Written by James Tynion IV
Art by Jorge Jimenez
Published by DC Comics
“The Joker War” storyline is just all right. I feel like it could have been stronger, but whatever. The story is enjoyable enough but it doesn’t really go any further than that.
Who knows? Maybe it’ll pick up once issue number 100 comes out.
Batman is recovering from his recent exposure to the Joker’s toxin.
As a result of this, he having a vision of sorts where he gets to talk to Alfred! This whole part is really sort of bad.
I know that Bruce has been exposed to the toxin, but why do the rest of us have to suffer with him?
It is a story choice that made me groan.
While Batman is in dreamland trying to find his soul or whatever, he is being guarded by Harley Quinn.
Guess who shows up to fight Ms. Quinn? Punchline!
Another groan.
We get to see Tynion here trying to make Punchline relevant. It just isn’t working for me.
So, a fight between Harley and Punchline erupts! This is actually one of the few interesting things in the issue. But, it seems like Tynion may have run out of steam by this point. There are others scenes with the Riddler and Scarecrow playing chess, and the Penguin and Catwoman conversing in here but it doesn’t add up to much.
Jorge Jimenez does a great job on the art, no question. It is very fluid and exciting. It also covers up a lot of the deficiencies in the script.
Who knows how this story will end? But it also may end up being “who cares?”
RATING: C
