Batman: Three Jokers

[thecolorsblend]

Glanced around and couldn't find an existing thread. So here we go.

For me, my Batman's canon begins with Year One and chronologically runs through to 2003, concluding with Hush. Hush is Batman's series finale, imo.

And yet, I couldn't resist picking up Three Jokers #01. And I must say, pretty solid. Geoff Johns is invested in the story, the art is done by somebody who looks like they actually care (which is not necessarily a given anymore) and, in general, it's a quality item.

Not making any guarantees about the remainder of the series. Could be great, could be p00p, I have no idea. But #01 is worth checking out.

(srsly tho, Jason Todd is dead and he never came back to life, that's my canon, dammit)

[The Dark Knight]

I've been anticipating this for a while and I've read issue one. The references to all the injuries Batman has suffered over the years, particularly Bane's backbreaker, was pretty cool. Life goes on but wounds accumulate and the memory of them still linger. The concept of the three Jokers may not have been as fantastical as I first thought, if they continue with the concept they've established here. And I'm hoping they do. The byplay between Batman, Jason and Barbara has real potential. 

[thecolorsblend]

I've been anticipating this for a while and I've read issue one. The references to all the injuries Batman has suffered over the years, particularly Bane's backbreaker, was pretty cool. Life goes on but wounds accumulate and the memory of them still linger. The concept of the three Jokers may not have been as fantastical as I first thought, if they continue with the concept they've established here. And I'm hoping they do. The byplay between Batman, Jason and Barbara has real potential.

I haven't figured out Three Jokers relationship to continuity. It could be that DC editorial wanted Three Jokers to be a trial balloon. And if fans responded positively, then it could/ve been incorporated into continuity. If not, it could've been ignored.

I use the past tense up there because I am not sure that continuity is a relevant subject at DC anymore. Before the layoffs, when DC theoretically still published monthly periodicals, then yeah, continuity matters. But if they're going in YA, digital, Scholastic, Amazon directions (and that seems to be the case) then continuity is a relic. On that basis, Three Jokers could be seen as the last hurrah for DC as we knew it.

Anyway. Apparently this is a bi-monthly title so it'll be a while before the next issue comes out. I guess they're trying to maximize fan interest because Fabok has made it clear that he's been finished with his work for months now. In theory, they could have the next issue ready to go next week if they wanted to.

[Silver Nemesis]

I enjoyed the first issue. This and Sean Murphy's White Knight series have somewhat rejuvenated my interest in the Joker. I was getting bored of the same repetitive Joker narratives being recycled in the comics throughout the last decade, but lately certain writers have been coming up with interesting new ways to approach the character.

Fabok's art is a big selling point for me. With the 9-panel layouts, it feels like they're really trying to make this a prestige title. There are obvious visual echoes of Brian Bolland's art in The Killing Joke, and I can also detect a Jim Lee influence at work.

It was also nice to see Gaggy return, however briefly. Similar nods to the Joker's history are likely to be sprinkled throughout the series. I'm looking forward to reading #2.

[thecolorsblend]

My little conspiracy theory is that someone (Johns?) is fed up with the Joker as a mass murdering lunatic and they want to bring him back to his criminal roots.

Without getting too spoilery, obviously (the character who calls himself) Jason Todd (but who can't actually be Jason Todd because Jason Todd is dead in TCB's canon) does something big in the last few issues of #01.

My theory is something similar will happen in #02. And in #03, the criminal will be the only one still active and he'll be the guy from now on.

Honestly tho, the Joker really has been done to death and the character needs a nice long break for a while. After the end of A Death In The Family, the Joker was gone for something like a year, was gone again, came back for Batman #450-451, went away again for like another year and came back for the Robin II miniseries. I'd like a return to annual Joker stories, or maybe even less frequent than that.

[The Dark Knight]

I enjoyed the first issue. This and Sean Murphy's White Knight series have somewhat rejuvenated my interest in the Joker. I was getting bored of the same repetitive Joker narratives being recycled in the comics throughout the last decade, but lately certain writers have been coming up with interesting new ways to approach the character.

JOKER supercharged my interest. It's one of my favorite films of all time, comic book related or otherwise. It encapsulates nearly everything I like about the character in one nice, tight runtime of two hours.

As such I'm always open to good new Joker stuff. But even then, we could be getting good stuff from other characters. For example, The Riddler will get overdue time to shine in the Reeves film.

I'd like to get back to a place where the Joker is just one of many villains in Batman's rogues gallery, rather than the only one that matters. The 66 TV show managed to execute that brief. Every villain is dangerous and come with different skill sets. And as an aside, I could also persuasively argue Bane is an even better arch nemesis and dark mirror to Batman. 

From what I gather, Three Jokers is standalone, but it could be in continuity if other writers want to pick up those strands. I'll see what I think after the series ends.

[The Joker]

For me, my Batman's canon begins with Year One and chronologically runs through to 2003, concluding with Hush. Hush is Batman's series finale, imo.

Not a bad place to finish. Actually, I've never thought much about the beginning and ending of my own 'personal' Batman canon. I didn't mind some of the stuff that came after HUSH like Under the Red Hood, the Morrison run (though not all of it), and some of the New52 stuff. I'll admit, I lost a lot of interest with the New52 Bats towards the end there, with ENDGAME bringing me back momentarily. When Rebirth started, the Batman books got me back for about 5 minutes, and I haven't really looked back since. Other than the book that is the topic of discussion of course.

(srsly tho, Jason Todd is dead and he never came back to life, that's my canon, dammit)

I can dig that. I was one of those fans who started reading comics in the very early 1990's, and thought that sidekick character's like Jason and Bucky served a purpose that not everyone and their grandma will eventually return from the dead. To me,  their deaths gave Batman and Captain America a unique degree of pathos in terms of consequences to their own personal devoted missions.

My theory is something similar will happen in #02. And in #03, the criminal will be the only one still active and he'll be the guy from now on.

There appears to be a theme of the 3 Joker's having made a tragic impact on the lives of the 3 protagonists (Batman, Jason, Babs). The Clown Joker with Jason. The Comedian Joker with Batgirl, and if I were to surmise, there's something linking The Criminal Joker with Batman. Although exactly what between batman and the Criminal Joker remains to be seen right now.

Honestly tho, the Joker really has been done to death and the character needs a nice long break for a while. After the end of A Death In The Family, the Joker was gone for something like a year, was gone again, came back for Batman #450-451, went away again for like another year and came back for the Robin II miniseries. I'd like a return to annual Joker stories, or maybe even less frequent than that.

Batman #450-451 story line with the Curtis Base Joker was one of the very first Joker stories I recall ever reading. And to which is kinda amusing to me considering the plot of "The Three Jokers" featuring multiple versions. But yeah, even as a Joker guy, the character is overexposed. There's no way around it, DC.

I'd like to get back to a place where the Joker is just one of many villains in Batman's rogues gallery, rather than the only one that matters. The 66 TV show managed to execute that brief. Every villain is dangerous and come with different skill sets.

I get that. Personally, I remember growing up thinking in the '66 verse, the Penguin was more or less Batman's arch nemesis. Due to him being one of the most consistent villain on the show, and I'm sure the Penguin always barking orders towards Joker, Riddler, and Catwoman on the penguin submarine in the '66 movie influenced that presumption as well.

From what I gather, Three Jokers is standalone, but it could be in continuity if other writers want to pick up those strands. I'll see what I think after the series ends.

Given the sales, I just don't think DC will be able to help themselves in this being referenced in the main books at some point. Original intentions are nice, but we know how that works out.

Edit: And if this 'does' end up in continuity, I already have some mixed feelings as it pertains to the Clown Joker. Who represents the Joker from the influential Silver/Bronze ages.... 

[thecolorsblend]

There appears to be a theme of the 3 Joker's having made a tragic impact on the lives of the 3 protagonists (Batman, Jason, Babs). The Clown Joker with Jason. The Comedian Joker with Batgirl, and if I were to surmise, there's something linking The Criminal Joker with Batman. Although exactly what between batman and the Criminal Joker remains to be seen right now.

I don't have access to special inside spoiler info or anything. But if I were a betting man, I'd say that the criminal Joker will be revealed as (1) Jack Napier and (2) the killer of Thomas and Martha.

The B89 angle there is obvious.

But Fabok drew Batman in a very Bob Ringwood uniform and a very Anton Furst Batmobile. Are the uniform and Batmobile meant to visually foreshadow something? Hmm.

3J #1 opened with, among other things, flashbacks to Jason's "death", Babs's paralysis and the Wayne murders. The personal connection to the Joker that Jason and Babs both have is kind of obvious. But what's Bruce's personal connection to the Joker? Canonically speaking, none.

Unless he killed the Waynes, that is. And then it is personal for Bruce. Who's to say that Bruce wasn't the criminal Joker's first pass at building a better Joker? In that sense, it's hard to say that the criminal Joker wasn't partially successful. If the criminal Joker killed the Waynes, that would certainly explain the Wayne murder flashback, yes?

Maybe I'm wrong tho.

[The Joker]

Unless Johns is setting us up for some sort of swerve, then yeah, the Criminal Joker would obviously have something to do with the murder of the Wayne's. Either directly, or indirectly. Making the Criminal Joker visually older than the other two Joker's lends itself to this going either way (the 1989 route, or the 2019 route). In addition, I'm thinking there's something to that bit about the Moxons crime family being eliminated. Which has ties to the 1956 story involving Lew Moxon and Thomas Wayne donning his own bat costume.

Oh, and tough break, Gaggy. You got Samuel L. Jackson'd in this one.

[The Dark Knight]

I can dig that. I was one of those fans who started reading comics in the very early 1990's, and thought that sidekick character's like Jason and Bucky served a purpose that not everyone and their grandma will eventually return from the dead. To me,  their deaths gave Batman and Captain America a unique degree of pathos in terms of consequences to their own personal devoted missions.

I'm okay with Jason coming back because of the emotional trauma of his death is amplified. Shame and anger must be directly addressed. I like the powerful character dynamics the rebirth provides. And by the way, I'm hoping we get a clean extended version of Dig It for the LIB 50th Anniversary. I'd place it before Dig A Pony, which is my favorite Beatles song. Singing so soulfully about nonsense with a melancholy atmosphere. Brilliance.

I get that. Personally, I remember growing up thinking in the '66 verse, the Penguin was more or less Batman's arch nemesis. Due to him being one of the most consistent villain on the show, and I'm sure the Penguin always barking orders towards Joker, Riddler, and Catwoman on the penguin submarine in the '66 movie influenced that presumption as well.

Joker is important, no doubt about it. I think he should take on an elevated connection with Batman in the stories he appears in. But indeed, I'd prefer him to be rested for a while while a healthier villain balance is made. Power can be gained by staying in the shadows.