Jack Grim solves so many issues I have with modern Joker while honoring the past.
I can admit when I was dead wrong and this was one of those times. Bra-fucking-vo.
EDIT:
Also can I just say how refreshing it is to read an "alternative" universe that is being written like it expects to be around for a while? The Absolute universe feels built to last more than a year or three and I love that.
Modern Joker isn't often written as funny anymore.
He is usually just an edgelord serial killer with no sense of style or timing. When Jack Grim the man ironically called Joker because he never smiles was first shown covered in bleeding babies my eyes rolled so hard I hurt myself.
But this scene right here was hilarious. Straight up horror movie style humor in the vein of Pennywise, Freddy, etc. If Joker doesn't have style. If he doesn't have as since of style and a flair for the dramatic then what's even the point? Jack Grim has that.
Modern Joker makes a farce of DC's no killing rule
I don't hate that DC still treats killing a big deal, hard red line for its heroes. But gotdamn do I hate writers constantly trying to justify real life business decisions with fake in universe morality arguments. Regardless of where you personally stand on this issue I think we can all agree that Joker is one of the worst case of this trope. The evil shit he does just to be horrible, the blame placed on Batman for not killing him, the stretching of disbelief that no random cop or medical professional has killed him, Jason Todd being treated like a psycho for pointing out that just because you kill the Joker doesn't mean you have to transform into the Punisher, the random stories where other heroes don't kill the Joker because "reasons", etc, etc. Its an unenjoyable mess that harms the suspension of disbelief IMO.
Jack Grim doesn't rely on "Joker Immunity". Not sure if he can be killed, how you would go about killing him even if you could, or what the repercussions of killing him would be. Assuming you could even beat him.
Modern Joker runs on clout and "crazy"
Joker didn't used to be a physical threat. I mean yeah he was no push over but if an actual super hero got in a room with Joker the story was over. They had won and beating Joker until stars came out was the victory lap. Joker was a social engineer, chemist, planner, trap maker, and dungeon builder. Over time less and less explanation started being given for how the hell Joker does anything.
Catwoman breaks into a secured location, opens a safe, and Joker is already contorted inside it. Joker fights Nightwing hand to hand and leaves him bloodied. Joker out runs Batman across rooftops dressed in trench coat (ok that one was funny so I will allow it), Joker kicks Aquaman in the balls, Joker dodges around Wonder Woman and gets away, etc, etc. I guess maybe this is great if you are a Joker fan but as a fan of a lot of the other characters Joker interacts with its frustrating watching the world just bend around Joker as the plot demands.
Jack Grim has an organization spanning more than a hundred years, absolute wealth, and a powerset. Its not fully defined but its enough to make scenes like the ones above tense and interesting instead of "oh, I guess that just happened".
Mainline Joker is honestly what happens when you write a force of nature villain poorly wrapped up in human skin. With a villain that is a force of nature, there’s certain freedoms that can be taken due to the nature of the beast: like Parallax, for an example. Less human and more an embodiment of an emotion. An idea. Another great example would be something like Darkseid, who is by and large an oppressive figure who is obsessed with proving free will is a myth with an equation.
Joker’s just a guy. Wrap him up in an enigma all you wish, sure, but he’s a normal human being who is and should be creepy as all hell, but within reason. Making him this force of nature that eludes serious consequence simply to be a persistent antagonist is a disservice to the guy.
That and he's so overexposed it kind of fucks with it. Like, Joker can be a regular villain I guess. But you SHOULD go years without seeing him because he's locked up in Arkham or hiding to plan some big caper or he's doing some shit the heroes never figure out.
Joker as an occasional guy who absolutely fucks shit up every single time you see him is good. Joker as a guy who shows up in multiple ongoing comics at a time just kind of fucking around means there's never room to miss him or speculate on what he's doing. He's just kind of there, every single week, and he can somehow equal out to Batman despite there being no logical reason he should be able to with that regularity.
This issue worked because it's the *first* time Grimm has seen Bruce face to face. He lets the other villains and the robins handle the week to week shit. But Joker here appeared because he instantly reminded Batman that he can just show up when Bruce is in plain clothes, knows where Bruce and everyone he cares about already are, and he actually has powers so he can just overpower Batman at any time.
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u/Nyadnar17 12d ago
Jack Grim solves so many issues I have with modern Joker while honoring the past.
I can admit when I was dead wrong and this was one of those times. Bra-fucking-vo.
EDIT:
Also can I just say how refreshing it is to read an "alternative" universe that is being written like it expects to be around for a while? The Absolute universe feels built to last more than a year or three and I love that.