A little under a month from now, Batman and Catwoman are going to get married. Writer Tom King has been building toward this moment since Batman proposed a year ago and he’s spent that time showing how every person in Batman’s life reconciles how he can marry one of his longest-running foes. The last person in that line-up is the Joker himself. He’s been on a killing spree lately because he didn’t receive a wedding invitation and in Batman #48, Joker finally meets Batman face to face to ask why.
The issue reunites King with artist Mikel Janín, who also drew the rather frustrating arc that kept readers from hearing Catwoman’s response to the proposal for four months, The War of Jokes and Riddles. Janín has always been good with body movement, but his facial expressions have improved since then and his work in this dialogue-heavy issue is impressive.
Joker’s shifting expression from panel to panel is just as strong a reminder of how dangerous and unpredictable he can be as his casual approach to violence in DC Nation #0 a few weeks back. The killing continues here as he murders an entire wedding party just to get Batman’s attention. It’s pretty brutal, but it’s an appropriate return to both the timeline and the main Batman book since his “death” during Scott Snyder’s New 52 run. This Joker means business and King is going to make sure he makes an impact.
That said, King has always taken an unexpected approach to comic book storytelling and that’s true here as well. Except for a single word right before the end, Batman spends the issue listening silently as the Joker rambles, using hostages as leverage to force Batman to listen. As the Clown Prince of Crime alternately turns the gun on innocent bystanders, Batman and even himself, it’s hard not to wonder why Batman doesn’t just let Joker blow his own brains out or at least allows himself to be baited. Clearly, Batman thinks he can learn something from Joker’s ramblings, the question is what? Unfortunately, King isn’t forthcoming with an answer, but his work has never been about Batman as much as exploring what he means through other characters. The issue’s final pages give us some hint of what he thinks the Joker and Batman mean to each other.
Outside of Jokes and Riddles, one of the last times we saw Joker and Batman together was during the climax of Snyder’s Endgame arc. Then, we saw Batman and Joker dying on the floor of a cave beneath Gotham, the blood spreading between them in the rough shape of a heart. In similar fashion, it’s no coincidence that this issue sees Batman and Joker kneeling next to each other at the foot of an altar.
Though Joker says he’s upset about not being Batman’s best man, what he really seems to be upset about is not being in Catwoman’s position. Joker is probably the only rogue in Batman’s gallery who complicates the Dark Knight’s sense of morality more than Catwoman. So, Joker’s anger isn’t that of a betrayed friend, but a jealous ex-lover. Clearly, showing up at the last minute to yell, “I object” at the right moment doesn’t suit him.
Rating: 7.5/10
