The Joker: Year One reaches its mid-point in Batman #143 this week. It’s a story that reveals how Joker went from a criminal who fell into toxic chemicals and grew into the greatest foil Batman has ever seen. It’s a story that heavily calls back to writer Chip Zdarsky’s Batman: The Knight, as we learn Joker didn’t get the way he is on his own. In Batman #143, we see Joker grow into the supervillain he is, while a second plot reveals a dark future where Joker has seemingly Jokerized all of Gotham.
Batman #143 opens with Batman trying to stay alive in a Gotham that has 100% turned due to Joker toxin. He’s tired, unsure, and confused about how he’ll beat Joker, but he follows the clues. Zdarsky does a good job of putting us in Batman’s headspace with captions, making sense of the chaotic spot Batman is in.
We then cut to the past, where Batman is investigating a body that has been given Joker toxin. One can see the mirroring going on to show us the first time Batman learned of the toxin, and then in the far future, possibly the last time he’ll encounter it as Joker makes his move to win for the final time.
The nightmare future is very scary looking.
Credit: DC Comics
This issue works well now that it’s clear where each story occurs. It still doesn’t use captions to detail the when, but it’s pretty clear at this point. Zdarsky juggles multiple plots well, whether it’s Gordon sussing out backstabbers in the GCPD or Batman’s old teacher training Joker. There’s ample tension in each subplot, making this an edge-of-your-seat read. Multiple questions keep your nose pressed firmly in the comic. Will Batman beat Joker in the future? Can Gordon beat the crooked cops? Can Batman’s teacher teach a madman like Joker?
Along the way, we see interesting wrinkles that further define Joker. One of the most compelling is the concept of finding other personalities within. We’ve seen it with Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, and it appears this has ties to Joker having multiple personalities. Through captions, we learn different ways Joker and Batman mirror each other, and they’re all equally smart and clever. We’ve always known Batman and Joker are foils, but Zdarsky adds further meaning and detail to how.
There are a few convenient elements that keep things moving, but they’re still a bit weak. Albeit they are nitpicky, Joker gets an edge simply because he’s underestimated at one point, and it’s had to believe the genius teacher didn’t expect a double cross. Is he stupid?
Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Andrea Sorrentino is stunning. Sorrentino’s hyperrealistic visuals will send a shiver down your spine. Camuncoli captures the evil in Joker’s eyes so well while also doing a lot of facial expression work to convey deep feelings. There’s an interesting juxtaposition with the art, too, with Sorrentino showing us this nightmare future complete with incredibly cinematic and symbolic visuals of a gaunt Joker. In contrast, Camuncoli’s style shows better and more hopeful days. It’s also interesting to see Sorrentino’s rendering of Batman, as he’s a lot like the Ben Affleck version from the movies.
Batman #143 works well, thanks to probing captions and a good balance of subplots that take us into the character’s unique perspectives. This story balances a surrealist nightmare future with the enlightening origins of Joker while cleverly cementing his role as Batman’s greatest villain.
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