Three Jokers, three issues, all coming to this. “Batman: Three Jokers” is a comic with the potential to completely change everything we know about Batman’s iconic foe and his entire history – does it accomplish that?
Naturally, as this is a final issue, there may be spoilers ahead, but an effort will be made to keep them as vague as possible.
Written by Geoff Johns
Illustrated by Jason Fabok
Colored by Brad Anderson
Lettered by Rob LeighThe final chapter of the most terrifying and personal Batman mystery is here! Still reeling from their last encounter with the three Jokers, Batman, Batgirl, and Red Hood discover the terrible truth about the Three Jokers’ plot. Will the caped crusaders have the strength needed to put an end to the maniacal menaces’ master plan once and for all, or will it be lights out for good? You won’t want to miss the stunning conclusion of Batman: Three Jokers as it completes its trajectory as the ultimate examination of The Joker and his never-ending conflict with Batman.
“Batman: Three Jokers” spent no time trying to mislead the audience: there are three Jokers. The Criminal, the Clown, and the Comedian. The comic has followed Batman, Batgirl, and Red Hood – the three characters who have been affected by Jokers the most – as they follow a series of kidnappings and murders the Jokers have been carrying out.
The final issue brings us to a showdown that brings in elements core to Batman’s history and identity, provides important closure to several characters, and gives us one of those Joker plots where he succeeds even when he loses. Equally important, it reveals more information about the Joker (or perhaps a Joker) that adds a twist to his character and to story shown in “The Killing Joke.”
That’s a lot for a single issue to manage, but “Batman: Three Jokers” #3 has 50 pages to do it in.
The build up to this issue has been mixed, with some interesting plot elements but also some spots that fell flat or plot twists that didn’t work quite as intended. I’m happy to say that this issue makes up for those, providing a solid build up, action, and payoff.
The story advances at an efficient pace, as Batman connects each Joker to different plots and personalities he’s seemed to have (in case anyone was wondering which Joker cut his own face off and wore it as a mask: it was the Comedian) and follows the trail of the latest Joker kidnap victim: Joe Chill. Not only does this add deeply personal stakes and dilemmas to Batman’s mission, it connects the story to his very origins.
It culminates in an intense fight throughout a movie theater, pitting Batman, Batgirl, and Red Hood against the Jokers and their minions. It’s all sufficiently epic, complete with explosions, burning buildings, and daring rescues. In short: everything you need from a finale.
At the same time, “Three Jokers” #3 does give us time for character work. Jason Todd gets the most of it, since he’s the one who’s moved furthest from Bruce’s “no guns, no killing” philosophy and the one who’s been beaten up by a Joker with a crowbar on more than one occasion. The conflict between him, Bruce, and Barbara carries through the story, and it’s clear how much it weighs on everyone. Is he right in that killing the Jokers is the only way to end it? What should Batman do now that Jason has killed one of them?
This also resolves the kiss Jason and Barbara shared earlier in the mini-series. It’s a resolution that closes things in terms of their relationship (or lack thereof, more specifically) while still being important character-wise for Jason.
Once Joe Chill is brought into the picture, the story takes on a different meaning for Batman. He has to grapple with the fact that he now needs to save the man who killed his parents, while learning about Joe’s repentance and regrets. The Jokers’ plan creates a suitably difficult situation for Batman, which the comic uses to great effect and provides a good resolution for that core pillar of the character and story.
Continued belowOut of all the characters, it’s Barbara that gets the least in the way of moments for growth or definition. That’s not to say she gets none – she has some nice scenes where she shows her determination and unwavering morals. Plus, the scene where she smashes a Joker’s face with his own camera is very satisfying. It just wasn’t as much as the other two characters, which made her occasionally feel as someone supporting the others for their Joker-related history, rather than another person facing her own.
Of course, we can’t look at a comic about three Jokers without talking about the Jokers themselves. “Three Jokers” does a good job balancing the Joker’s own “multiple choice” backstories with the new twists in the storytelling – it’s hard to say which Joker came first, or what the history behind two of the three Jokers are.
The comic tries to make each Joker represent a distinct style or kind of personality he’s held over the years. The Criminal is the goal-oriented one, focused on the crime over theatrics. The Clown is the camp one, going all-out with the gimmicks and thematic designs. The Comedian is the most sadistic one, the one responsible for the most brutal crimes and inflicting the most harm.
At least, that’s the idea.
In practice, there’s so much overlap between the Jokers that there’s not a clear distinction. If we assume that the Comedian is the one behind “The Killing Joke,” as the comic indicates, he still embraced mad campiness with the madhouse he sent Jim Gordon through. Even in this issue, the Criminal still calls himself “undefined chaos” and uses more than a little showmanship as he carries out his plan – a plan more focused on becoming the center of Batman’s world than anything else.
The lines between the Jokers are blurred, but that’s to be expected with a comic that can retroactively change so much of the characters’ history. We can look back at older “Batman” comics and try to figure out which of the three Jokers he’s facing at a time, but since they were written with only one Joker in mind, there’s no clear defining factor to look for. That will be left up to the readers until the comics reveal otherwise.
At the same time, this does reveal more about one of the Jokers’ backstories, as it’s tied to “The Killing Joke.” It shows us a different side of his flashbacks, shining a new light on his “one bad day” backstory.
There’s a lot of story and character points to cover, but would any of it land as well without the artwork? Probably not. Jason Fabok is an excellent choice for illustrating “Three Jokers,” bringing intense detailing and a vivid sense of darkness to the pages.
Fabok’s artwork brings out a lot on each character. Every scar, the folds of their clothes, even the stubble on Bruce’s face are drawn with great attention to detail. It’s these little details that help add to the expressiveness of each character even underneath their masks. Each Joker is also drawn with enough clear distinction between the characters in how they hold themselves, the shapes of their faces and their general expressiveness.
When the action picks up and fires ignite, Fabok’s artwork builds the intensity nicely, with help from Brad Anderson’s color work. The dark colors work well when cast in shadows or contrasting against the flames behind them, creating some exceptionally cinematic moments.
Even the panel layouts are designed for maximum impact. There’s a clear grid to each page – frequently 3×3, but that varies for based on the effect and pacing the comic is conveying. This helps keep the story moving at just the right pace, while making the dramatic scenes all the more impactful. Whenever a panel fills multiple spots in the grid, there’s a clear reason for it that adds to the intended effect.
“Three Jokers” all comes together in issue 3, hitting all the right character notes and adding on to the Batman and Joker mythos without taking anything away. If you were uncertain about the concept, this issue should more than make up for it.
Final Verdict: 8.2 – “Three Jokers” concludes with an issue that blends characters, history, and action together, finally making this storyline worthwhile.
