The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #8 – Matthew Rosenberg, Writer; Carmine Di Giandomenico, Francesco Francavilla, Artists; Romulo Fajardo Jr, Colorist
Ray – 7/10
Ray: For the whole run of this series, Joker and Joker have been separated by two coasts, and this issue brings them closer to getting back to each other for a final showdown and some answers. The issue is… that’s all it does. This issue is basically a twenty-page fight segment with the two clowns getting their butts kicked. The LA Joker is caught in a pitched battle with Manhunter, who has none of Batman’s hesitations about finishing him off. An assist from Killer Moth doesn’t turn into the help he’s hoping. Meanwhile, the scarred Gotham Joker is under assault from Killer Croc, and while Croc has the strength, Joker has the viciousness. Aside from a brief Red Hood segment, there’s little plot advancement, but I’m becoming increasingly convinced neither of these are the genuine article.
The backup brings back the original Rosenberg/Francavilla creative team, which tells a bizarre sci-fi story where Joker—sick of being humiliated—builds a device that can tell the difference between good and bad people and kill the former. After winding up killing all the good people, he discovers that a world of criminals has some key problems. It looks great, but the plot is sort of nonsensical.
Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #7 – Marc Silvestri, Writer/Artist; Arif Prianto, Colorist
Ray – 7.5/10
Ray: This entire series was largely sold on its concept—Batman and the Joker forced to team up against a villain threatening them both—but last issue saw Joker go back to his old reliable behavior. Not a surprise, but it’s really cast Amanda Simms into a backseat position that makes the actual main villain of the series feel like an afterthought. While the oversized final issue does have some great action segments as Batman and Joker escape the underworld, the back half delves into a fairly standard Batman/Joker battle that ends rather abruptly. The final pages hint at a sequel that basically introduces a new Image antihero—not a big surprise for Silvestri, who is still doing what worked best for him in the 1990s. Surprisingly, though, the final pages of this issue have some great quiet moments as Bruce Wayne focuses on some of the things that set him apart from the villains he fights. This story was ultimately about what I expected, but there were a few moments that hinted it could have been more.
Batman: The Audio Adventures #6 – Dennis McNicholas, Writer; Anthony Marques/J. Bone, Artists; Dave Stewart, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: This chaotic vision of Gotham is one of the most intriguing in a while, taking the campy aesthetic of things like Batman ‘66 and infusing it with a retro version of the same pulpy peril we saw in the acclaimed animated series. Given that this ties into a podcast, it’s being realized visually for the first time and that makes it challenging to find the right angle at points. While the various plot threads are compelling, the only real negative is that there are so many scattered elements that it feels unfocused. Mythologies about a long-ago tragedy at Haly’s Circus set up the finale, but the issue spends more time with Killer Croc’s delusions, Robin’s infiltration of a sinister villain’s organization, and Batman’s duels with a mysterious cult opposed to Ra’s Al Ghul. The visual sense of this world is great, and a lot of plots are converging for a final issue—I’m just hoping it doesn’t end in a cliffhanger for the podcast.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
