The Joker by James Tynion IV Compendium

The Joker (2021) #1-3

by James Tynion IV, Guillem March (illustrator), Jorge Jiménez (illustrator)

Arkham Asylum has been attacked! All eyes are on the Joker.

A mysterious benefactor hires former Gotham City Police Commissioner Jim Gordon to go on a global manhunt to catch, and possibly even kill, the Clown Prince of Crime!

But nothing with the Joker comes easy. What Gordon finds and what the Joker wants him to see will change his perspective on the world forever. And he's not the only one who wants the Joker found...

From acclaimed Batman and horror writer James Tynion IV (Detective Comics, The Nice House on the Lake, Something is Killing the Children) comes the complete and terrifying Joker saga that broke Commissioner Gordon and redefined the Clown Prince of Crime forever. With art by Guillem March, Francesco Francavilla, Guiseppe Camuncoli, and more, experience the horror in The Joker Compendium!

Collects Tynion IV's Joker saga from the pages of THE JOKER (2021) #1-15, THE JOKER 2021 ANNUAL #1, BATMAN: THE JOKER WAR ZONE #1, and material from BATMAN (2016) #100.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

488 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2024

About the author

Prior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.

Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.

Reviews

[Joshua]

It’s a testament to Tynion’s skill that a premise that’s conclusion is so immediately made to feel obligatory and inevitable because of the limits of franchise IP still manages to be a pretty wild ride.

In my humblest opinion the Joker kinda sucks and exciting takes on the character are the exception to the rule but I’m a Tynion fan so still gave this a shot and I mean look, nothing is on the level of Department of Truth, but I certainly wasn’t disappointed with this book. Though it can’t help but make me speculate as to what Tynion would’ve/could’ve done with more leeway during his time on Batman. Knowing from page one that because this is the book it is certain things just are not going to happen - they just AREN’T - gives you an appreciation for JTIV’s choice to move on from Big Two stories and blaze his own trail.

[Orhun · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Tynion IV’s The Joker flips the script by focusing on Jim Gordon rather than the Joker himself. This grounded, noir-style thriller explores Gordon’s inner struggles as he’s drawn into a global chase that blurs the line between justice and revenge.

Tynion delivers strong character work and introduces compelling new figures like Vengeance, though the plot sometimes loses momentum. The Joker remains a chilling, background force rather than the star, which may surprise some readers.

Overall: 3.5/5

[Peyton F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very rarely do I enjoy a 15(18 including the annual and other things) issue series so much that I am willing to give it 5 stars. There’s always a snag. A moment of dullness. But with a character like the Joker, that’s not allowed.

Mr. J is not my favorite Batman villain. To be honest, I think Scarecrow or Poison Ivy are my favs, and the joker could have been my favorites he wasn’t everywhere all the time. I know that he’s THE arch-nemesis for the caped crusader, but he’ll be in a Justice League book, a Batman Main title, Batgirl, and Red Hood. Like jeez, you’d think there were three of them or something.

But this is a book about the joker… But not about the joker. Okay, that makes no sense.

This is about Jim Gordon, a man that is trying his best to find the Joker after being contracted to hunt him. We grapple with Gordon’s psyche the entire book. Rarely do we stray away from him and his task. It is so, so, so good. Every time I was reading it, I didn’t want to put it down. It also helps that the art is some of the best I’ve seen in a minute. Seriously. Go read this. The joker isn’t even that egregious here.

I think Tynion really knows his rogues. I really wish he was on the Batman book for longer, or would do a Gordon ongoing. Or something

[Baston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es war mit Abstand der bestgezeichnete Comic den ich je gelesen habe. Ich war erst misstrauisch ob mir die Story zusagt aber spätestens ab Band 3 wusste ich das es absolut geil ist. Ich habe wirklich überhaupt nix auszusetzen und fand es von Anfang bis Ende perfekt. So schnell wird keine Comic Reihe darankommen

[Charles Mennerick · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I ended up really enjoying this after a hesitant start.