Warning! Preview pages ahead for Batman #142!DC is doing away with the mystery for good and giving Joker a true, undeniable backstory. Over the years, fans have been exposed to numerous potential origins for the Clown Prince of Crime. But a new storyline is finally setting the record straight on which backstory is the correct one.
In a preview for Batman #142 by Chip Zdarsky, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Andrea Sorrentino, a flash-forward shows an elderly Bruce examining Joker’s body. Batman finds a pill made from the same material as the Red Hood’s helmet and wonders how this connects to Red Mask making the three Joker duplicates.
Flashbacks to the climax of The Killing Joke are shown, right after the Red Hood became the Joker. Instead of one Joker, three walk away from the chemical bath that night. One duplicate apologizes to a random woman and promises to fix things, erroneously believing her to be his wife.
The Killing Joke’s Backstory is Joker’s Canon Origin Story
The infamous Batman antagonist’s origins have been a mystery for decades. The closest fans have ever gotten to a definitive origin for the Joker came from The Killing Joke, a story that presented the villain as a failed stand-up comedian who, after a series of tragic events, ultimately snaps and becomes the Harlequin of Hate. However, toward the end of the story, the Joker even admitted that he doesn’t fully remember what his old life was like, preferring it to be ‘multiple choice’. While other creators have explored potential Joker origins, The Killing Joke remains the most popular interpretation.
The Killing Joke being Joker’s canon origin was hinted at in a previous story arc when Batman faced off with Red Mask. Instead of breaking his mind as he intended, Red Mask’s experiment accidentally created two Joker copies. This plot point is finally revisited and confirms that Red Mask created the Joker copies after the origin story he told in The Killing Joke. Also confirming this is the apology Joker makes, likely referring to his actions in The Killing Joke. While the origin’s largely been a mystery, DC is finally confirming the Joker was telling the truth in The Killing Joke.
The Biggest Joker Debate is Over (For Now)
The Joker is chaos incarnate and he’s thrived without a definitive origin story. However, the twist of Red Mask creating the three Jokers is another plot point that’s been waiting for resolution for years (Batman: Three Jokers notwithstanding). To resolve that plotline, an origin needed to build on something and the closest the Joker has to a solid origin story is the one from The Killing Joke. Is there a chance that this story isn’t what it seems? That’s always the chance with Batman’s greatest adversary. But for now, the mystery of where the Joker actually came from can rest.
Batman #142 is available on February 6th from DC Comics.
Batman #142 (2024) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
