Batman General Discussion

Have we had any indication that Joker is going to stab Punchline in the back anytime soon?

Where is the Joker right now, anyway?

Last I checked, Joker ran afoul with a family of cannibals. But knowing him, he somehow survived that.

As for the whole Punchline thing, I literally don't know. I guess Tynion had some big thing for her, but his leaving for Substack might've put the kibosh on it? I guess it depends on where they want to go with that supposed season 2 of Joker.

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on May 15th 2022 at 5:36:39 AM

I'm reminded of this comment for the last Joker issue had some interesting stuff to say about how Punchline was portrayed in last issue's back-up because she wasn't written by her normal writers Tynion nor Sam Johns this time, instead by Alex Packnadel.

I read the latest Joker issue, yeah Joker is basically at large but Tynion is trying to create a mystery of where he is and if Gordon killed him.

I skimmed it. He escaped that cannibal family... because reasons...

...I kind of want more stories where Joker gets trapped in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style situation and has to out-psycho the killers. I don't think that's happened too often.

First five pages of Batman #125 are online now.

It's the start of Chip Zdarsky's run!

I wanted a story where the Joker goes up against other villains and out psychos them.

Like Joker being OP can be fun if he's the protagonist, he's done it a couple of times in his own comic, as well as some other stories, like the MMO.

Off topic but should we set up character pages for the Batman: White Knight series? I feel like there's enough characters and deviations from canon to do it.

Quick question that popped into my head: How exactly does the general public see Bruce Wayne these days?

I haven’t kept up with the past few years of Batman comics but between Batman Incorporated, Bruce’s Gotham renewal plan in Court of Owls arc, Bruce Wayne’s general depiction in the Batman vs. Deathstroke arc of Priest’s Deathstroke run and that weird story in Tom King’s run where a kid idolized Bruce so much he killed his own parents, I don’t get the impression he’s seen as a Rich Idiot With No Day Job anymore.

Edit: Nevermind, the trope page already addresses my question. Should have checked that first.

Edited by CheapMarzipan on May 18th 2022 at 4:42:53 AM

Well right now bruce is "poor" in that he has to survive on millions a year instead of billions and he is "slumming" it in an upper class brownstone.

The Joker #15 has been delayed to June 28.

It's also going to be $6.99 and 48 pages long rather than 39 pages. I guess Tynion wanted his last issue to feel extra-special? And if anyone was a fan of Alex Packnadel's interpretation of Punchline, then bad news: All of Joker #15 (including the Punchline backup) will be under Tynion's pen.

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on May 19th 2022 at 12:46:03 PM

I zoned out with all the Punchline stuff anyway, so what's the difference?

A lot of shilling, as far as we can see.

Well there is one scene in the Packnadel issue where Punchline is talking with Joker, she's trying to boast how great she is and how much Harley sucks, all while not noticing that Joker is making fun of her.

Packnadel more or less writes her as actually a piece of garbage (she actually tested out her handmade Joker venom on a group of homeless) and is also too stupid to notice when Joker is condescending her and not actually taking her seriously.

Meanwhile Tynion basically writes her as being as intelligent and mastermind as the Joker only without any of the charisma. She is profoundly unlikable yet she's written as to be a Girlboss so you are intended to like her despite the character being an utter black hole of charisma and likability.

So, early Red Hulk vs his later treatment? Her future once Tynion is out doesn't look very promising.

Edited by Blueace on May 19th 2022 at 7:22:56 AM

This character seems like an exercise in futility, given that we've known who Joker's best lackey is since 1989: [1]

On that note yeah Punchline hasn’t appeared in anything other than her backup. From what I hear her only other appearance is a minor appearance in the Joker’s Puzzlebox comic.

It’s does give the idea that no one is really interested in using her over Harley especially compared to Ghost-Maker, another of Tynion’s creations who actually had made appearances in Joshua William’s Batman as the new head of Batman Inc and Chip Zdarsky’s Batman: The Knight showing when he met and joined Batman for a time during the latter’s training days.

Edited by slimcoder on May 19th 2022 at 4:43:13 AM

I like Punchline's design and name plus the basics of her character, but think she'd work better as a deconstruction of the Loony Fan.

Joshua Williamson is parting ways with Damien, his last issue is August.

Shadow war in these two issues we finally find out who was behind it all it was obviously geo force who had issues with both slade and talia/leviathan/al ghouls and tried to get them to take each other out

Edited by Deadpoolrocks on May 24th 2022 at 12:47:51 PM

Batman 2022 annual

Ghost-Maker is now CEO of Batman Inc.

There are also rumors that they are starting a new Batman Inc title starring Ghost-Maker, Clown-Hunter, and a third new character that will be introduced in the annual.

Does anyone like these new characters? What happens when Damian gets too old to be Robin? Another traumatized child to be Robin?

When I read Tynion's Batman run I had no problem with Punchline. It makes plenty of sense the Joker would replace Harley and she's basically just Harley as characterized before 2006 or so. Clownhunter is literally just 2000s-era Jason Todd, and while I don't see a need for DC to keep doing "someone wants to kill the Joker/complain about Batman not killing the Joker" plots, if such plots have to keep happening, they may as well give them to a newbie since Jason is firmly a good guy now (I actually prefer Jason's 2000s-era villainy but that's another matter). Ghost-Maker is boring. In short, they're So Okay, It's Average but Punchline is the best of the three and the one I'd be most comfortable with seeing return in future Batman stories.

Edited by StarformDCX on May 29th 2022 at 6:19:31 AM

At this point they just no longer age the characters.

They have been constantly flip flopping on how old Tim is going from a young adult to a teenager. Meanwhile Damian is never gonna age past 15.

Ghost-Maker is pretty annoying. Batman for no reason just makes him the new CEO of Batman Inc, he's appearing in Batman: The Knight training with Bruce, and in the recent Deathstroke issue he fights evenly with Slade, with Slade ending the fight by holding Clown-Hunter hostage to get away.

Really wanted for Khoa to get his ass handed to him once he finally met a legitimate character like Slade or Bronze Tiger.

What's Ghostmaker's shtick again? Being a Sue?