Warning! Spoilers for The Joker ahead!
To say that Joker’s recent solo series in DC Comics has been a wild ride would be a criminal understatement. As Commissioner Gordon and a host of assassins and villains chase a globe-trotting Clown Prince of Crime, things are set to come to a head in The Joker #14. Slated to release this April, DC has confirmed that issue 14 will mark the end of Joker’s solo series.
Beginning in 2021 from the ashes of A-Day, The Joker by James Tynion IV, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Cam Smith has followed a retired James Gordon tasked to track down the Joker on behalf of a mysterious benefactor. As Gordon undertakes his mission, he finds vast conspiracies, sadistic killers, cannibals, and just how deep his own scars and trauma truly run. Gordon’s journey has been a long one, and the end (for at least this chapter) appears to be in sight.
The announcement itself is coupled with a beautiful cover drawn by Guillem March, highlighting how things are coming to a head. With Joker sporting some new clothing, he is overlooked by a battle weary Vengeance, a determined Gordon, and a menacing Court of Owls. Gordon’s glasses reveal the sadistic, wealthy cannibals of the Sampson family, whose Texas estate is set to be the battleground for this series’ explosive final confrontation. Joker’s made a lot of enemies over the years, and this cover reflects this development.
While most of Joker’s foes for the series are fellow criminals and evildoers, James Gordon stands as the one good man hunting the clown down. Gordon’s exhausted every resource, including his relationships with Batman and Oracle, to get to this point, and he’s still isn’t sure what he’ll do when the chips are down and he has the chance to kill Joker. To top it off, the issue will also wrap up the Punchline series which closely followed Joker’s new ally and given a lot of insight into the character. Check out the synopsis for The Joker #14 below.
THE JOKER #14
- All the hunters converge on the Sampson estate as the brutal conclusion to the first “season” of The Joker is here! Bullets will fly, blood will be shed, and will James Gordon be forced to make the choice he’s been dreading since issue #1?Punchline Backup: Punchline walks free, and the Royal Flush Gang is desperate for a new queen. The underworld of Gotham City is going to change forever, and this last chapter of “Punchline” is only the beginning.
- FINAL ISSUE
- Written by JAMES TYNION IV
- Art by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI and CAM SMITH
- Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
- Punchline backup written by JAMES TYNION IV and SAM JOHNS
- Punchline backup art by BELÉN ORTEGA
- Variant cover by ALAN QUAH and BELÉN ORTEGA
- 1:25 variant cover by JAMES STOKOE
- $5.99 US | 40 pages | (All covers card stock)
- ON SALE 4/12/22
The Joker #14 marks the end of Joker’s solo story, and promises to go out with a bang. DC has confirmed that this series will only be “Season 1” of the Joker, making it unlikely that he’ll meet his end at the hand of James Gordon, or any other foe. That said, the ride has been a chaotic, bloody romp through the world, easily earning the Clown Prince of Crime’s approval. The Joker #14 is slated to hit the shelves on April 12th.
