rambles and thoughts from a pop culture nerd

 That’s right kids! The clown prince of crime is back in Gotham, his first appearance in the DCU in over year. For a character that is as well known to the bat mythos you’re probably asking yourself, “well gee? thats a pretty long time to use a character of his caliber”. That’s the appeal of the joker, chaos incarnated, it’s a character who is shrouded in mystery and rarely does appear in the Batman comics, but when he does, that is when the s*** hits the fan. Sporadic? yes, but it comes with great danger and importance. Now writer Scott Synder has kept this project in covers, but from what has been able to be told, it’s something unique. You see for the first that i can recall in his characters history the joker is not solely gunning for the Batman. He is coming for the entire bat-family, that means no crossfires, every one is fair game, Dick, Barbara, Jason, Tim, and Damien are all on the opposite end of the barrel. What has been a private war between two men, fought over philosophical, and physical differences has now engulfed everyone that bruce has come to care and love for. Im gonna go through the run down, the unique aspects that each of these characters will come to find against the man simply known as the Joker……

Dick Grayson/Nightwing - For as long as Dick has been alive, and a member of Bruce Wayne’s war on crime, the appearance of evil incarnated has been green hair, red lips, and white skin. While he’s been in the middle of the war, he will now find himself up against his mentor’s greatest threat, with his extensive knowledge can he be prepared for the insanity the joker presents or will it be too much for the young crime fighter to handle?

Barbara Gordon/Batgirl - If anyone knows the true cruelty that Batman’s arch nemesis can present it is Barbara. Quick little history lesson! Before the new 52 Barbara was shot and crippled, then stripped naked and left to die by the joker during Alan Moore’s epic story, “The Killing Joke” so suffice to say she has no love laws with him. For the first time in a long time Barbara will get to have a one on one confrontation with the man that not only destroyed her life but almost ended it. 

Jason Todd/ Red Hood - Jason, oh poor Jason. Arguably the most tragic character in the private battle between Batman and the Joker, he is the physical manifestation of the Joker’s most depraved act. Beaten with a crowbar and blown up with a bomb, Jason’s life was ended. Thanks to some wacky shenanigans by the always “immortal” Rhas Al Ghul, Jason was brought back to the living and went head first for the clown himself. With a believed final confrontation with his mentor bruce, and the joker. Jason asks the most logical question, well to be honest a question anyone in gotham would ask batman, “why is he still alive?” Believing that his death would finally drive batman to putting a final end to the joker’s life, it begs to ask the question, “what will finally drive batman over the edge?”  Now that the Joker will be having his sights on Jason, will Jason Todd do what bruce will not do, and kill the joker?

Tim Drake/ Red Robin - Tim is accustom to the Joker’s violent and chaotic acts but now that he’s driven with purpose will tim have what it takes to be prepared?

Damien Wayne/Robin - This folks is what i believe will be a wild card in Scott Synder’s epic. The younger wayne will get a look at his father’s nemesis, and i believe will be ready for a violent confrontation with the clown prince of crime. Much more violent and colder than his father and under the guise of his grandfather, Rhas Al Ghul, Damien’s method are much more permanent, and deadly. Can Damien’s ruthless be any match for the depravity that is to come for the bat family?

Finally…………….

Bruce Wayne/Batman - For over 70 years it’s been about two men, Batman and the Joker. In all that time neither man has learned much about the other, but yet they are two sides of the same coin. Driven men, that cannot be deterred, one fights for true justice, while the other to coin a phrase simply, “wants to watch the world burn.” If you include previous history, and which you should, The Joker is Batman’s greatest failure and as a result takes responsibility for the tragedies and lives that were taken in their battle. However this is different, this will turn much more personal. The people he has come to raise, even his own son, will not be bystanders but brought into the fight, and it begs to wonder if this will be the tipping point for bruce? Can he truly allow the Joker to live if in the course of this, someone in the bat-family bites the dust, not as a drive by in the cross fire but as a target in a war that they themselves have no business being in?