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This summer the Bat-signal will again shine like a beacon of hope over the Neo-Gothic spires and grimy steam of Gotham City. Director Tim Burton's triumph in 1989's Batman was to rescue the Caped Crusader from the candyland of camp and restore him as an emblem of the night. In Batman Returns, bon vivant millionaire Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) once again forsakes the comforts of stately Wayne Manor to climb fire escapes in his cape. We asked Burton if he had to psych himself to reprise Batman. "Yes, I did. I never wanted to do a sequel. But the script fell into place, and there were all these new characters—even weirder people than before." Clawing up a sandstorm of kitty litter is Michelle

Pfeiffer's Catwoman, zipped tight in kinky vinyl. Vil lainwise, Jack Nicholson's Joker will be a tough act to follow. Waddling across the screen is Danny De Vito's Penguin, who's undergone a major makeover from the comic pages. "To me he was just a fat guy in a tuxedo," says Burton. Now he's a vat of evil custard with a hooknose. Casting his own strange spell is Christopher Walken as a shadowy puppeteer. None of these characters lack psychological foundation, claims Burton. "All have problems." Except perhaps for the new mayor of Gotham City, played by Michael Murphy. "He's the only normal character—he'll stick out."

We asked the director of Beetlejuice and these Bat-films if he ever worries about being too weird. "No. What's 'weird'?" I'll tell you what's weird. This photograph.