The Batman Who Laughs

Product Information

The Batman Who Laughs Deluxe Edition is currently set for release on April 18, 2023. This new collection is set to gather together the full seven-issue Batman Who Laughs miniseries and the one-shot special issue The Batman Who Laughs: The Grim Knight. Together, these comics tell a full storyline written by one of the creators of the Batman Who Laughs, Scott Snyder. Educational digression: The title of this book, The Man Who Laughs, is also a silent movie, starring Conrad Viedt. The creators of Batman based the Joker’s appearance on Veidt’s character: The main story of "Batman: The Man Who Laughs: The Deluxe Edition" is great. It is a solid origin story for the Joker and Brubaker did a great job in capturing the essence of the Clown Prince of Crime. The story kept me on the edge of my seat and I liked how it was consistent in its pacing and tone. The art was well done also. I like how Brubaker wrote from both Batman's POV and Gordon's POV also. My only complaint about the story was that the ending was a bit rushed. But, it captured Batman's struggle (to keep himself from killing the Joker) well. I like how it showed Batman's detective skills also and the art was good too. It’s unsurprising that the legendary writer Ed Brubaker is behind one of the most paramount stories in Batman’s lore, the very mystery that introduces Batman to the Clown Prince of Crime. With his perfect grasp over noir fiction, this origin story impeccably captures the detective mystery that encapsulates the Joker’s sudden introduction to Gotham City. Throughout this adventure, with both Bruce Wayne and James Gordon’s first-person narration to immerse readers into their respective minds, you embark on a journey to try and elucidate the Joker’s modus operandi. Despite the hints he leaves around the city, his terrifying public performances through media outlets, his comical, goofy, yet deadly persona, he somehow still remains a giant question mark in the face of the Dark Knight as he tries to desperately connect the dots. Is he the Red Hood? Is he a deranged psychopath escaped from a psych ward? Is he out there on a mission or cluelessly prancing around in the anarchy he creates? Rest assured, writer Ed Brubaker perfectly delivers this story with deadly charm and charisma.

Forgoing the surprise/disappointment I mentioned in my Gotham Noir review about this being a 3 issue arc rather than the full 9 or 10 issues I expected given the length of the book, The Man Who Laughs was a solid, if unspectacular effort from Brubaker. Although given the growing number of his non-independent titles I've read lately, solid but unspectacular seems to be where Brubaker is at when it comes to his DC work. I've yet to read any of his Marvel stuff at present.

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The Man Who Laughs actually contains two separate Batman stories. The first is a direct sequel to Batman: Year One. At the end of Year One, Gordon mentions that an unknown character called the Joker has been making threats against the city. Discover the answer in The Batman Who Laughs—a terrifying reimagining of one of comics' greatest heroes—and villains—from the premier Batman writer of our time! I don't even know why I like the Joker anymore. Now that first statement is probably the most heinous blasphemous remark I will ever type (and will never type again) as an avid Bat-fan. But I felt the need to confess it because I've been keeping it bottled up inside since...well, since Heath Ledger's outstanding performance in The Dark Knight film. It was only during and after Death of the Family crossover event that I think I became one of those fans who contracted the "Joker fatigue" wherein I found everything that New 52 advertised and hyped about the return of the Clown Prince to be insufferable and diluted. The story reminded me a lot of Chris Nolan's 2008 Batman film, The Dark Knight, as they have similar plot points: Joker taunts Batman and Gotham with video messages, he takes out Gotham's elite one by one, and he causes panic in the general populace leading to a mass evacuation. It's to Brubaker's credit that his "The Man Who Laughs" storyline was used to great effect on the big screen and is definitely worth reading if you're a Batman/Joker fan. A war like no other—a war of the Batmen—has begun. As Batman's closest friends, deadliest enemies, and doppelgängers from across the Multiverse get caught in the crossfire, only one question remains: Who will have the last laugh?

Discover the answer in The Batman Who Laughs–a terrifying reimagining of one of comics’ greatest heroes–and villains–from the premier Batman writer of our time! I was handed this by a friend who had given it a high amount of praise. When I saw that Ed Brubaker had written it, I couldn't blame him! Of course it's going to be awesome, it has Brubaker's name attached to it. Half Batman. Half Joker. Combining everything that makes the Caped Crusader a hero and the Clown Prince a killer, the Batman Who Laughs is the Dark Multiverse's deadliest criminal mastermind. Now he's come to Gotham to turn Bruce Wayne's home into an incubator for evil. While sampling of the digital (most notably in the audio form) has been around for decades the cultural process running underneath that creative process has been around since the dawn of Humanity. Truly there is nothing new under (this) sun and Brubaker here well exemplifies this archaic axiom by recycling yet another industry and cultural standard. However, the references employed here are mixed with only minor additions of the original. Banking on its utilization of well-known samples in lieu of forging its own additions of original content, for more thoughtful takes on the Batman mythos, most notably and recently Alan Moore and Christopher Nolan’s seminal contributions to the Caped Crusader’s mythology, ultimately Brubaker’s forged homunculus feels more paper-thin pastiche than anything in drab comparison. Batman: The Man Who Laughs is a quintessential story exploring the Joker’s first appearance within Gotham City.Surprisingly, I preferred the second tale over The Man Who Laughs. I thought Gordon's dialogue and inner monologue were fantastic. I think I enjoyed the story on a much higher level overall. But most of all, this was just a really entertaining story. It’s not as dark and brooding as Year One or the 2008 Dark Knight movie. This is not a story that dives deep into the Joker’s psychological profile. Instead it’s a fun, fast-paced adventure with a lot of action and some excellent art. Ed Brubaker did the Joker justice with this tale, which I’d rate 4.5 stars. The second half of the book is a boring 3-shot story of Batman and the original Green Lantern Alan Scott as they try and solve a 50 year old murder mystery of a killer called "Made of Wood". I'm not a Green Lantern fan so I wasn't so keen on this and it has nothing to do with the Joker so I have no idea why it's twinned with the first story. So Batman, who’s been dealing with punk-ass villains up until this time, is at first in over his head:

A war like no other--a war of the Batmen--has begun. As Batman's closest friends, deadliest enemies, and doppelgängers from across the Multiverse get caught in the crossfire, only one question Who will have the last laugh? And he hasn't come alone. Emerging from another of the Dark Multiverse's myriad realities comes the Grim Knight. This vicious vigilante will use any weapon at his disposal to ensure those he has marked for death stay down. Given that Alan Moore has already completed the definitive story on the origin of The Joker as well as his first meeting with Batman, this had a lot to live up to. Could Brubaker create an instant classic? Could he introduce us to The Joker in a way that was fresh and memorable? And he hasn’t come alone. Emerging from another of the Dark Multiverse’s myriad realities comes the Grim Knight. This vicious vigilante will use any weapon at his disposal to ensure those he has marked for death stay down.The movie studios tried to drum up interest in Veidt with the slogan: “Women fight for Conrad Veidt!” A war like no other--a war of the Batmen--has begun. As Batman's closest friends, deadliest enemies, and doppelgängers from across the Multiverse get caught in the crossfire, only one question remains: Who will have the last laugh?

A war like no other–a war of the Batmen–has begun. As Batman’s closest friends, deadliest enemies, and doppelgängers from across the Multiverse get caught in the crossfire, only one question remains: Who will have the last laugh? This was a retelling of the jokers debut, with the whole modern Batman retelling taking place , the events took place soon after Batman introduced himself to Captain Gordon and took down (but failed to unmask) The Red Hood . I absolutely loved this story , feeling this to be an essential read for all Batman fans , the art might put off a few people but i absolutely love this kind of art , and for it's time it does remarkably well in not making any sexual or suggestive female characters come into the story .

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Ed Brubaker mimics Frank Miller's Year One by utilizing Bruce and Gordon's POV to tell the story and to engage the readers effectively. Their narrations expose their struggles as they try to keep up with whatever the city throws at them and their guilt whenever they fail to save someone around.