The Joker takes over “Batman” as part of villains month at DC, with a mildly interesting and unnecessary look into the past of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Written by Andy Kubert
Illustrated by Andy ClarkeThe Joker has FOREVER been the face of EVIL in the DC Universe…but what led him on this devious path of treachery? Andy Kubert pens this early adventure showcasing the maniacal exploits of the Crown Prince of Gotham—The JOKER!
The Justice League is dead. The Crime Syndicate controls the world. Batman is gone. Maybe. Who knows? It certainly doesn’t affect anything the goes on in “Batman Joker” #23.1. As part of DC’s universe wide “Forever Evil” event, the villains take over all the books this month, shifting the focus away from the usual super-heroics and onto the seedier side of things. Given the fact that Batman has arguably the greatest villains gallery in comics, there are no less than sixteen different books focusing on every Bat-baddie from the Riddler to Killer Croc. It wouldn’t be a truly villainous month, however, without an appearance from the Batman’s arch nemesis: The Joker.
In this issue, the Joker makes his first appearance since the end of the ‘Death Of The Family’ story arc last winter, but status quo questions are avoided by telling a story set in the earlier, still-having-a-face days of his criminal career. The Joker, Harley Quinn, and a couple of disposable henchmen are in the process of killing a zookeeper for no apparent reason, when, surprise surprise, an infant gorilla awakens some childhood memories within the Joker’s bleached head. The issue plays around with time, and jumps back and forth between the Joker’s abusive childhood, and his raising of Jack the gorilla to be the perfect chaotic Robin to his Batman.
The “Joker” issue was penned by Andy Kubert, part of the famous Kubert comic-creating family, and provides the long-time artist with the chance to show off his writing skills. The story he crafts attempts to open up the Joker, showing the miniscule amount of method in his madness, and while Kubert raises many interesting points, it ultimately falls flat. The scenes of Joker training Jack into being the perfect sidekick are well done, and it would seem to make sense that Joker would attempt to have his own Robin after spending years watching Batman jump around with his young partner. Kubert actually accomplishes something amazing: making the reader believe that the Joker would keep a partner in crime around for so long without killing them just for the fun of it. And just when it seems the Joker cares a little too much, almost like a sane person and therefore completely out of character, his persona reverts back to stark-raving madness.
But the flashbacks to the Joker’s childhood present another issue entirely. There’s nothing explicitly wrong with them; in fact, they were harrowing and disturbing. But this is the Joker, the one character it is impossible to have any sympathy for. The vast majority of writers have chosen to avoid this problem by avoiding the Joker’s origin entirely, and the character has been made stronger as a result. There doesn’t need to be a deep seeded motivation for this inhuman monster — his mind is chaos and he thinks the whole world should be like that as well. The few times that touching on the Joker’s origin has actually worked, i.e. ‘The Killing Joke’ and The Dark Knight, work only because they made it a part of his madness instead of the cause. The use of childhood neglect and abuse in the making of a villain is, frankly, a cliché that has been seen time and time again, even in other books during Villains Month.
The Joker had his face removed way back in “Detective Comics” #1, and his new appearance has remained the status quo ever since. Artist Andy Clare has a unique opportunity with “Joker”, as it features one of the few pre-no face appearances of the character in the New 52. The result is something that is strongly reminiscent of Brian Bolland’s work in the aforementioned ‘Killing Joke’, a rather classic look for the character, and this is the style is featured throughout the book. It’s a break of the familiar “Batman” style of Greg Capullo, and veers much more on the side of realism. When Jack the gorilla has his growing up/training montage, the page opens into a large double spread and allows the various images to blend together in a very effective manner.
Continued belowThe realistic style disappears when the Joker flashes back to his childhood abuse. The art becomes much more abstract and disturbing. The Joker’s terrible aunt is drawn like Nosferatu, straight out of a nightmare. The edges of the panel become blurred and jagged, while the space between, instead of pristine white, is dirty and grimy and covered in shadows. It’s actually quite creepy, to the point where it almost makes up for the by-the-numbers story taking place. If one negative thing can be said about Clarke’s art, it’s that sometime he renders the Joker with a little too much emotion in his face. Readers are not used to seeing the Joker seemingly on the verge of tears, and it just seems a bit strange and out of character.
This book seemed to be poised as a flagship title in Villains Month, featuring one of the most recognizable bad guys in pop culture, and in the end “Joker” feels like a misfire. The ideas in the main part of the story – Joker grooming a sidekick, mimicking Batman and Robin – are interesting, but suffer from a lack of real development and an odd semi-conclusion. The flashbacks to the Joker’s past, sure to be a main draw, are far too similar to many other villain origin stories. Solid art, especially in the flashbacks, is in many ways the saving grace of the book, but even that’s not enough to keep “Joker” from feeling like a missed opportunity.
Final Verdict: 4.0 – Unless you’re a Joker superfan and out to collect all the Villains Month titles, “Joker” will remain very unnecessary
