It has all come down to this as “Joker: Year One” comes to a crashing finale in Batman #144. Released weekly, this story has enlivened conversations about Joker as we learn new truths about his past and how he’s directly tied to Batman’s rise. The question remains: can Chip Zdarsky, Guiseppe Camuncoli, and Andrew Sorrentino wrap up this tale satisfactorily, or will it fall flat, giving haters something to celebrate?
The haters can calmly sit back down, as this finale to the story arc is quite good. A few things are immediately obvious when reading this issue. One, James Gordon’s arc is triumphant and exciting. Two, Sorrentino is a mad genius. Three, this story ties up loose ends and past canon in a satisfying way. For those reasons, this three-issue arc is quite an achievement.
Batman #144 opens in the future, rendered by Sorrentino in a horrific fashion. Picking up where we left off, Batman’s family of vigilante heroes are all changed thanks to Joker gas. Batman is older, slower, and very tired, but he can’t quit as he reminds us he must solve Joker’s clues. Even in this dire situation, Batman and Joker continue to play a sort of game. This plot adds a lot of tension and stakes as we’re unsure of Batman’s ability to defeat Joker in this one final threat to Gotham.
The story shifts to the past, where Detective Jim Gordon is trying to suss out the corrupt cops. Bruce Wayne is doing his part to figure out the Red Hood Gang’s next move, and Zdarsky pops in a fun joke about laughter. The sequence of events tethers Gordon, Batman, and Joker elegantly. I won’t spoil it, but it’s an interesting nugget of a scene to consider in the grand scheme of these characters and their many adventures.
Batman’s family are truly haunting here.
Credit: DC Comics
There are a lot of cool visuals in this comic from both artists. It’s cool to see Sorrentino render Batman more like the Ben Affleck version, for instance, and there’s enough nightmare fuel in these pages to call this book a horror comic. Sorrentino also offers up a heroic and badass panel with Batman on a horse that’s not to be missed. Camuncoli also impresses, especially with some fairly scary images of Joker. Gordon looks great, a bit younger, but a true hero through and through.
As a finale, this issue also wraps things up nicely. It serves as a good addition to the canon, helping define Joker and explaining how he’s had all these personalities and also how he’s such a masterful tactician. The only thing lacking is Batman in the plot set in the past, but ultimately, this is more about Joker and his influence on Gordon, at least in this issue, than anything else.
Batman #144 wraps up “Joker: Year One” in a satisfying way, delivering an influential addition to the mythos surrounding these characters. This story enriches Joker in an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride that will haunt you.
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