REVIEW | The Batman Who Laughs – #1

Seven years on from the hugely successful Batman Black Mirror, writer Scott Snyder and artist Jock reunite to once again pit the Dark Knight against another sinister killer lurking in the hidden corners of Gotham. This time, however, the killer is not a tragic figure from Batman’s past but in fact Bruce Wayne himself. It’s… complicated.

The Batman Who Laughs is the direct follow up to DC’s 2017/18 event Dark Knights Metal which saw the DC Universe invaded by a group of evil Batmen from a parallel universe. The breakout star of which was, “The Batman Who Laughs”, a Bruce Wayne poisoned and corrupted into replacing a dying Joker. The event had left his fate ambiguous as he was last seen battling the Joker in the catacombs beneath Gotham.

The issue opens with Bruce fondly remembering laughing and playing with his parents as a child before Snyder blasts us into the modern day with an action set piece atop Gotham Bridge, leading to the discovery of an unusual body with worrying prospects for our protagonist. Meanwhile, Arkham Asylum comes under siege from a machine gun wielding Batman, hell bent on reaching the Joker’s jail cell. Both stories converge in the final few pages as Batman considers an unlikely alliance with troubling repercussions.

Snyder’s writing is in top form here as he returns to the type of story where he made his name. Having always excelled at laying out a mystery tinged with unsettling horror and gore, it’s clear that The Batman Who Laughs is a character that Snyder is passionate about. The plot allowing Snyder to dive deeper into the minds of both Bruce Wayne and the Joker and discover what happens to a Batman without limits. While the dialogue is corny at times, in a story dealing with alternate universes and a Batman wearing S&M gear Snyder can be forgiven for having some fun with it. There’s also a 10/10 dad joke regarding insurance that I’d bet Snyder’s had in his back pocket for years and is worth a purchase alone.

The writing is beautifully complimented by Jock’s art, his heavy use of shadow gives this book the same haunting presence as his previous Snyder collaboration Wytches and the aforementioned Black Mirror. The action is fluid, with each punch, kick and explosion having a real sense of impact on the page. The character work is also expertly handled, the panic in the eyes of the unlucky guards at Arkham is palpable and you can feel Alfred’s uncertainty during his exchanges with Bruce. It’s always interesting seeing another artists interpretation of a character, and Jock takes what Greg Capullo created for the Batman Who Laughs and makes the villain his own.

Overall, this a great start to a new series, created by two artists working to their strengths. If the final page is anything to go by, this is going to be a deep dark dive into a war between Batmen. Sign me up.

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