This week saw DC Comics publish Batman: The Brave and the Bold #1, a new anthology comic series about the Dark Knight Detective and some of his allies. Featuring a variety of fan-favorite creators, the series will feature a range of stories, with no uniform length across chapters (some running three issues, others more or less). The first of these is one that DC fans have been anticipating with creators Tom King and Mitch Gerads reuniting to tell a new Batman story that focuses on The Joker. With the first part of the story now here, and its wild reinvention of the character fully revealed, readers are taking to social media to reveal they’re loving the twisted take.
Titled “The Winning Card,” the series is described as “a horrifying four-part retelling of the first bloody clash between the Joker and the Batman.” Those with an interest in classic Batman comics will see a lot of references to the Joker’s actual first appearance across the story, but it’s the comic’s use of Joker’s dialogue that has many unsettled. While all other characters in the issue speak in traditional comic book dialogue balloons, The Joker only talks in silent film interstitial title cards. Combine that with his horrifying plan, involving a violent kidnapping, this version of the Clown Prince of Crime is creeping readers out big time. You can see the reactions below. Batman: The Brave and the Bold will include three other stories for fans:
Well this blows my mind. @TomKingTK and @MitchGerads did their damn homework! This is easily the most unsettling Joker reading experience I’ve ever had. I am glad I read Batman: The Brave And The Bold during the day. If you’re thinking “I haven’t read it yet!”. To you I’d say… https://t.co/Eh8bH6hLEQ pic.twitter.com/SJ1qe9KlTA
More Tom King Batman! This story rocks btw, give it a shot for a fun portrayal of the Joker! https://t.co/emZ2l8ugAZ
Brave and the Bold #1 was even better than I expected!
King & Gerads continue to be on another level. Loved everything about their Batman/Joker story.
Brisson, Cantwell, Mora & everybody else in this issue killed it, too! Very excited this series is back, can’t wait for #2!! pic.twitter.com/H3fr8bCqWC
“Wait’ll they get a load of me.”
BATMAN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD #1 is a jam packed comic featuring a bunch of banger tales, including one with a cosmically scary Joker.
Excited for folks to read it on Tuesday & immediately listen to our deep-dive convo w/Tom King & Mitch Gerads. pic.twitter.com/dQIQc2s7BR
THE CHILLS I HAVE FROM THE FIRST TWO PAGES OF BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. LIKE ALREADY!!!!!! UGH YEA THIS IS WHY I LOVE COMICS
And sometimes – not often- I forget how brilliant @MitchGerads is. It never takes long for him to remind me otherwise. WOW pic.twitter.com/RJ9sntrxmS
HA! Yeah, this is peak Batman/Joker. But also the other stories are excellent too – Ed Brisson and Jeff Spokes storm watch, Chris Cantwell and Javier Rodriguez’ Superman story, and of course Dan Mora… man.
Maybe I’m just a sucker for anthologies, but this is my jam. Lol
