You complain than an alternate universe is far removed from the established canon? What kind of an argument is that, lol?

While I get that you want to read Joker stories, I really question the need to keep reading this if you don't like it, you know you don't like it and the new spins on the characters don't work for you and you hate the ideas this AU explores. And I agree with Nihilist, it is a really odd criticism that the AU version is not the same as the canon version, as it was clearly established from the start that this is different.

Watch out, Sean Murphy is going to attack fans on social media again for this review.

Nihilist I've already said that in my previois review. I happen to assume that a what-if story should have just enough to grab onto to make you see these versions of characters that you care about, but contextualized differently. Here, the characters are so wildly different, enough so that they could be completely new characters. And it feels like im reading a fanfic where in other Batman stories, even elseworlds, it feels like I'm reading a Batman story. lol

Afre I go against the grain and say openly that I hate this interpretation of The Joker. I think I've already told you why I'm keep reading this mess. But let me just tell you "don't like don't watch/read" isn't an argument. It's so meaningless that it can be turned around for the same effect: if you dont like to hear me complaining, then stop reading my reviews.

It's just an elseworld, and doesn't have to obey any main continuity rules. It's free, and bashing it exclusively for taking its liberties and differentiating itself from the main timeline is a non argument. It's just pitiful to discredit something's existence just because it doesn't fit your safe space canon bubble.

Yes you've said that you hate this version of the character, I can understand why, that is not my problem here. And I'm not really arguing, I'm just asking that if you are big Joker fan and the main reason for you to read this is because it has Joker in it, but this version of the character is too OOC for you and you hate everything about it, why continue reading it? I'm a massive Spidey fan myself but I usually don't read comics about him if I don't like that version of the character.

Nihilist I believe people have the right to their own opinion, if you liked it well good for you, but you don't have to be rude and snobby under my review. You just seem butthurted, becuase I criticized your favorite comic, that's why you act all passive agressive and emotional? Rewievs are supposed to be subjectibe and just because you like something doesnt mean everyone else does and vice versa. I think that when you make large changes, people expect other aspects to stay the same.

Some AUs are good for me, and some I hate. I read these stories for the characters, not just the setting, so while non-canon compliant worldbuilding I don't have a problem with, OOC is a big issue for me. If you put the characters in an AU the original personalities should still be intact. When I'm reading a story (doesn't matter canon or not), I want to read about my favorite characters. When the author writes a character OOC, I no longer enjoy that character,

because the entire reason for me enjoying them is their IC characteristics. Now, the writer can do whatever they want in their story, but it doesn't mean all fans have to like it. When it comes to this particular AU, I find it so AU that the only thing that is really the same is the name of the characters lol. For me, I'm a Joker fan first and foremost so I hate the the way Joker is written in the whole Murphy-versum overall. He's not a Two Face, he doesn't have two identities within his psyche

fighting for control (btw. the story's also got the worst view on mental illness I've seen in my life). Also they change so much to justify how the Joker can get off for his crimes. Harley's also not the Harley Quinn I know. This complete change of her motivation affects her character as a whole and that's why she feels so unfamiliar and far from the original that we know from the 90s. She's never been a brilliant psychiatrist and she didn't want to fix the Joker (she was actually angry whenever

the Joker changed for the better); she blackmailed her department chair into passing her to get into grad school. She became obsessed with the Joker before she even met him. She also commited her first crime without his influence (she conducted a cruel experiment in which she used her boyfriend to test her theory.Later, when he had a mental breakdown, she assisted in his suicide). She choosed to be the horrible person she is.

Also as I've already said in my previous review, the whole tragedy of Harley Quinn, the thing that makes her so easy to sympathize with, is her hopeless infatuation with someone who can never, ever love her back (because he's thouroughly obsessed with someone else (Batman)). But when the author suddenly attempts to make this tragic, one-sided attraction appear reciprocated, to comply with whatever vision they might have had, it is no longer half as interesting and affecting.

Becuase they're simply taking away the foundation of Harley's character. (Besides, you can't really manage to somehow twist the Joker into loving Harley without simultaneously makeing him blatantly OOC) So yeah, certain tweaks can be made to tell different stories, but I like when the author tries to keep characters and situations belivable in the scope of the canon material, cause if you are going so OOC with some character, how are they that character anymore?

Having canon characters be IC is a fundamental reason why most people are interested in stories from that fandom. Otherwise it comes off as a bait and switch. I think I've made my point super clear now, so I don't want to be wasting any more time and energy on this "discussion Bye.

Hey @Bat-ears99. Not to drag this out further but don't get your review (or your point). It seems your definition of an AU is one that the characters are the same as main continuity, just placed in different scenarios. The fundamental concept of an AU/Elseworld is to give writers creative freedom to do anything with a character. Criticizing it BECAUSE it's an "AU" (and the writer is taking the liberties he can't otherwise do) is...odd.

I'm not criticizing it bacause it's an AU! I don't like this story because I think it's just bad and out of character. There are many non-canon comics that I enjoyed immensely. Some of them are even one of my favorite Batman stories. AUs are not automatically OOC! AU's not an excuse to the writer for the characters being so different.

Obviously some things have to change to suit the parameters of an alternate universe, but I do think characters have certain, defining characteristics that must be preserved for it to make sense. I read these stories largely for the characters. In general I care about the characters more than the setting.

Even in an AU you might want to keep everyone IC because that's all the readers have left to identify them by (otherwise I feel that I’m being tricked into reading about an OC) If you took out the canon names, would anyone still be able to recognize the characters?

I've never been a fan of the so-called Murphy-versum. I keep reading it because as a die hard Joker fan I make a point to read everything that has Joker in it. That also include every spinoff based on the character, including Elseworlds, graphic novels and whatnot. I have read every Joker-related comic titles ever made. And this here is one of the worst Joker characterisations I've had the displeasure of reading. I'm reading this because I tend to read a book/comic til the end once I started.

White Knight imo was massively overrated. i can see the appeal behind the idea, but the author have pulled it off really subpar. The characters were unbearably OOC (and this being elseworlds is not an excuse at all. It felt like I was reading a fanfic where in other Batman stories, even elseworlds, it just feels like I'm reading a Batman story), Bruce as a foolish, brutal, narcissistic asshole (All Star Batman&Robin vibes) for no reason, Mr Freeze is implied to be a literal actual nazi,

the "pills cures everything” approach to mental health etc. All of this made White Knight the worst fanfic I've ever read. And I'm actually surprised, because I thought the continuation couldn't came out any worse, but it did.

XD he actually did?

"Oh, the Humanity!"

Really how is it boring. A person getting his parents killed but seeing his hero not really do anything is boring? Then what's interesting? Repeating parents shot in alley 100 times?

@Mail2g What are you talking about? You mean, A person getting his parents killed is not boring, but A person getting his parents killed is boring?! That's what you talking. This story is exactly Repeating parents shot in alley 100 times Story!

Actually it was a good story. Much better than Punchline. Besides Harley was supposed to make him think if what he was doing is wrong.

Not really pointless if it's selling 200k+ is it?

Fist issues usually sell well, not to mention all the comic book stores speculating based on the now deleted Tom King Tweet stating that there would be graphic sexual content in the issue. A lot of those 200k books are going to be returned. The book was a mess with the flashbacks and as I said the story is sub par fan fiction at best. Hopefully DC will be able to get back on track after the FutureShock garbage 2 month hiatus, that is if there is a DC left after AT&T gutted the company.

To your review I would like to ask, why are you reading Murphyverse comic if you don't like how these characters are written in this universe or how their history is altered?

Hi! As a die hard Joker fan I make a point to read everything that has Joker in it. That also include every spinoff based on the character, including Elseworlds, graphic novels and whatnot. I have already read every Joker-related comic titles ever made, and now I'm starting reading the current stuff.

Oh, that makes sense. For me this take is refreshing, as it is something new, but I can see that for you it is too OOC since it does break the Joker "mythology" in many ways.