DC Comics have announced a new seven-part series called “The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox,” by writer Matthew Rosenberg and a host of artistic teams. The first issue’s visuals will be provided by the combination of artists Jesús Merino and Joshua Hixon, and colorist Ulises Arreola, with artists like Keron Grant, Dani, and Domo Stanton all confirmed for other issues in the series.
“The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox” will place the Clown Prince of Crime at the center of a mystery involving “a mysterious corpse, a magical box, and a murderer’s row of the city’s most dangerous villains sitting in a jail cell.” The Joker is all too happy to be interrogated by the Gotham City Police Department, and each issue will see him chronicling a story about one of the villains in G.C.P.D., with each story forming a part of his grand scheme.
The series will be launching via DC Universe Infinite on June 7 as part of a ‘Director’s Cut Bonus Box,’ which will include extra information to help piece together the Joker’s scheme. The ‘Bonus Box’ content will be included in the print issues of the series.
“The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox” #1 will be released in print on August 3, with a main cover by Chip Zdarsky and card stock variants by Riccardo Federicci, Christopher Mooneyham, and Jesús Merino, with the latter’s covers being limited to a 1:25 ratio.
The preview pages and full press release are as follows.
The Joker’s got a murder mystery that only you can solve in
‘The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox’DC UNIVERSE INFINITE subscribers will receive early access to DIRECTORS CUT BONUS BOX content!
The G.C.P.D. discover a mysterious corpse, a magical box, and a murderer’s row of the city’s most dangerous villains sitting in a jail cell. Now all they need to figure out is what exactly happened! Fortunately, one suspect is willing to talk.Unfortunately, it’s The Joker. And he’s holding all the cards.
Launching on August 3 with a debut issue by Matthew Rosenberg, Jesús Merino, Joshua Hixon and Ulises Arreola, over the course of seven installments of The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox, The Joker introduces seemingly unconnected stories of his fellow inmates. As the series progresses, it becomes apparent that each tale is actually a piece of The Joker’s larger plan.
Does an agent of chaos even make plans?
Superstar writer Matthew Rosenberg, magnificent artist Jesús Merino, and a multitude of rising-star artists invite you to spend a night in the Gotham Central interrogation room to make sense of murder, mayhem, and mystery—as told by the Clown Prince of Crime himself! Can you solve this puzzle before the sun comes up?
The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox #1, the beginning of a seven-issue miniseries written by Matthew Rosenberg with art Jesús Merino, Joshua Hixon and Ulises Arreola, arrives in print on August 3 with a main cover by Chip Zdarsky, card stock open order variants by Riccardo Federicci and Christopher Mooneyham, and a card stock 1:25 variant by Jesús Merino.
Through the run of The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox, expect to see artwork from Keron Grant, Dani, Domo Stanton, Juni Ba, Vanesa Del Rey, Ricardo Ortiz, Christopher Mooneyham, and more, as The Joker lays down his clues. The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox will retail for $4.99 for 40 pages. Card stock covers will retail for $5.99.
As an early bonus for DC UNIVERSE INFINITE subscribers, beginning on June 7 digital chapters of The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox will begin releasing with additional clues and insights (called a DIRECTOR’S CUT BONUS BOX) to help readers stay two steps ahead of The Joker! DC UNIVERSE INFINITE is DC’s digital subscription service and community engagement portal. Print issues of The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox in August will include the same backup material.
For more information on The Joker, The G.C.P.D., Magical Boxes, Mysterious Corpses, and the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, visit http://www.dccomics.com, and follow DC on social media at @DCComics and @thedcnation. DC’s comics are available on participating digital platforms, including Comixology, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, and more.
