burned by the explosion.

Idea may have been partially inspired by Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), as The Joker threatens to detonate bombs hidden around Gotham City, with Arkham Mansion also containing a library.

The Riddler didn't physically appear, but hacks Batman's communication systems and challenges player to solve riddles, sometimes requiring "Detective Vision".

Epilogue

Home of the Brave and the Bold

Having been handed over to the authorities by Batman, a drugged-up Norman bombards Strange with anagram after anagram at Arkham Asylum.

Aeterna Militia - eliminate atria and aerial intimate

Utterly aerospace - eatery speculator and outleap secretary

The Servants of Freedom Live - The Festival Demons Forever

But author fucked up.

Liechtenstein saints¹ - intestinal snitches²

(19 letters)¹ and (18 letters)².

Oops.

Book ends with Batman removing a black cat from the Batmobile, saying "No riders."

This is a fun riff to Returns, as Bruce finds a cat and takes animal with him.

Acknowledgements doesn't entirely rule out a third:

"Keep watching the skies. You never know when the Bat signal will appear!"

But seems unlikely.