Reviews

The only issue I take with the plot in "The Man Who Laughs" is that the poison is more so a nebulous threat rather than something that is explained through scientific testing. How did the Joker acquire the poison? Why does it do what it does? That is my only issue with the story, but maybe that is just how plots involving the Joker pan out. Other than that, the writing was fantastic, the art dark and gruesome, and I couldn't put it down until I had read through the entire thing. I got more closure from "Made of Wood" because motives and links were resolved well throughout the well-paced plot. Ed Brubaker writes villains in a way that makes one see the world of Gotham from the villain's perspective, and that was quite a refreshing style to read. More than once, I found myself rooting for the bad guys because they were taking down economic powers, albeit for selfish reasons. All in all, this book was a terrific read! I'd highly recommend it to anyone trying to get into Batman, or trying to become acquainted with the DC universe. Keep some references handy, though, because some characters do not have their backgrounds explicitly detailed (e.g. the Oracle).

kindmrburger's review against another edition

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medium-paced

3.5

labunnywtf's review against another edition

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3.0

So, this is supposed to be the first time Batman and The Joker meet, right?

Kind of lackluster in that respect. I mean, as far as every day Bats vs Joker goes, it's brilliant and fantastic. I like the "Someone will die at midnight" part. But for an origin story? Meh. ::shrug::

I did enjoy the second story, mostly because it adds a new character to my comic reading list. I've now got a Green Lantern story under my belt, though without further information about him, it's kind of flat.

Not bad at all.

And see, that cover? That's what I think when I see Jared Leto's joker. And I'm okay with that.

doomham's review against another edition

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dark

4.0

fandom4ever's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Batman: The Man Who Laughs Deluxe Edition collects three stories connected by the fact that they were all written by Ed Brubaker.

The first, the title of the collection The Man Who Laughs, is a 2005 update of Batman’s first encounter with the Joker. I think it was a pretty good story, I loved that it even brought in the Red Hood backstory from The Killing Joke storyline. Naturally, as it was a Joker story it had to involve Joker gas and poisoning of the Gotham reservoir. Both of these things have annoyed me in their overuse through the years but I was willing to allow it for this story as it was supposed to be the first time Joker ever did this. And the fact that there was a reason for the use of the gas and how it allowed Bruce to get a better look inside Joker’s head proved interesting. The story involved some great detective work by Batman and a close working relationship with Jim Gordon. It followed really well after Year One, with Gordon now being a captain and there being a new commissioner.

The second story was Gotham: Noir, an Elseworlds story that had never been collected in trade before. I was amazed how much I enjoyed this story! It takes place during 1949 and follows Jim Gordon who got kicked off the police force after a failed investigation. I loved how the use of nightclubs, showgirls, mobsters, and corruption fit so well it Gotham’s natural gothic atmosphere. It was a well-done old-timey mystery.

The third story was titled Made of Wood and had Batman working with the very first Green Lantern, Alan Scott from the 1940s. I really enjoyed the pairing of these two characters and how Batman compares himself to Scott and recognizes that Scott truly enjoys his work as a hero unlike Bruce who is bogged down by his crusade.

These stories really showed the detective side of Batman and I loved seeing that he has a closet of gear, hair, beards, mustaches, etc he can use to go undercover to figure out more clues. If you’re looking for a good Joker origin story with two other solid Batman stories, I would definitely recommend picking up this Deluxe Edition.

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