Ricky Church reviews Absolute Batman: Three Jokers…
It goes without saying Batman and The Joker’s rivalry is one of, if not the, best in all of pop culture with how diametrically opposed they are in their years long battle. Whenever DC readies itself to publish a new Batman/Joker story there is a certain level of anticipation for how their rivalry will be approached. After all, the two have been at this for over 80 years and have had all kinds of stories told throughout a variety of media outside the comics. At this point the easier question is what hasn’t been done than what could be done.
Enter Batman: Three Jokers, a project that was years in the making from Geoff Johns and artists Jason Fabok and Brad Anderson. This story was touted several years before its publication, first being teased in the final arc of Johns’ New 52 run of Justice League before becoming a DC Black Label graphic novel amid Johns’ running of DC Entertainment and the ambitious artwork Fabok and Anderson strived for in the story’s telling. Now collected in DC’s oversized Absolute format, Absolute Batman: Three Jokers is the definitive collection of this great story that is full of insightful extra bonuses into the book’s creation.
Absolute Batman: Three Jokers sees Batman joined by Batgirl and Red Hood, two of his fellow crimefighters who have suffered tremendously at the hands of the Clown Prince, as they investigate The Joker’s latest plan as there apparently has been not one but three different Jokers they’ve faced, possibly all of them trading out the role with each other at different times. Now all three Jokers are working together on something new and Batman, Batgirl and Red Hood must find out what it is while confronting their pasts and trauma while the three Jokers attempt to break them even more.
Right from the outset, Three Jokers is a highly ambitious story. Tackling one Joker is enough for one adventure, but three? And each one based on a specific moment in the vast Batman mythos? Johns, however, gives each of The Jokers a distinct tone and feel with their own separate personalities that really highlight how different this story is compared to others. You can check out my original review of Three Jokers for my full thoughts on the story as they won’t differ much now. Instead this review will look at the transfer to Absolute and the bonus material included.
Jason Fabok’s artwork is nothing short of outstanding and the Absolute edition really gives readers a chance to examine how detailed every image is – and there are a lot of images as Johns often structures the pages in a classic 9-panel grid. It’s a lot of work for any artist, but the end result shows Fabok’s dedication and incredible attention to detail. The Absolute really showcases Fabok’s uses of body language and expressions to display the characters emotions just as much as Johns’ script, especially when the images are close-ups with little dialogue or none at all. Anderson’s colours compliment Fabok’s illustrations and the dark atmosphere of the story with bold colours, use of lighting and more. Their artwork feels very cinematic, making Absolute Three Jokers feel more like you’re reading a film’s storyboard than a graphic novel.
As for the bonus material, there is plenty that makes the Absolute upgrade well worth the purchase as just over a third of the book is nothing but a look at the trio’s process in creating Three Jokers. From early looks at promotional material, Fabok and Anderson’s sketches, initial designs for the title and the many variant covers and unused concepts of Joker in different eras, there is quite a lot to pour over. The majority of the pieces are also annotated, giving a brief rundown of the process and why or why not they were used. The big element, however, is the complete script to the first issue of the story with a look at the art process alongside it, from Fabok’s sketches to the completed page with Anderson’s colours and the dialogue. It is a very cool and insightful look into how Johns, Fabok and Anderson crafted Three Jokers and the ambition behind it.
Absolute Batman: Three Jokers is a great, self-contained story about the impact Joker has had not only on Batman, but on Batgirl, Red Hood and others around them. Johns’ deconstruction of Joker’s legacy and whether or not he’s supposed to ‘mean’ something is handled with great care while Fabok and Anderson’s artwork is the true star of the book, looking even better in Absolute format. The extensive bonus material is more than enough to make any fan happy with this new collection. Whether you’re a fan of Batman and Joker’s stories, Johns’ work or love great artwork this book will be just for you.
Rating: 10/10
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