Batman: Three Jokers by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok (graphic novel review).
‘Batman: Three Jokers’ is a graphic novel collection of a story originally published in three parts.
The Joker is on the rampage again or is it Jokers? One night, he simultaneously murders a crime family, kills a comedian and poisons four men at the Ace Chemical Plant where he had his origins. Even the Joker can’t be in three places at once, so there must be more than one. Batman investigates with Commissioner Gordon and Batgirl turns up to help. She has a special interest in this particular arch-villain having suffered terribly at his hands.
So does Jason Todd, aka Red Hood, who was once Robin but became a more bitter crimefighter when the Joker nearly killed him. This story was useful for updating me on the continuing legend of Batman which I haven’t read for a few years.
Batgirl was severely disabled after ‘The Killing Joke’ by Alan Moore but now she’s recovered and has somehow avoided the bitterness that took over Todd. He is more violent now, more ruthless and, unlike Batman, willing to use deadly force. That’s one of the themes of this tale.
Batman and his allies follow the clues and always seem to be one step behind the Joker or three Jokers: the criminal, the comedian and the clown. Which is the true Joker? Meanwhile, Joe Chill, the man who shot and killed Bruce Wayne’s parents, is dying of cancer in the prison hospital. This adds a poignant sub-plot which is nicely developed for the climax.
There are disagreements between Bruce Wayne, Barbara Gordon and Jason Todd. The grinning villain has deeply traumatised all of them at one time or another. Doesn’t he deserve to die?
The art of Jason Fabok is focused on storytelling in small panels rather than dramatic splash pages that can be re-used for posters. He can draw, not always the case with modern comic artists. Everything is clear, especially the bloody violence which is mind-boggling to someone who grew up reading Silver Age Marvels but times change.
In most television crime shows now and many films, someone is tied to a chair and beaten to prove how nasty the villain is, so that’s moved to comic books as well, including this one. Hooray. I guess that’s the price you pay for more adult, psychological, mature drama.
I enjoyed both the art and the story. I do wonder if the revelations will remain ‘canon’ or if some other writer with different ideas will come along and change it all. You would have to follow ‘Batman’ monthly comics to find out and I don’t care enough to bother.
Even so, I enjoyed dipping my toe into the Batverse with this book and recommend it if you like that sort of thing. I do, kind of, but my enjoyment is always tinged with a mild yearning for Adam West and Burt Ward and the innocent days of yore. Pow! Wham! Biff!
Eamonn Murphy
July 2022
(pub: DC Comics, 2020. 160 page graphic novel softcover. You can pull a copy for £17.00 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-77950-023-6)
check out website: www.dcccomics.com
