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Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1
Recent issues of DC Comics have teased a canonical revival of the three jokers concept, an idea that certainly has its pros and cons. With Batman have nightmares of three clown princes and the new dc Joker series teasing a similar twist for Gotham’s supervillain, it looks like the whole Joker status quo is about to change massively. However, whether making the idea canonical will ultimately benefit the character remains to be seen.
Developed by Geoff Johns during New 52 and culminating in a seemingly non-canonical storyline with artists Jason Fabok and Brand Anderson, three jokers saw Batman, Red Hood, and Batgirl grapple with the discovery that the Joker is actually three different villains. Identified as the criminal, the clown, and the comedian, the criminal is presumably the original Joker who created the other two. The Clown is the dumbest, campiest Silver Age Joker that killed Jason Todd. The comedian is the newest and most modern Joker Batman has faced, as well as the Joker from The killer joke who crippled Batgirl. At the end of the story involving a failed attempt to make Joe Chill a fourth Joker, the comedian is the only surviving Joker after Red Hood kills the clown and the comedian himself kills the criminal.
Despite the foreshadowing of the New 52’s Darkseid War where Batman learned there were three Jokers, the canonical nature of the story itself was questioned with much debate (even by its creators). As such, the fact that the Dark Knight dreams of three Jokers in ongoing DC Batman series by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez is significant. Likewise, the new Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1 by Matthew Rosenberg and Carmine Di Giandomenico sees the Joker announce his intention to go global and leave Gotham behind, while a second Joker is revealed to still be in Gotham, appearing to be a mysterious and newly created Clown Prince of Crime.
Will three jokers diminish the power of a singular clown?
While the twist of a new Joker is initially exciting, especially one that seems to want the death of the other Clown Prince, one has to wonder if having multiple Jokers lessens the overall impact the villain can have. in the DC Universe. Concrete example, Three jokers The comedian killed the criminal for wanting to turn Joe Chill into the Joker, giving Batman a Joker who really caused him the most pain. However, the comedian believed the Joker should never have an identity as an agent of chaos and mystery. He also wanted to be the only Joker serving as the primary nemesis of Batman himself (without other Jokers focusing). After all, why would Joker want to share the spotlight, even with other Jokers?
In the same vein, multiple Jokers operating simultaneously and/or making the past three jokers The story’s concrete canon risks diminishing the Joker’s true power as a unique force of mystery, chaos, and unpredictability. That being said, Joker new series has just started as well as from batman nightmares. Both stories could go anywhere and could very well point to a singular Joker who becomes more terrifying than ever. Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #1 is on sale now.
