The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox is an entertaining first issue in a planned seven-issue print series set for August. Fans of Joker may want to get on this book now not only to get ahead of Joker and crack the case, but because it's an entertaining unreliable narrator tale. Puzzlebox offers a less serious but always intriguing take on the Joker. Read Full Review

Yes, this book really surprised me"in the best possible way! I had a ton of fun reading this and I'm invested now. This book has comedy, action, mystery, and really good artwork. I highly recommend this to fans of the Joker, and I recommend it even more to those that are tired of the Joker. Seriously. This is refreshing and most welcome. Here's to hoping the rest of the series will be just as strong! Read Full Review

This is a very fun comic. It's really funny. It's lighthearted. So different than the Tynion run, but just as fun, in my opinion. You really can't go wrong with Matthew Rosenberg. I hope the next chapter keeps up the fun and the frenetic energy that this first chapter had.

" Joker, You fun Maniac !"
- BLACK MASK

The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox #1 - A Trailer for the Rest of the Series.

Writer: Matthew Rosenberg | Artist: Jesus Merino - Joshua Hixson | Publisher: DC Comics

Review ✍

I read through The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox #1 before starting my shift this morning and although the story is coherent there wasn’t enough in this installment for me to latch on to.

I am Jokered out but when I heard that Chip Zdarsky was working on the title I figured I’d give it a shot. The Zdarsky part was a bait and switch. Although he’s all over the promotional material he’s only handling the covers to my knowledge. I haven’t read much from Matthew Rosenberg, but the story solid enough to recommend even though I believe at the outset of the review that the story will read better when collected in trade paperback.

The story picks up in the aftermath of a massive party thrown by Batman’s Rogues Gallery. The party gets out of hand. Batman shows up. The Rogues are arrested, and The Riddler is shot and killed during the raid.

The surface plot of the issue follows an interrogation between The Joker and Commissioner Gordon. The underlying story appears to be a mystery for the reader to decipher. The reader is being asked to figure out:

1. How much of the Joker’s story is true?

2. What exactly is going on with Riddler?

My primary gripe with the comic is the premise itself. I feel like I’ve read this story before. Joker is an easy muse for a story featuring an unreliable narrative. It’s not the fault of the creative team. There are only so many situations you can put these characters in and at this moment Batman and his rogues are oversaturated. Moreover seeing Joker being interrogated is trite at this point.

None of the material in Puzzlebox connected with me. As a single issue, the comic felt like a waste of $4.99. The setup feels incomplete and the ending doesn’t leave much to latch on to unless you’re a fan of the creative team or a Joker Stan.

In short: Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox reeks of decompression and may not come together until the end. Cannot recommend this series at this time.

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