First look at ‘Three Jokers’

[cyberghostface]

“This story is focused on — and I don’t want to spoil it too much — but it’s not focused on other dimensions or alternate earths or whatever." John explained during the panel. "It focuses on the origins of the Joker and Bruce’s realization that there’s more than one operating."

“It’s all about scars and healing wrong and healing right and pain,” Johns said. “If I could tell one Joker story, this is the one I would tell.”

According to Johns, there are distinctions between the three Jokers that define them as different characters but "that might just be in my head," Johns said. "There's this really fun scene where Joker drives this truck. He goes to the woods and there's a cabin with a light on, and he knocks on the door and there's a Joker standing there wearing a Hawaiian shirt, and The Joker says, 'That's my shirt.'"

The series, which will be published under DC Black Label, will center on Batman, Barbara Gordon, and Jason Todd trying to unravel the mystery. Johns hopes that it will be released in the winter.

Source

Comments

[kamino_neko]

Finally they're actually doing something with that story.

Surprised it's Johns, and not one of the writers who's really guided Batman, lately - Snyder, Tynion, or King...

[bj_l]

Why reward the people who have been doing all the heavy lifting for years when Johns can stroke his ego? I don't even like Snyder and I feel he should be taking some large role on this (for my money, Tomasi was the far, far better Batman writer).

My enthusiasm has wavered considerably. Not that it was high anyway.

[lucean]

I think a part of it is that this feels like a completely Johns idea and that the other writers really don't seem that interested. Seriously, the setup for this came out when Snyder was wrapping up his Batman run and moving on the the Metal and JL stuff and not one indication towards this story.

While it being released as a Black Label story, and thus being a standalone, this story still remains to me as one of the prime examples of Johns's certain hubris with the lack of a better word. While Snyder was finishing up his critically and financially massive run on Batman where the Joker and his role in Batman's life was a huge focus point, Johns at the same time tries to shoehorn this in to canon despite it going directly against everything the actual Bat-writers were working on.

[cygnia]

What does "Black Label" mean?

[cyberghostface]

https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2018/03/08/dc-launches-new-publishing-imprint-dc-black-label

[spider_man6]

It's basically DC's imprint under which everything that is and was Elseworlds is going under. Elseworlds stories and/or in-continuity tales, but with darker or mature themes, fit into this. So it makes sense that this would be in it.

Personally, I'm happy this mystery, which has been in the dark for at least two years, is finally going to be resolved. Makes sense that Jason and Barbara are in on investigating it as they have deep personal connections to him.

[stubbleupdate]

Jason Fabok says it's canon.

[deathcrist2000]

It's the imprint where Batman can say fuck.

[locuatico]

I love Joker's look like "Oh gosh! Am I THIS annoying? How DOES Batman resist the urge to kill me?"

[crinos]

So judging by their poses. The sitting Joker is the original Joker from the Golden age, the one with the crowbar is the one from death in the family, and the one in the back is the one from The Killing Joke.

[captainbellman]

Huh. I had thought the seated one was New52 wearing a more clasaic look,and crowbar Joker was meant to encapsulate the original as well.

This does seem like a nostalgia-riffic bit of absolute nonsense.

[crinos]

The Joker sitting, unsmiling, with his hands cradled together, is a direct homage to the very first time we see him in the comics.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ey53UfdndXU/UuAVAZlg5RI/AAAAAAAADNw/gdQpio6LA8Y/s1600/Batman+3.JPG

(I love that intro by the way. He's sitting there, looking morose and serious like a character out of Edgar Allen Poe as he explains how he committed his crime, then he flashes that smile, that smile that says "Run, for the love of all that's decent run, because you don't want to know what he's gonna do if he catches you." )

[thezmage]

Would be much more excited for this if it were being written by someone who I thought actually liked Batman

[bj_l]

Didn't the trio look a little more distinct from each other previously?

[stubbleupdate]

Original Joker, Killing Joke Joker, New52 Joker

Looks like they've subbed out New52 Joker for Death in the Family

[strejdaking]

And Batman hadn't noticed till that point because...

[stubbleupdate]

I can't work out what you're asking

[lizard_of_aus]

I think he wants to know why the world's greatest detective didn't realise that one of his greatest enemies- not wearing a mask, mind you -was more than one person.

[strejdaking]

BTW, sorry for wording it that way, I wasn't asking you, just in general. Wasn't trying to be hostile.

[mrwalker]

THANK YOU, I'm baffled by that as well.

[zachbeacon]

Seems odd that Harley hasn't noticed either.

[strejdaking]

I was honestly hoping Johns just decided to forget about this silliness bt no such luck.

There is no way this won't end up ridiculously stupid (and won't be praised by comic critics everywhere).

Won’t be praised by comic critics everywhere?

[deh_tommy]

What’s wrong with that?

Re: Won’t be praised by comic critics everywhere?

[strejdaking]

Because I don't think it's going to be good, I obviously don't think it's going to deserve the praise it will likely get. What?

[zachbeacon]

I recall a classic writer (O'Neil? Barr? Dixon? I'm not sure) mentioning in an interview that his interpretation of the Joker constantly coming back from apparent deaths without explanation is that he really does die. The various Jokers with wildly different personalities are actually different people who were inspired by previous Jokers.

Honestly that makes more sense to me than seemingly canon stuff like "super sanity", joker immunity*, and three Jokers being active at once.

*That one REALLY bugs me. I get that Batman doesn't kill but surely some Gotham cop would have shot him while "resisting arrest" by now.

[mrwalker]

I thought Joker Immunity was a trope that explains how the only reason some characters...like Joker...are still alive, is because the writers don't want to/can't kill them off. Because there is no other logical reason why the Joker IS still alive.

[zachbeacon]

It is but the official explanation for it is generally that Batman doesn't kill. That still doesn't take into account that Gotham cops had a rep for being dirty. Even the "good" cops have done some pretty shady things so I have a hard time thinking they wouldn't kill an unarmed Joker.