DC Review: KNIGHT TERRORS JOKER #2

Comics

Aug 1

The first issue was one of my favorite event tie-ins, so I was relieved to see that KNIGHT TERRORS: THE JOKER #2 continued the hilarity and horror in the conclusion of the Clown Prince of Crime’s nightmarish tale. The issue still features scenes involving office humor, but focuses more on Joker’s warped, and rapidly worsening, mindset as he’s forced to play the role of corporate executive in an average, American life.

Part of his work responsibilities in this issue include rounds of interviews with none other than his former villain colleagues, including Mr. Fries/Mr. Freeze and Scarecrow. Matthew Rosenberg strikes an absolutely perfect balance between easy, cheap jokes and hilarious delivery. We also see Joker murder someone on a baseball field for calling him a “batman” for his hitting skills, attend a dinner at Bruce Wayne’s mansion, and come face-to-face with a literal skeleton in his closet.

Individually, these sound like absurd moments…and they are. Combined, Rosenberg weaves a tale that highlights Joker realizing and handling his insecurities in a way that only Joker can. The final page shows Joker waking up from his nightmare, realizing what’s happening, and reacting in the most Joker way possible. It’s all written in way that only someone who grasps and respects the Joker’s decades of character development could write.

Stefano Raffaele’s art, Romulo Fajardo Jr.’s colors, and Tom Napolitano’s letters enhance Rosenberg’s story from start to finish. I would have never thought a story about the Joker in an office job could look so good but it does. Raffaele and Fajardo have basically created two new, distinct styles for Joker in this tie-in: his “normal” Johann Kaiser persona and his new Batman-by-night persona. The panels with Joker as Batman elicit strong horror vibes that nail the vibe of a nightmare event.

Rosenberg’s two-part Joker has been one of the clear tie-in standouts for the Knight Terrors event so far, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it at the top of most readers’ list for favorite Knight Terrors tie-in once the rest have concluded. I’ve happily gobbled it up like Bruce Wayne on a shellfish platter.