Batman: White Knight Presents: Generation Joker

The Murphyverse

by Sean Gordon Murphy, Katana Collins, Clay McCormack

Youth in revolt! 

Spinning out of the runaway hit Beyond the White Knight comes an unforgettable coming-of-age super villain tale starring the children of Harley Quinn and The Joker!

When the rebellious twins run away in a stolen Batmobile, only Joker Jack Napier’s quickly fading hologram has any hope of getting them home safely and keeping them out of the family business. But a life of crime isn’t the only temptation young Bryce and Jackie are the kids uncover a dark secret that could bring their dad back to life for good!

With a wild array of Batman’s former enemies and allies on their tails, will the kids succeed in reviving the Dark Knight’s greatest foe?

Find out as Jackie and Bryce take center stage in the White Knight Universe! Collects #1-6.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Batman, Science Fiction, Crime, Fiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2024

About the author

After breaking into the industry at a young age, Sean Gordon Murphy made a name for himself in the world of indie comics before joining up with DC. In his tenure, he has worked on such titles as Batman/Scarecrow: Year One, Teen Titans, Hellblazer, Joe The Barbarian, and the critically acclaimed miniseries American Vampire: Survival Of The Fittest and The Wake with Scott Snyder. Murphy also wrote and illustrated the original graphic novel Offroad and the popular miniseries Punk Rock Jesus.

Reviews

[Eli · Rating 1 out of 5]

This made me realize I'm not interested in this alternate universe series anymore. Good to know because it seems to just keep going and going.

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good edition to the White Knight universe. Not my favourite book of the series and the action and story did get a bit confused towards the end, but it definitely moved the universe forward story wise.

What could be more harmless than a family road trip? A lot, especially if your father is the now dead Joker/Jack Napier. With Bruce out on assignment, it falls to Harley (for unexpected allies), against the FBI, and a Gotham that either hates or worships the Joker.

I have to say I am enjoying the White Knight universe more than the main universe. I do like how things are coming together. Though I think they can move in from Jack/Joker now. The book finishes with a varient cover gallery and sketchbook.

[Brian Garthoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we have another tie-in to the White Knight Murphyverse, but one you could skip entirely. Generation Joker is focused on the Joker’s kids and their AI Joker-dad trying to explain why he did everything to them, and it never really amounts to much. I still enjoy seeing stories told in this world enough to read it, but I thought the kids themselves would have relevant personalities or character by the time it was over. Alas, they don’t develop or even seem to matter, other than as a device to deliver the story. By the time it is over you are left with a tease for what Murphy might be up to next, which I won’t spoil, but hopefully that will be as interesting as the stories that started it all.

[Reiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look at me crushing my cr! Very slowly! Like it’s been seven months kind of slowly!
This was still a great read though, I like what they did with the characters, good stuff

[Matthew Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading this one in floppies and I wasn’t really digging this one. While I do very much so miss Sean Gordon Murphy’s art in this book, I do love spending time in this universe he created. Continual great takes on these characters and I enjoyed it much more this time around in trade format.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Mik Cope · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the weakest of the White Knight stories, probably because Philips didn't pen it. It's all a bit sentimental and pushes the boundaries of suspension of disbelief. Also, it's a little dull.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

La conscience de Joker mort mais repenti est disponible sur un disque dur qui projette un hologramme. Ses enfants s'en emparent donc pour pouvoir mieux connaitre leur père et visiter les endroits de son passé. Mais l'aventure ne se passe pas comme prévue lorsque les anciens ennemis du Joker les prennent pour cible...

Un récit court et fun qui complète encore et toujours le fabuleux univers White Knight !

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jacklyn Napier-Quinzel, I am your father, whether you like it or not. Now come on...I want to show you where dear old dad grew up."

[Craig Schorling · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was mostly enjoyable. I loved the kids and their story along with their interactions with others at times. The Ivy storyline felt crammed in and the ending was convenient and a little to forced. The ending has me intrigued to see where things might go from here.

[AviChaim Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a little torn on this volume. There are aspects of it I really enjoyed, while others I found myself getting glossy eyed. I love this world that Murphy has created and I would love some stories featuring this version of characters, such as Fries and other villains. Here's the problem with Murphy's universe, it's so intriguing, I didn't care about the main characters (Jackie, Bryce, Harley, Riot, or Jack). The overall plot felt forced and manufactured rather than flowing naturally, Batman was teased throughout the entire volume, the children were meh characters (they weren't bad per se, just boring) and Riot's relationship with Ivy was forced as well. Her whole character arc is based on the fact that she's a cheap Harley replacement and Murphy did the same with the relationship with Ivy. We need to let this family unit take a break and focus on other characters, such as Nightwing or Batgirl. I wouldn't recommend for now, but if the series continues with this Lex Luthor run, I might eventually recommend. Again not bad just meh, read at your own risk. Grade: C-

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Batman: White Knight Presents Generation Joker collects issues 1-6 of the DC Comics series written by Sean Gordon Murphy, Katana Collins, and Clay McCormack.

Siblings Bryce and Jackie Napier Quinzel go on an adventure of a lifetime when they turn on a device that Jack left them that contains an AI hologram of Napier himself. Napier wants to get to know his kids and show them the real Napier, not the Joker that the world knows. Finding trouble at every turn, the kids are on a run against time and for their lives while their mother Harley Quinn desperately tries to find them.

At first I was confused as Generation Joker doesn’t tell the story that is teased at the end of Beyond the White Knight. I actually had to look up to make sure this was this next book in the series because I really thought I may have missed an entry. Instead, this is more a side story. And unfortunately it’s the weakest book in Murphy’s Batman-verse to date, but that’s not to say it isn’t still a very enjoyable book - It just has a lot of tough competition. You can definitely tell that this book has the least of Murphy’s involvement and I wasn’t a fan of picking an artist that is mimicking Murphy’s style. I would rather have someone else’s own art style if Murphy isn’t going to draw it himself. Also - What the hell is going on with Jackie on this cover? She is supposed to be like 10 years old and instead looks to be in mid 20s.

I’m still very excited for (what I hope is) the next book in this universe as it should be a doozy!

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fully expected this to be a lackluster spin-off without Murphy on writing/art duties, but Generation Joker neatly slots into the Murphyverse. In fact, it's a pretty direct sequel to Beyond the White Knight, so shouldn't be overlooked.

Generation Joker finds Bruce and Harley's kids running away from home with AI Joker, though Harley (and several others) are hot on their tails. The storytelling isn't as huge and outlandish as other books in the Murphyverse, but that's just fine since all the heart is still there.

The only downside with reading four Murphyverse books in a row (and then reviewing them more than a month later) is that the plots (and plots and plots and plots) start to run together. Honestly, I can't really recall the back half of Generation Joker... but I don't recall being disappointed?

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was actually a pretty good read and I binged the series actually and it actually made for such a good read because of that. I love the focus on the kids here, and how they escape and want to have an adventure with their dad aka his AI version (its weirdly complicated) and thus they go to all his spots but get to wild adventures like vs the Jokerz gang or with Dr Freeze later on, meanwhile their mom Harley is looking for them and FBI agents Prince and Stwart on the hunt for them (you know who), and so it makes for such a great read there.

The plot is fun and each issue is stand alone for the most part, and I like it that way and then seeing their wild adventures and moments of the things Jack missed out with his children and them seeing the positive sides of his character, and also there are dark moments of "Joker" emerging.

And then seeing how Marian Drews aka Neo-joker aka Riot and what she wants and when she gets involved with the whole thing, the story gets so interesting and it kinda gets complicated with her wanting to save Ivy and Joker knows how, and how they need his AI and then something like that.. a bit confusing.. but you get the general gist of how and why it happens, but the ending was so bumpy and fun and lets just say, for once WK feels like a light read and I love it.

This book does so well to highlight the kids and also like they don't have to be their parents, they are their own individuals and I love that lesson and also some pretty fun appearances from a couple of villains which I love and what Batman has to deal with next in this WK universe is so exciting, so a pretty good time to read it and get prepared for whatever's coming next!!

[Jucá · Rating 4 out of 5]

É sempre uma maravilha voltar pro universo de Batman Cavaleiro Branco.

Nessa HQ "secundária" (que na minha opinião de secundária não tem nada, já que causa diversos desenvolvimentos de plot pra personagens importantes) temos um foco nos dois filhos da Harley, os queridíssimos Bryce e Jackie, que são arrastados pra uma aventura caótica quando conseguem um HD com a consciência do Coringa/Jack Napier. A cópia IA do pai deles, que nós leitores já conhecíamos de HQs anteriores, quer mostrar pra eles um pouco da vida que teve, suas consequências e, esperançosamente, se aproximar um pouco dos filhos que não conheceu. Obviamente tudo dá errado, mas de uma forma divertida e emocionante.

Como de costume nas histórias "secundárias" desse universo, não temos nesse volume o traço do Sean Murphy (que desenha apenas as capas), mas sim da Mirka Andolfo, que puxa o estilo um pouco mais para algo cartunesco, ou até mesmo pro anime em alguns quadros, mas que se encaixa perfeitamente bem com o que esperamos desse universo da DC. Já quanto a escrita, achei algumas coisas um pouquinho corridas e algumas falas esquisitas, mas isso já acho que seja um problema da tradução. Não que a escrita seja ruim, apenas um pouco mais fraca quando comparada com a das demais HQs.

Apesar de Geração Coringa ser uma história mais contida, faz um ótimo uso (e desenvolvimento!) dos personagens introduzidos nas HQs anteriores, bem como de fios narrativos introduzidos anteriormente, com um belíssimo destaque pra personagem da Neocoringa e a introdução de personagens que dão um ÓTIMO gosto do que está por vir.

Definitivamente me deixou muito animado pro próximo capítulo principal do Murphyverse!

[Vail Chester · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the previous Murphyverse Batbooks were focused on how Bats deals with a world changing from the status quo (good Joker, vast conspiracy of his city & family, the Beyond), this one was pretty grounded and kept things to a simple what-if premise: Joker's kiddos try to learn more about their deceased dad, kept alive through an AI simulacrum in a box, potentially finding a way to bring him back, and running into many MANY Neo Gotham-specific hurdles.
And while the last book showed that the Jack Napier AI didn't really have a problem with regressing into his more villainous side, this time since he's in a fragile portable hard drive, there's the looming threat that any disruption to that lil box could unleash the most dastardly evil mind back onto the world. Thankfully, the Quinn kids are smart enough & resourceful enough to outwit & outmaneuver almost anyone thrown in their path. Sure sometimes they get out of scrapes thru sheer dumb luck, but what would you expect from the scions of Joker, Harley, & Batman?
Not nearly as easter-egg-laden as previous entries, but they did an interesting twist on the Harley QuinnxPoison Ivy ship and it actually becomes plot relevant. Other aspects of the greater DC universe is brought up too, but as we don't see any supersuits (WHERE IS MY SUPER SUIT?!), we unfortunately don't know if the 3 other Justice Leaguers are incognito or never had powers & are just nice homages.

[Paige Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautiful character design and that’s it. Love the Joker hologram’s bellhop getup with a green streak look, and how his kids get the evenly distributed looks w/ Harley. For a rare instance this author’s Harley looked nice in her heelish slippers. Once the fighting starts, she looks like an anime dude.

Though how Joker interacts w/ the world never makes sense as an ai or figment. And his daughter is insufferable as shit. Disney Channel D-tier cheesy and brooding and Harley is always so delayed as a mom. She never notices anything. The boy doesn’t have much personality. The humor is sooo paint by numbers.

The Marian Harley looks loads better than she used to, more Wonderland. The punk gangs of Jokers based off his martyrdom is cool but it plays out incredibly cheesy and just doesn’t feel right. Like I don’t think he’d have such a tiny torn up grave and the kids both know so much as so little. They don’t really act their age either, oscillating between too precocious and sheltered. I wish the Murphyverse would team up with a better writer to feed his concepts to and stick to mostly drawing. Every issue gets more outlandish yet hacky at the same time.

I will say I find Ivy done decent. I normally find her look and personality kinda bland, but she’s sweet to sassy here. Extremely weird twist in ch 5. Whenever anybody seems like they’ll die, it is properly sad.

[Major Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised.

Love Bryce and Jackie, they had each other's backs the whole story, even when they were in trouble they never abandoned each other.

Love momma Harley, White Knight did something I thought was impossible, it made me like Harley again. Thank you Sean, I really appreciate that.

This volume sort-of redeems Marion and I liked that too. To me, Marion is a perfect example of having your cake and eating it too because her existence explains the Harley design change (pink and blue hair) and it allows a version of Harley/Ivy to still exist. I know some people love Harley and Ivy together but I never really did. The Ivy I know didn't love Harley, she used her just like everyone else, so I never really cared for that relationship. With Marion, Harley/Bruce can be together and Harley (Riot)/Ivy can be together and hopefully everyone can be happy.

Speaking of Riot, I love that Harley was the one to give Marion her new name. I never cared for "Neo Joker". This gives all of Joker's "girlfriends" a running theme, Harlequin, Punchline, Riot. I know Joker would find that... humorous.

I didn't care for how Harvey was killed off. Two-Face has always been one of my favorites so I couldn't get behind what was done with him here. Unfortunately, there's only room for one split personality in this story, Harv.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, look...
It's more from the 'Murphyverse'

We've got, essentially, filler until they write the next big story for Bruce Wayne. Previously, Jack Napier uploaded to the Net and was a hologram for a brief period of time. Turns out, the power drain on hologram consciousness is HUGE. He can't stay 'alive' on the hard drive for long.

BETTER TAKEKIDNAP THE KIDS ON A ROAD TRIP!
(yes, that's about as much sense as it makes)

Murphyverse is explored further. We find out that the Joker killed off most of Batman's rogues. Ventriloquist's daughter(?) has a bone to pick with the kids. Mr. Freeze gets a near outfit/power. He also knows a lot about hologram consciousness things. (SO CONVIENIENT!). 2.0 Face becomes a thing(?). B-story plot is the Murphyverse analogs of Wally West, John Stewart, and Diana Prince are 'FBI' and fly Bruce Wayne off for some business.
---
Bonus: Sick Poison Ivy with the dry and withering vines...so sick
Bonus Bonus: So, how much longer until Murphyverse Superman?

[David Basora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do love the Murphyverse, but this one had too many tropes designed to rehash story that we have already covered. Missing body comes back from the dead? The big bad villain is chasing immortality? The fragile alliance with a former enemy is broken by sudden betrayal? It just seemed like it didn't have to be that way.

I had been loving all of the Justice League references before, but the dancing around the question of Superman is weird, and seems to refer to Frank Miller's Dark Knight? I don't know, I guess there must be more coming, but all I want now is just a domestic scene of Bruce and Harley trying to live together as a family with Bryce and Jackie.

As I'm writing this, I am realizing what I want to read with these characters is basically The Incredibles, but with this family unit, and Ra's Al Ghul in the role of Syndrome. Sean Gordon Murphy are you seeing this? Can this happen please? Thanks.

[Štěpán · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an interesting book, I did like the premise but it just didn't click with me. It might be the bigger departure from Murphy's artstyle or the fact that he did not write this himself, but collaborated with more people, either way it was just fine. Unfortunately, it felt like a middle piece, which is not mandatory to read and feels like a well, filler episode. I get the want to polish characters and give them love and stories, but it feels little bit shaky.

The kids do act like kids, but they are pretty inconsistent. The adults are freaking out, yet because the art is colourful, joyful and very dynamic it feels weirdly inconsistent. I am looking forward to seeing more of Murphyverse, once it is out, but I'd rather stick to the main storyline, than try to fill out gaps and trying to retcon everything that Jack Napier managed to do during certain time.

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Czwarta już odsłona alternatywnych przygód Batmana i spółki ze świata "White Knight", która może nie ma już takiej świeżości co wcześniejsze trzy odsłony, ale nadal stanowi wartość dodaną. Tym razem historia wynika z poprzedniego tomu, gdzie Napier w elektronicznej formie zamierza "przeżyć" kilka chwil ze swoimi dziećmi. Rozpoczyna to łańcuszek wydarzeń, które odbiją się niezłym echem w mieście.

Siłą tego tytułu nadal pozostają interakcje, które kradnie relacja Bruce-Harley, ale też Napier daje z siebie dużo dobra, chcąc pokazać dzieciom swoją ludzką twarz, a nie potwora, który był zdolny do makabry wszelakiej. Całość wygląda naprawdę fajnie, jak przystało na to serię, ale opowieść nie ma już takiej wagi dla całego cyklu. Pomaga w scaleniu pewnych relacji, ale to końcówka pokazuje, że Murphy ma jeszcze w zanadrzu kilka pomysłów.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, a family is:
- a semi-retired bat-themed vigilante
- his former special ops son (now a disgruntled dogsitter)
- a retired clown-themed psychologist
- a dying hologram of a psychotic clown
- twin emo children
- a martial arts teacher
- two hyenas and a dog


Sad that Dick, Barbara, and Duke weren't in this one, but I liked the Jason + Gan cameo. Lol, Jason came in guns blazing, ready to help track down his stepsiblings, only to get stuck on petsitting duty.

There's also a side plot involving re-imagined versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, a Green Lantern, the Flash, and Lex Luthor, but I didn't really care about that as much. Maybe that story would be more interesting if it was given enough room grow? But for now, I really dgaf about it.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really 3.5 stars because the kids didn't really interest me but all the glimpses we get of Gotham City's most notorious citizens and hints at what's to come are fascinating. I love spotting the little details that get sprinkled throughout about things that might be coming or that explain the world as it is in this timeline.
Collins makes a concerted effort to make the kids likable and push forward their desire to understand their dad as a way to understand themselves. It's well done and does deliver some emotional moments that are worthwhile. However, it's honestly all about Batman and the glimpses of what's coming.

[Ethan Gohl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feared from the moment White Knight came out that the universe would be sucked dry and become a hollow shell of what it was

And since the first book and maybe the Freeze tie-in, it hasn't had the same weightiness to it.

HOWEVER
White Knight is a great concept and was executed well, and if that's all you were interested in, stop there. But since then, each follow-up book still feels true to the universe and the tone established in earlier books. I think what we've gotten has varied in quality, but the quality has not dipped enough for me to give up on it entirely. I'm afraid that at some point Murphy is going to jump the shark, but I don't think we've gotten there yet

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't understand the hate for this book as the creators (there are a bunch of them) deliver another incredibly fun, zany, and heartfelt chapter in Sean Murphy's look at a new Gotham. This is a direct sequel to the last volume and it picks up with the kids' need to get their dad back. I like the kids more here than last volume, especially Bryce, who finally gets some time to shine. I would have liked more Bats here but the story was very good. The art by Mirko Andolfo was fun and Murphy-esque enough to feel connected. Overall, this world continues to impress.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

Even if this was just a side story, I was still super interested in the world-building happening throughout. It's a fairly standard coming of age story, about how you get to decide who you are. Nothing too out of the box, but told well. Still loving the art as well.


At this point I'm all-in on this whole White Knight Murphyverse craziness. I'll read anything thay gets released in this continuity.

[Dallas Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful extension of the family set up in "Beyond the White Knight"!
Honestly wholesome family road trip through Gotham is such a great concept on its own!

If you're a fan of the Murphyverse of White Knight books, this is a must to see how the villains and of course Harley and "friends" become even more rounded out!

Also some neat set up for what looks to be an exciting next installment!

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3,5 stars

I was honestly not familiar with the White Knight alternative universe where Harley Quinn and the Joker have two children and Harley Quinn is together with Batman...I had to google the background story because this felt all too strange at the beginning.

This was not bad, fast paced story with some twist and turns and great art work.

[Andrew A · Rating 2 out of 5]

The white Knight verse keeps taking the oddly convoluted AND rushed routes to good ideas.

The joker AI seems to keep getting more complex.

The hastily filled in back stories keep coming.

The teases for a wider universe layer in.

It was fine, the dialogue and emotional beats were very good.

But it shows an increasing dilution of what made white Knight so good