Batman: Three Jokers #1 Discussion/Spoilers

[Badou]

I think I preferred Morrison's take on why the Joker acts different at different times. Johns trying to logically explain it with there being multiple Jokers and their whole goal to make a perfect Joker or something felt a little lackluster. It feels like it is relying too much on the Jokers from the classic Joker stories to sell it instead of being its own thing. Also it is hard to get worked up about a Joker being killed because it isn't like it matters in the end. Comic book deaths have lost their luster anyway, but there will always be a Joker because he is too popular to kill off, and it doesn't really matter if there are multiple of them because they all serve the same purpose. It makes characters getting upset at him being killed feel redundant. I don't know if this will be considered "canon" but I think it probably will given how much DC is promoting it and other writers, or Johns himself, will probably do more with this story in the future given how well it sold.

[JBatmanFan05]

Surprisingly good and effective issue. I don't know where this is going, but Johns is so far making the three Jokers idea not seem as stupid (though there are still two more issues to make all this very stupid).

It's an interesting mystery and Johns finds a way to both celebrate Joker and make you think about him and these heroes he impacted more.

So far, it's like: Why has it been so hard for Johns to write Batman like this before? A grounded mystery with solid characterization and good fun retro nods.

[kingaliencracker]

As like, a product to read, I enjoyed this, but I'm kind of baffled as to why it exists.

If the point is to clear up inconsistencies in continuity - they don't actually need to be cleared up. The continuity is not somehow richer for having concrete reasons *why* Joker behaves differently sometimes. If it's trying to fulfill a certain function, it doesn't actually improve anything - it's answering a question that no one really asked.

If it's all out of continuity and just an elseworlds, it's even more pointless. Here's a reality where there were three Jokers? I guess? I know, I know, "it's an imaginary story... aren't they all?" but like, that kind of reduces this to just a vanity project that they were too far along with to abandon... which is what I suspect this story will end up being.

But like I said, as a story to read, I mostly enjoyed it. I like the kind of comic book version of the Keaton costume that Batman is wearing. I really like the art, and reading it was enjoyable. It just begs the question, if there were always three Jokers, why did they wait until now to commit simultaneous crimes?

I feel like in 10 years there will be a really interesting story of what exactly happened in the making of this book and how the story changed over time.

I think that because the story was hinted at FIVE years ago the initial intent by Johns was for this to be in continuity. But a lot has changed in 5 years and now I think DC just wants to get the story over with.

[sifighter]

I’m reposting my thoughts from the other thread

spoilers:

Setting aside Darkseid War, because honestly given current continuity changes since Rebirth it’s kind of confusing how it all fits in, I think I can get what Geoff Johns is going for here and it’s kind of similar to Doomsday Clock if you will. This is a story line that is clearly referencing past storylines and events (clearly Killing Joke and the Death of Jason Todd) but is also kind of separate from mainline continuity so that it’s timeless in a way, sort of like the killing joke. Now I kind of want to give Johns credit for not doing a big weird multiverse thing here, instead it’s grounded in a certain kind of realism that you could honestly believe could happen in a way. Plus the idea that certain people can become the joker isn’t too far fetched, I mean I remember something mildly similar in Batman Beyond: return of the Joker or even the Creeper from Batman the animated series. Obviously of course it raises a lot of questions like who is responsible for what at points in the jokers career. If anything though I’m fascinated by the clearly golden age leader joker, mainly because he’s not a visible psychopath like the other two but he comes up with these plans. Almost reminded me of Jack Nicholson. As for the Jason Todd thing...look I’m not about to fail Jason for murdering a Joker, it feels like something he would do and I kind of expected it honestly. I mean we know “The Joker” can’t be killed off but given the fact it’s a story starring multiple jokers I at least expected “a joker” to be killed off, and as good a Jason can be I honestly think any given day of the week if given the chance he’d try and kill Joker. Now that he has killed one, and quite possibly the one that killed him, I’m going to wait and see what becomes of it. But again, I’m not even remotely surprised that is what happened, it was either going to be him or the police. Overall I think this was a pretty good start to the story, and I’ll wait and see how it all plays out.

end of spoilers

[Coal Tiger]

I was thinking more from a perspective of how they could never use DNA, fingerprints or dental records to trace the Joker's true identity.

Advancements in DNA technology and all these DNA databases have been used to track down criminals by finding family members and looking at family trees to identify people. Maybe they looked at what was possible with DNA and decided to just eliminate the chance of even identifying Joker's DNA to close off the possibility of even hypothetically identifying him that way.

[Lucky Looke 90]

I think that to fully judge Johns's story we need to see the whole painting. I think that it will not be until we have read issue 3 when we can decide if it interferes with continuity or if it alters some story of the past, I think there are still surprises, they can be good or bad, that is something else. I don't read much about Red Hood but it seems to me one of the best representations that have been made of the character. In the end, since Johns said that this story did not involve alternative realities, multiverses, time travel and stuff like that a story of this type was to be expected. As many have pointed out here, it is not even certain who is in charge of everything. I like it when an author delves into Batman's detective work and his stories involve some kind of mystery. In the end if the story leaves its mark and increases the lore of DC, Batman and Joker and responds positively to the question: Was this necessary? I think it would have been worth it, Fabok even said that part of the delay was preparing something worth telling so I think there is still a shortage for us to judge this story with bases. As a single issue, I think the artwork is excellent, in that section there is no disappointment. I consider that the story flows properly and that even the murder of a Joker at the hands of Red Hood does not feel forced, I think the plot unfolds well to that point and it comes out naturally. I honestly do not think there will be a great revelation about the identity of the Joker or his person, I think that part of the magic of this comic will be to play with that aspect but not reveal anything about the character since in the end much of the interesting thing about the Joker It is the mystery that surrounds him.

*sorry I forgot, with all technology we already have I do not know if it has any sense the DNA thing.

[Godlike13]

I think this is one I’m gonna need to judge as a whole, but so far I’m intrigued.

[Dark_Tzitzimine]

I think that to fully judge Johns's story we need to see the whole painting. I think that it will not be until we have read issue 3 when we can decide if it interferes with continuity or if it alters some story of the past, I think there are still surprises, they can be good or bad, that is something else. I don't read much about Red Hood but it seems to me one of the best representations that have been made of the character. In the end, since Johns said that this story did not involve alternative realities, multiverses, time travel and stuff like that a story of this type was to be expected. As many have pointed out here, it is not even certain who is in charge of everything. I like it when an author delves into Batman's detective work and his stories involve some kind of mystery. In the end if the story leaves its mark and increases the lore of DC, Batman and Joker and responds positively to the question: Was this necessary? I think it would have been worth it, Fabok even said that part of the delay was preparing something worth telling so I think there is still a shortage for us to judge this story with bases. As a single issue, I think the artwork is excellent, in that section there is no disappointment. I consider that the story flows properly and that even the murder of a Joker at the hands of Red Hood does not feel forced, I think the plot unfolds well to that point and it comes out naturally. I honestly do not think there will be a great revelation about the identity of the Joker or his person, I think that part of the magic of this comic will be to play with that aspect but not reveal anything about the character since in the end much of the interesting thing about the Joker It is the mystery that surrounds him.

*sorry I forgot, with all technology we already have I do not know if it has any sense the DNA thing.

This story makes Batman into the worst detective of the story though. You telling me no one ever realized over the years that there were different Jokers until the Mobius chair told Bruce ? Not even Luthor? What about Harley? She presumably slept with the guy (guys?)

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

I absolutely love this

6546155A-399D-492B-B48B-47A914D52EA9.jpg

[Immortal Hulk]

Excellent beginning. Loved the Red Hood parts the most.

[Dark_Tzitzimine]

This page is hilarious now.

[Starman]

This story makes Batman into the worst detective of the story though. You telling me no one ever realized over the years that there were different Jokers until the Mobius chair told Bruce ? Not even Luthor? What about Harley? She presumably slept with the guy (guys?)

This is what I was thinking the whole time I read this issue. TBH, I think it would have been better if the other Jokers were from an alternate timeline or something. At least that way the worlds greatest detective isn't an idiot.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

This is what I was thinking the whole time I read this issue. TBH, I think it would have been better if the other Jokers were from an alternate timeline or something. At least that way the worlds greatest detective isn't an idiot.

Honestly that’s far and away the biggest issue. Unless Bruce never fought two of them or something

[Restingvoice]

This page is hilarious now.

That page has been hilarious from the start, though for a different reason: timeline

[Badou]

This story makes Batman into the worst detective of the story though. You telling me no one ever realized over the years that there were different Jokers until the Mobius chair told Bruce ? Not even Luthor? What about Harley? She presumably slept with the guy (guys?)

Yeah, that is a big issue. Though I guess Johns always tends to write a more fallible Bruce? That is what you tend to hear from his critics I think. Maybe there will be some twist in the end to make it not look as bad for him.