DC Comics Teases Joker War Finale In Batman #100 Plus Gotham City 2021 With Ghost-Maker!
Clownhunter Like Deadpool & More?! (Sans Spoilers)
Writer James Tynion IV has been teasing Joker War again. It has me excited.
He notes the following.
Batman #100
- I realize it’s less because of any GOOD reason, and more because of a global pandemic, but I’m writing Batman #100 this week which I think will mark the first time in almost five years of writing double-ship comics that I have written a full six-issue arc before any of it is released. Which feels pretty freaking great. This is also great because Joker War will be drawn entirely by Jorge Jimenez (save a couple of codas in the oversized Issue #100). I am very proud of the abject lunacy of Their Dark Designs and the incredible army of artists who helped us get the book out the door, but there’s something undeniable about the singular power of a single artist on a full story. As we wrap up 2020, and head into 2021, I’m looking forward to keep that up, and work on more sustained runs with single artists.
Joker War Zone
- Now that we have some real runway to plan and build big story, I’m eager to use it to make a better reading experience for all of us. We have BIG plans, and those plans start with Joker War. You’re starting to see some of them take shape already. We announced Joker War Zone last week, and I was thrilled they also released the variant cover which features Cassandra Cain donning a very familiar costume… There’s ANOTHER classic character in the JWZ issue who people have been clamoring to appear in Joker War, who has a story in the book, but I’m pretty sure I’m not allowed to say who they are, yet… But I am very excited to bring this character into the larger Joker War experience.
Defining Clownhunter
- In addition to a big story featuring Bane, drawn by my other Gotham partner in crime, Guillem March… I’m writing a story for James Stokoe about Clownhunter, a mainline continuity story that digs deeper into who this strange new Gotham Vigilante is. In the script, I described what we were trying to do with Clownhunter as “Kaneda’s Gang from Akira meets Casey Jones meets Deadpool” and James just knocked it out of the park. I’ve got Orc Stain and Godzilla: The Hundred Year War in prime locations on my shelf, and I’ve deeply loved his work for years. The fact that I get to work with him is a dream come true. James is up for about a million Eisners this year, and I hope he wins all of them! And then you can nominate him again next year for his freaking awesome Clownhunter comics.
The Future
- What I am MOST excited about, is each of these stories leads to MORE stories. These are not going to be one and done flash in the pan characters. We have a rough sketch of a multi-year plan in play. We’ll only get there with your support and help, but I’ve gotten rumblings on the sales of these upcoming Batman issues, and they’ve been putting a wide grin on my face. Heck, now the whole DC line is getting in on the fun of the character design covers we spearheaded with. I just outlined an oversized issue I’ll be co-writing at the end of the year spinning out of the Batman run, and we’ve just got more fun coming your way.
A Gotham City in 2021 Full Of “New” Including Ghost-Maker
- In interviews, I keep talking about Punchline and Clownhunter as the first two children of a new generation of Gotham City stories. Joker War sets the stage for this new era in a big, big way. We’re trying to give you an experience every time you pick up the mainline Batman comic book that you can’t get in any other medium. I wrote up a description of a poster for Gotham 2021 that I desperately hope we make, that aside from Batman, Harley, and a classic Bat-Villain, will feature all brand new characters, embodying the Gotham we’re hoping to build for you… But we’re not waiting until 2021 to start having fun with the new toys.
Next month, they’ll solicit Batman #100, and THEN I can start talking about Ghost-Maker.
In addition, it appears that a part of Tynion’s blog has been amended as sites are reporting an OG version of the above included the reveal that the Joker’s most heinoushenchmen will also be introduced in Joker War as noted below.
- It also introduces four of the most dangerous clowns working under Joker, and they’re named Eenie, Meanie, Miney, and Moe.
These build on the other new characters Tynion IV and artist Jorge Jimenez have introduced in the pages of Batman.
Punchline
Designer
Underbroker
Clownhunter
Below is the Joker War Checklist.
Interesting times ahead.
