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You are here: Home / Featured / Batman: Three Jokers by Geoff Johns & Jason Fabok | The Comedy Rule of 3s

Batman: Three Jokers by Geoff Johns & Jason Fabok | The Comedy Rule of 3s

August 26, 2020 by John Galati 4 Comments

A little more than five years before Superman first saw print, America had already seen his kind of celebrity in Babe Ruth. Like Superman, Ruth wasn’t the first ballplayer (superhero), but in a sense, he created baseball (superhero genre.) He was the stuff of legends. And nothing was more Ruth than when he called his shot in the 1932 series held here in Wrigley Field.

Now, we are here, in an America long past that Game 1, and Action Comics #1. And now, Geoff Johns has called his shot.

A little more than five years ago, Johns revealed in the pages of Justice League: Darkseid War that the Joker didn’t have one real name, but three. This was Johns pointing into the stands, declaring the impossible. I’m going to make a massive change to one of comic’s bedrock dynamics, Joker and Batman. The move seems to say: And even though you know I’m going to do it, you’re going to be amazed when you see it.

How that Audacity Pays Off

So far, the story is precisely the kind of thing fans would expect from Johns. It identifies Joker’s major impacts on continuity (literal impacts in the case of Batman, Batgirl, Red Hood, Commissioner Gordon, down to the very bricks and asphalt of Gotham itself.) But it’s not all reference and call back: modern touches, like the fight between the Batfamily and Joker, are deeply satisfying. As is the gore comedy.

And the artwork is not just well-executed, but particularly effective for this story. There’s a kind of echo of the Silver and Bronze Age aesthetics to Jason Fabok’s self-aware work here. The pencils are naturalistic but heroic, leaving the inks to make them dramatic but with a cartoonist’s nod to simplification. Brad Anderson’s color then brings it to life under the hot lights of 70s genre films. But they’re also making some surprising choices, even mixing in period-appropriate artists (I swear there’s a little Bill Sienkewicz in the last few pages.)

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On Geoff Johns




Johns came onto the scene hot, doing character-defining with DC like Green Lantern: Blackest Night/Brightest Day. Smart, efficient storytelling that quickly had him earning comparisons to legends like Julie Schwartz and John Byrne. And though Johns has been struggling a bit of late (eg. Doomsday Clock), he’s still an important part of the DC bullpen.

Babe Ruth was a decrepit 37 years old when he took the plate in Wrigley and the size of several cars. I don’t believe for a moment that Johns is out of the game merely for age or recent work.

Like the Sultan of Swat, Johns still occupies that rare position where he doesn’t just have the talent that makes it possible for him to hit a homerun. And the skill to put the metaphorical ball where he wants it. Johns also has the sheer star power to get away with pointing into the stands first. That somehow, his declaration does not seem to make his expectations crippling or his competition empowered.

But while we’re just on the first issue, I don’t think it’s going to work out for Johns.

My Issues With the First Issue

The Geoff Johns Formula

The core concept of this book is, for many reasons, the most Geoff Johns thing possible. It hits every one of his stylistic hallmarks:

  • The Joker is one of the lynchpins of the medium.
  • As such, he’s extremely high profile, which is a thing Johns likes (see: Justice League, Doomsday Clock, etc)
  • There is a deep, and (intentionally) confusing continuity to reference through and clean up.
  • There’s even an Alan Moore connection.

So the concept was totally within the writer’s power, its in line with his character, and it resulted in a book we can only describe as “totally Geoff Johns.”

How the Formula Holds Three Jokers Back

Rehashing the Origin Story. Again.

More than half of this issue is dedicated to the defining moments between the Joker and all three members of the Batfamily featured in the book. It even has both death of Batman’s parents and Joker’s fall into Ace chemicals. The weirdest part is how it feels almost like a meta-commentary on the very practice of retelling origins (Jason’s story uses artwork from Under the Red Hood, which itself was retelling Death in the Family. I’m not sure if that’s intentional, or because one is newer and somehow “iconic-er” than the other.)

Welcome to the premise, guys.
Constantly Stating the Obvious

It’s one thing to tell an audience what they could conceivably have not read the first time, not absorbed through osmosis, or is somehow impossible to find on the internet.

But it is another thing entirely for the opening sequence to feature Harvey Bullock, one of the most iconic members of the GCPD, go right out and state that there must be three Jokers. A fact the audience has known for five full years. And is on the cover of the book. 

In fact, there’s a lot of exposition that seems wildly unnecessary. Babs talks to herself about, essentially, stopping the Joker before he hurts someone like he hurt Babs. Everyone talks about how Joker’s torture has made Jason violent, including Jason. These things happen after we’ve (re)established their origins. Speaking of which…

Under the Red Hood, but in two panels
Stuck on Repeat

The book has a few fun surprises, mostly towards the end, largely having to do with justice. (You got what you deserved, Gaggy.) But the closing sequence is a complete and utter rehashing of the old “can we kill the Joker?” chestnut. Which was the entire question of The Killing Joke, a tale this book references multiple times.

Is This A Good Joker Story?

Johns has been successful in the past with the same approach. His run on Flash Is a great example. But the Joker is a radically different situation. In scale, scope, and purpose. And I’ll be real honest, I’m not sure that starting formula can make a good Joker story. I’m not even sure it can make a good Batman comic. 

(Photo by Albert L. Ortega/WireImage)

To start, Johns doesn’t have the best reputation with Batman. I know that’s unfair but it’s no less true. Fans often alleged that his Rebirth Batman was essentially a villain. That his JLA Batman was underutilized. Heck, he made Batman get punched-out by Green Lantern, which even I will admit was a little needless. But for the most part, these portrayals aren’t necessarily inaccurate, just the way Johns interprets the character. They may not be my taste, but I don’t think we should fault a creator simply for having their own take on their characters. Even (and maybe especially) the iconic ones.

But that’s entirely about character. What Johns seems to be missing so far, is utility.

What Makes Utility Story

In reality, Joker is famous because he’s a great character, with great designs, and dozens of wonderful stories behind him. And, to some extent, because of the long-touted fact that he’s the opposite of Batman. But neither of those comes even close to why that character exists. Well, maybe that second one…

Joker acts in stories towards one and only one goal: to force the characters, their world, and the readers themselves to become evil. And specifically, “evil” by their personal definitions. The goal isn’t violence or mayhem. Joker’s goal isn’t even his exhibited traits like chaos or comedy or mystery. The goal is “follow this,” “laugh at this,” “think like this.” The challenge is: “become this.”

Why Other Things (Frequently) Aren’t

What makes the Joker scary, what makes him do the things he does, doesn’t have a single “why.” Joker is one of those wonderful characters that can and does change, often dramatically. Again, that’s the point of this story.

Except that I really don’t think it should be.

How? How was this a surprise?

Put extremely simply: Just because the Joker has done or not done something in the past does not guarantee or even shed meaning on his current or future actions. Put even more simply: “past performance is no guarantee of future results — Mandatory SEC Guidelines.”

The Joker was created to flip people on their heads and terrify them. This is the foundation beneath his character, his popularity, even his fashion choices.

That’s not what’s happening in this issue. Not in general or in specifics.

There’s a small but very intentional scene in the middle of the book in which the Titular Jokers Tres are talking in private. The scene is written and drawn as if they’re the only beings inside of a tiny universe. If “sanity” is decided by consensus reality, then in this scene they’re an unholy Trinity within a Joker universe. 

And yet the scene is orderly. Their language is comprehensible. The entire thing is structured like the “smokey backroom” scene, a well-known classic of badass, dramatic cinema.

My only question is: Why did this happen? 

Why would three Jokers be less insane to readers, less challenging than the single-Joker tableaus Johns’ references everywhere else in the book?

Why, at the very beginning, is one Joker dragging the story towards more order? And why are the other Jokers respecting an authority figure?

Again, we can argue that this is Geoff’s interpretation. And it’s early days yet, so there’s plenty of time for Geoff to make me eat my words. I’d be glad to. I love good Batman stories, especially those featuring the Joker. And more importantly, I want there to be more of them.

But for me, this issue was not one of them. And I struggle to see how it ever could have been.

My Final Opinion

After reading issue one, my honest thought was this: Either Three Jokers will be a better Brightest Day/Blackest Night, or a worse one. I say this because its central question, “what if there were more Jokers?”, is both literally and fundamentally a rewording of “what if there were more Lanterns?” Making it (thus far) the same rumination on the past. It’s the same reliance on continuity and scale. And it sure as hell points towards the same story of absolution.

I know one thing for absolute certain: There are at least three Jokers, and as a fan, I should not feel so comfortable in my own certainty. Or so uncomfortable waiting in the stands beneath the scoreboard.

Filed Under: DC Reviews, Featured Tagged With: Batman, DC Comics, joker

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About John Galati

Editor • Producer • Writer Supreme

Against all medical advice, I'm John Galati. I love Morrison's lofty ideals, Moore's poetry, J.H. William's fluidity, and the way Chaykin makes people get punched a lot. I'm a life-long story junkie, and at this point, it probably disqualifies me from public office.

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Comments

  1. Dave says

    August 27, 2020 at 9:44 am

    I’ll be honest, when you kicked off with the Babe Ruth comparisons, I was on my heels, but it all makes sense by the end. I have less faith in Johns as a creator now (his work since the New 52 is kind of shockingly average or actively disappointing), but you do a really nice job of reminding what a decidedly talented presence he was in the 2000’s. I have works like Green Lantern and 52 ranked quite highly after all.

    I do think Johns general ability to write Batman – and the Batman universe – is actually some of the worst among high profile creators who’ve gotten a chance in the 2000’s. His Earth One take is one of my 10 least favorite comics of all time, and like you call out here, even in Green Lantern, *his* Batman is quite different from what we often come to expect elsewhere. It’s kind of underrated that this – to me at least – just isn’t a corner of DC he’s really meant for. I think Johns is far better suited for the larger than life cosmic side of Superman or Green Lantern.

    A lot like Doomsday Clock – and I fully expect I’ll actually like Three Jokers more when all is said and done – Johns ability to generate hype around a project does not help him. Setting Watchmen and The Killing Joke as your bar is a *great* way to get people talking, but a horrible standard for what are most charitably *fine* comics. I appreciate the ambition, but the hubris and inability to even come close to those standards is laughable. It’s like if the Babe had grounded out to short after calling his shot. Or again more charitably, even just hit a single up the gap. Congrats, Babe, you’re on base, but you still look like a bit of an idiot!

    Jason Fabok does a great job making a great looking comic, and telling a clean story, so hopefully he’s not destined for a life of the Gary Frank award for best-looking not very good Johns stories. And truthfully, there’s a zero percent chance I’m not reading the next two issues, both because it’s a *big deal* and because I’m really curious! The series definitely taps into that “What is happening here!” mystery in a way that I can’t pretend isn’t extremely effective.

    Like you said, Three Jokers plays every beat very literally. Still, a few ideas I’d like to see moving forward that I think could help:

    1) Johns dropped the Metaverse on us in Doomsday Clock, and this feels like a great chance to whip that back into shape.
    2) Batman: Endgame (New 52) plays with the idea of various Joker origins and mythologies very effectively (I think it’s the James Tynion IV written backups). I want more of that from Three Jokers. This sense of almost undefinable presence the Joker has had through an impossibly long history. I don’t know that I want One Joke To Rule Them All so much as Crisis on Infinite Jokers.
    3) Be nice for the creative team to remember here that for all his dark soul, Joker still gets a chuckle every now and again!

    Reply
    • John Galati says

      August 27, 2020 at 3:47 pm

      Fabok’s work has been the saving grace on this series so far. He’s done a superb job of keeping the book cohesive with the naturalism / heightened realism of his pencils and the sort of almost Charles Burns quality to his inks. I can really only describe it as looking like a comic book.

      You raise some greats points, about how Johns feels more suited to “big” books like Superman, Green Lantern, and Flash. He needs their intergalactic, time-traveling, alternate universe-spanning universes. And I think he needs an equally huge “god force” — Superman’s meaning, the Lantern Corps/Powers, or the Speed Force — to bind it all together.

      I’d have to reread his GL or Flash runs, but thinking back on it, I think maybe his books worked because he could knows how to take on a book where “it’s worked in the past, but not as much now, and we don’t know why.” I think he’s fantastic at identifying the biggest questions regarding a character/story (the “don’t know why” part), while increading the “god force” (to open up the potential to work better than ever).

      Maybe this is too arrogant of me, but I just don’t think Batman or even Watchmen suffer in the same way. Batman’s “god forces” are evil and trauma. Watchmen’s is fate. I think in both cases, the question was actually “we know this works, but can it keep going?” And I think Johns brought Maslow’s Hammer to both.

      And fantastic point about the comedy! I hadn’t even fully connected that! It’s so strange that they have a whole sequence based on Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers legendary “The Laughing Fish” story. Englehart’s script for that issue is both “Joker funny” let’s say, but its main question — “why is it wrong forJoker to profit from crime when the media, psychologists, etc all profit off him?” — is genuinely thought-provoking. Even now.

      Yet here we are, in the “set-up” phase of Johns’ 5-years delayed event, and my only laugh was a small, startled one. And that’s a better pun than shows up in the book.

      Reply
  2. bukdiah says

    August 27, 2020 at 8:44 am

    Have yet to read the first issue but I really can’t believe this book actually got released. DC Rebirth lost so much steam after the first year. The series is 3 issues but I wonder if I should just wait for a trade…

    Reply
    • John Galati says

      August 28, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      I’m never going to talk someone out of buying individual issues. They’re still so important for the industry.

      That said, I think Jonathan Hickman really knows how to use the natural suspense of the singles format. A number of his X-Books have really highlighted that. And I don’t think that Three Jokers is going to see the same benefits…

      Reply

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