DC Comics has released a new graphic novel called “The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular,” which celebrates 80 years of Joker’s attack on Batman in an interesting way — it turns Joker into Batman.
What’s the news:
- Wait, really? Yes. Joker becomes Batman in the story “The War Within,” by Peter J. Tomasi and Simone Bianchi.
- In the story, Batman and Joker battle as they normally do. Batman dies. And then Joker takes up the cape and cowl to become Batman.
- Joker says in the story: “Here’s to crime, because the more I walk in your skin, the more I learn how to beat you. Which makes me want to smile even more, Batman.”
- Here’s the final scene description, according to ComicBook.com:
The final panel shows Joker in full Batman costume, standing in what looks like the wreckage of some kind of demented training room, which is filled with Joker memorabilia, like those creepy child dolls from ‘The Dark Knight Returns, and his old Red Hood outfit. What we don’t see is the corpse of Batman, who Joker seemingly shot down, pretty much confirming that the sequence of the story is Joker’s twisted fantasy of how to kill Batman, by going through the process of fighting like Batman.
Another story about Joker and Batman
- There’s another interesting story about Batman and Joker within the 80th anniversary book. The story “Kill the Batman” shows a world in which Joker kills Batman. And then he no longer smiles.
- Per Comic Book Resource:
Having lost his nemesis, Joker no longer has a true purpose in life. The only audience he ever cared about impressing is gone forever, and Joker becomes the only one in the crowd who isn’t smiling. Joker ends up leaving the crowd without using the vest, walking away and deciding that he has to find a new path in life — namely, working for the Gotham Department of Motor Vehicles.