The Batman Who Laughs #1 Review

He Who Laughs Last...

Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Jock, David Baron, and Sal Cipriano
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: December 12, 2018

I will admit it right out of the gate...I am not a huge fan of the Batman Who Laughs.  It makes sense since the Joker is one of my least favorite villains in comics so...  Why am I reviewing this book then?  Mainly because I am a Scott Snyder fan and that trumps any love or hate of a character in my book.  Plus, if I love the book despite my misgivings going in, then I think that says something, don't you?  Well, let's see how it all plays out, shall we?
The issue opens with a very quick "My Happiest Memory" bit from Bruce Wayne.  It may have more significance as we travel through this six-issue mini, but it's shoved aside to give the reader a big action sequence.  Batman in highspeed pursuit of some bad guys hauling...rowhomes?!?  Again, the details are a little thin here with more attention being paid to the moment at hand instead of the overall setup of what these baddies are doing.

While being a bit lighthearted with Alfred on the radio, Bats is able to take down the villains and come face to face with...himself?  There is a twist here that pushes the book forward in an interesting way.

Scott Snyder sets up the rest of the book with a couple sleight of hand/bate and switch type scenes that may confuse some, but if you pay attention (and even read through it a couple times), there is some good payoff here.  I don't want to spoil too much, but the Batman Who Laughs does appear, he has brought a friend and there are two really big surprises as well.  The issue ends with a very unlikely hero and a very crazy awesome transition.  It may seem shocking at first, but the setup is all there and it makes sense in a crazy whack funky kind of way.

I liked a lot about this issue.  I am a sucker for Batman in disguises and we get that here.  While we do get the Batman Who Laughs, the buildup to seeing him was done really well and the issue itself ends up being more about others' fears and reactions to the Dark Multiverse villain.  It's a bit of horror movie goodness in a Bat book and I am just fine with that.  The only downer for me was that it wasn't a great introduction to the Batman Who Laughs character.  However, if you are already in the know, this issue hits the ground running.

I have seen some people say they don't dig Jock's art and I don't understand that one bit.  I love it and maybe it's because we don't get a ton of it, but every time he is on a book I want more, more, more!!!  His character designs are superb and he is a perfect choice for the horror vibe this book is giving out.

Bits and Pieces:

I went into this book hoping to like it and it exceeded my expectations big time.  This start is more of a Batman story so if you are not the biggest Batman Who Laughs fan, I can still recommend this to you.  It may not be a great introduction to the character (yet?), but the art is great and the ending will certainly have you pumped for more.

8.7/10