When the Joker promises a big show, he rarely disappoints. But when he promises a grand finale performance that will forever close the curtains on his schtick with Batman? It gets readers attention to say the least.
"The Joker War" has been a slow tease since the end of Tom King’s run on DC’s flagship title Batman. In the epilogue of issue #85, one of Joker’s clowns gets a news alert that Superman has revealed his secret identity to the world. The goon suggests that Batman will likely follow suit and hints that his boss should use his knowledge of Batman’s secret identity “while it’s still worth something.” He agrees with his henchman that beating Batman to the punchline is the only true option he has left... after murdering the poor clown, of course. But his grand joke is going to be too much for even Batman to handle.
DC’s June solicitations give readers a sneak peek of what’s in store for the Dark Knight. In Batman #96 and #97, written by James Tynion IV with art by Jorge Jimenez, cover art by Guillem March and card stock variant cover by Francesco Mattina. The Joker has an army, which is growing hour by hour, and they are armed with “weapons beyond anything the Clown Prince of Crime has ever used before.” The solicitation also promises the worst Joker toxin attack in Gotham’s history, pushing Batman to the edge of madness as the rest of Gotham’s Rogues attempt to wait out the carnage. But Batman won’t be alone in this fight. Saving Batman from free-falling into insanity is the Joker’s old partner, Harley Quinn. Catwoman has also assembled an army of of her own, and a brutal new player in Gotham emerges during the chaos going by the name Clownhunter.
The cover art to Batman #97 depicts Batman vomiting out a green gas while chained to the floor as the Joker laughs and twirls his cane from above. It's a nightmarish piece of art that captures the horror that Tynion promised to inject into his Batman saga. The previous cover for #96, also out in June, is considerably less horrifying, showing the Joker gleefully driving the Batmobile as Batman rides atop it like an Arrakis sandworm.
Make no mistake: The Joker War will forever change Batman's world forever, and not just in regards to his relationship with the Joker. The Agent of Chaos knows all the Bat-family's secret identities, as revealed in Batman #89. He also has a new girlfriend at his side, the murderous assassin Punchline, who Tynion and Jimenez have promised will make a big impact on Gotham. Will this be the Joker's grand finale performance? Mr. J seems to be suggesting just it might be. But you know what they say about comedy, always end on a high note.
Batman #97 will arrive in your local comic book shop on June 17th, 2020.
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