Our story begins in Summer 2018, it was San Diego Comic-Con. I am sitting in a very crowded room, not quite Hall H, but not a small break out room either. This one was full. It was one of those DC Comic creator highlight panels on Geoff Johns. Mr. Johns teased a story called Three Jokers. There he said this book should probably hit the shelves in the winter of 2018.

That’s right, 2018.

It has become somewhat of a legend. Almost like the remaining issues of the Frank Miller and Jim Lee ALL-STAR BATMAN & ROBIN THE BOY WONDER book. The only glimmer of hope has been artist Jason Fabok. He was always promised it will happen, there is just a lot of work to do. The story is done, it just needs extra time due to the artwork. Ok, Jason. Our fingers were crossed. Here and there we would see a pic of Batman or the Batmobile. Some real Keaton influences here, some Bolland influences there.

But what was Johns up to? Where you at Geoff Johns?

Well he finished the awesome and (often delayed) DOOMSDAY CLOCK as well as some SHAZAM! issues. He also has been busy producing and writing DC shows like STARGIRL and films like WONDER WOMAN 84. Ok, ok, you got stuff on the plate. That is cool. But where is the THREE JOKERS bro?

Finally, we get a release date. June 17th, 2020! Ok, it has been a while, but I can’t wait to kick off my summer reading with this book.
Then we get a global pandemic and DC changing its shipping procedures and everything else. Was this book ever going to happen?

YES! The day has come and this book is a real thing.

But is it REAL GOOD? Short answer…

IT’S FREAKING GREAT YO!

I am not going to get into plot issues or major beats. But spoiler warning, there are three Jokers in this story. But how did we get here?

In issue 42 of Geoffs Johns JUSTICE LEAGUE run it is revealed to Batman via the Mobius chair, that there are three Joker’s running around. We are not privy to this as readers until issue 50 when Batman speaks to Green Lantern about it. It was again brought up in REBIRTH back in 2016. So it’s been about 4 years of this lingering mystery. You can’t just say three Jokers and never revisit that idea.

I am not really sure as to when this story even takes place to be honest. There are no real connections to anything. The only few clues we have are Batman has a suit similar to the one he had in DOOMSDAY CLOCK, yellow oval symbol and Red Hood is not wearing his new gear. But he also ain’t wearing his old gear. Other than that, this could take place anywhere. I imagine it is in continuity as its riding on events that have happened (KILLING JOKE, A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, JUSTICE LEAGUE & REBIRTH) but is this pre JOKER WAR? Post? Has Batman goen through his emotional roller coaster with Catwoman yet? We don’t know. And really, it does not matter.

The story revolves around Batman, Batgirl, and the Red Hood. All three have had major events happen to them because of the Joker. Batgirl was paralyzed by him after he shot her in the spine in the classic THE KILLING JOKE. This was later reversed in the non-classic and overall terrible New 52 run of books back in 2011. Jason Todd, who was the second Robin, was brutally beaten and then blown up by the Joker back in 1988 during the A DEATH IN THE FAMILY story. This was really the fans call and not the Joker’s fault, to be honest. But, you know, blame the murdering clown.

And then there is Batman. There is an incredible sequence in the beginning that shows Batman’s collection of scars. Panels of flashbacks building of different adversaries and their part in gifting him these marks. Then it just becomes encounters with The Joker. A stab here, a slice there. A gunshot. The Joker is his arch-villain, and Batman has permanent reminders.

The Joker is broken down into three variations here. The criminal, the comedian and the clown. Are they the same person or three different Jokers altogether? I will let you find that out yourself friend.

I will tell you this, Johns pulls some crazy moves here. He continues to prove and earn his spot as one of the best writers in comics. Every word is perfect and in place, nothing feels wasted. It’s hard not to spoil, but there is a scene involving the Joker and Jason Todd. Through their dialogue the Joker reveals that he put into place exactly what he wanted to play out. The jokes on Jason. It was pretty brilliant. Thats not the only instance in this book that is clever, but its not clever for the sake of being clever. It is thought out and means something.

This book is meticulous. But not just in the writing. The art is a whole other level.

I touched on the art earlier, but let me tell you, Fabok is glorious. He is the spiritual successor to Jim Lee, Brian Bolland and Gary Frank. He is a great artist. His time on JUSTICE LEAGUE and his SWAMP THING: WINTER SPECIAL with Tom King a few years back are some of my favorite projects of his. But this is different. This is labor of love. You can tell. THREE JOKERS is no doubt going to throw him into the superstar status. This is a phenomenal book to look at. He pulls from some very specific moments all over these pages. There is Batman number 1, the aforementioned THE KILLING JOKE and A DEATH IN THE FAMILY, plus tons more.

My favorite part of this whole book is the multitude of covers from every era of the Joker. It feels much more like a celebration of his 80 years than 100-page spectacular that came out a few months ago. That being said, it is quite appropriate this book is coming out now, then in 2018.

Johns and Frank are creating something special here. I can’t wait for this to be collected, I hope in an ABSOLUTE edition down the line, it really requires the oversized treatment. A modern classic begins here friends. Do not miss out. When it comes to entertainment, these guys are accountable to nobody!

Or the jokes on you.


RATING: GOTTA GO! 10/10 more