Spoilers ahead.
BATMAN: THREE JOKERS #1 written by Geoff Johns with art by Jason Fabok.
I like comic books because they offer an escape for the evening. When you turn the first page, and everything is shiny, and you have no idea what story is going to unfold. I like how the imagines enhance the narrative and the clever hints that are carefully crafted throughout the story. So when I found out that the “three Jokers” came out on 08/25/20, I was excited, in the corona world it is hard to find something to take my mind off things.
Batman: the three jokers comic book does that, it takes your mind off things. It is an exciting approach to Batman lore and possibly changes what we know about some of the other characters as well.
The Three Jokers opens with the Batmobile ploughing through the Waynes Batman’s deceased parents, gravestones. The story begins with the line, “Time heals all wounds…if they don’t kill you first.” Which at first might seem to be telling the pain that Bruce Wayne endured as a child, a pain that created Batman. We find out that others also bore wounds that have never healed.
Before we get into wounds, we are invited into the Bat cave; it seems that we the reader, take on the eyes of Batman. We see the bats that are synonymous to a young Bruce Wayne who fell for the first time into what would later become the Bat Cave. A cave that consumers of batman lore have come to know. We are given a glimpse of memorabilia that adorns the walls, the nooks and the crannies of the Batcave. Nice references to past Batman narratives, which becomes important to the overall story line.
We learn that Batman had a run-in with the penguin and was stabbed, adding another scar to the collection. We are given another reminder of what happened to Batman’s parents, and it would seem cliched, but we see throughout this issue that it sets the scene.
Before Batman had time to heal, he rushes out after a disturbing report appears on the news about a joker attack.
Next, we see Barbra at the gym, running on a treadmill watching a broadcast on TV; the Joker has attacked again. Barbra has flashbacks to a defining moment in her life as well when the Joker shot her and left her paralysed; we see the scar from the bullet. Barbra leaves the gym to find the Joker.
Following on from Barbra we meet Jason Todd, the Red Hood, he is in a graveyard fighting Joker lackeys, the Red Hood’s helmet falls off mid-battle and reveals a scar on the back of his head from the time the Joker pummeled Jason Todd, who was then the Robin, to death.
Three scars that healed, but also three metaphorical deaths all at the hands of the Joker, while it is said in this comic that Joe Chill killed Bruce’s parents, it usually alluded that the Joker killed them. Wounds that heal physically left deep and lasting pain to each of our heroes.
As the Bat-Family each addresses the physical and mental toll of their crimefighting, they individually investigate a trio of murders that has left the Gotham Police Department bewildered. Each of the crimes carries the familiar hallmarks of the Joker, but it’s impossible that a single assailant has committed all three. It becomes apparent to the bat-family that there are three jokers on the lose
We see the pain that out heroes endure play out when Batwoman and the Red Hood confront one of the three Jokers.
The tag line for the overall story is: “The Three Jokers” re-examines the myth of who, or what, is the Joker and what is at the heart of his ongoing battle with Batman? And yet it seems to be examining much more than the Joker. A promising first issue that is deftly crafted and expertly paced. With fantastic artwork by Jason Fabok, with letters by Rob Leigh and great work by colour artist Brad Anderson whose work matches the overall tone of the story who deliver a nod to past artists and creatives on Batman.
Categories: Rob reads
Robert Geoghegan. 
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