Warning! This article contains a PREVIEW for Batman #159
Jokeris dying in the DC Comics, puttingBatmanin an extremely challenging position. Kicking off the major Batman comics eventHush 2, the first chapter saw Batman discovering the broken and tortured body of his nemesis, who was near death. Now, the upcomingBatman #159continues the story, revealing what Batman has chosen to do with his arch-foe going forward.
InHush 2by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, Tommy Elliot’s Hush has seemingly begun an all-new revenge quest against Batman, beginning with The Caped Crusader’s biggest and most dangerous villain. With Hush having violently tortured and lethally wounded the Clown Prince of Crime with surgical precision inBatman #158, the issue ends with Batman being reminded of some of Joker’s worst deeds against his loved ones via video recordings as he discovers Joker himself near death, having been left for dead by Hush for Batman to find.Now, the new preview pages forBatman #159show The Dark Knight’s controversial decision:
In the new preview, it’s revealed that Batman has secretly taken Joker to be saved by Doctor Leslie Thompkins,a friend of the Bat Familyand the same doctor who helped Bruce Wayne with the trauma of losing his parents as a child.However, it’s not hard to guess that Batman’s decision to save such a horrible and monstrous human being will have some major consequences.
Joker Being Tortured Was Meant To Torment Batman
Forcing Him To Make A Hard Choice
With Hush putting Joker in such a dire, life-or-death situation, it’s clear that the purpose was to challenge Batman’s code as Gotham’s protector. He wanted Batman to question whether or not he should leave Joker to die. After all, The Clown Prince has done some pretty heinous things to Batman’s loved ones across the decades,most notably when the Joker paralyzed Barbara Gordonand killed Jason Todd’s Robin, leading to his eventual resurrection as Red Hood and his adoption of more aggressive, sometimes lethal tactics.
It’s a pretty heavy moment inBatman #158to see The Dark Knight himself almost relieved at the prospect of Joker’s demise: “Finally. He lies dying.“However, it’s not all that surprising to see in this new preview that Batman will be doing everything he can to save Joker’s life, unwilling to simply let him die from the wounds he inflicted at the hands of Hush. While Leslie Thompkins will surely do her best to save Joker’s life, one can imagine other Gotham protectors might not be so supportive of Batman’s decision ( like Jason, for instance).
If Batman Saves Joker, Will His Future Crimes Be The Dark Knight’s Fault?
Red Hood Is NOT Going To Be Happy…
The big question one might ask about this scenario is whether Batman will be responsible for any of the inevitable atrocities Joker will undoubtedly commit in the future, assuming Leslie saves his life at The Dark Knight’s request. It’s a good question, one Jason Todd will likely be asking without much subtlety if this new issue’s cover offers any indication. After all, one could easily seeBatman forced to fight Jason’s Red Hoodto keep him away from Joker, buying Leslie time to get the major Gotham villain stable. At any rate, it’ll be fascinating to see how this new chapter ofHush 2continues.
Batman #159is on sale April 23rd from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
The Joker
The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped sense of humor. Initially introduced as a remorseless serial killer, the character evolved over time, often oscillating between a prankster and a homicidal maniac. His relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in comic book history, defined by their mutual obsession. Over the decades, the Joker has become an enduring icon of chaos and madness, embodying the antithesis of Batman’s order and justice.
