After years of development and little teases at various comic-cons, writer Geoff Johns and artist Jason Fabok’s anticipated DC Black Label miniseries Batman: Three Jokers is finally set to arrive this summer. DC announced the first issue will hit shelves on June 17 and released the series covers of the three different Jokers drawn by Fabok and colourist Brad Anderson.
Three Jokers builds out of a twist Johns made in his final Justice League story of the New 52 that there have in fact been three separate Jokers who have plagued Batman throughout his crime fighting career. Since that reveal in 2016 that launched the DC Rebirth line, it has not been discussed very much as Johns began plotting out Doomsday Clock, which eventually switched to a bi-monthly release schedule and hit with multiple delays, further postponing Three Jokers. The miniseries will delve into the mystery of the three Jokers as Batman, Batgirl and Red Hood investigate.
SEE ALSO: Harley Quinn meets The Joker’s new girlfriend in first look preview of Batman #92
The official synopsis for the series from DC reads:
Batman: Three Jokers re-examines the myth of who, or what, is the Joker and what is at the heart of his ongoing battle with Batman. Find out why there are three Jokers, and what that means for the decades-long battle between the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime. In this powerful, emotional story Batman, Batgirl and Red Hood—all past victims of the Joker—work together to solve a mystery unlike anything they’ve ever faced before!
At the 2018 Fan Expo comic-con, Fabok spoke about his work on the miniseries and how he and Johns were challenging themselves with the story, explaining a bit as to why it was taking so long to develop. “Very early on Geoff and I really established the rules for this book. Look at what Geoff is doing on Doomsday Clock. He’s exploring a lot of that old school, nine-panel, Alan Moore-esque type of storytelling. I’m exploring that in this book artistically and have put rules on myself that is very opposite to the way I’ve drawn things before. Everything before was big, widescreen, four-panel pages, sometimes the stuff is bleeding off the panels. This is to a specific rule set. It’s really pushing me artistically and I feel this is the best work I’ve ever drawn and so confident about this book it will be the book I’m remembered for for the rest of my life.”
Each issue of Batman: Three Jokers will be 48 pages released in prestige format. Batman: Three Jokers #1 will be available June 17, 2020.
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.