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Batman
Joker: Quien ríe el último
The Joker concocts a scheme to carry on his legacy by transforming his fellow villains into "jokerized" versions of themselves in this exciting tale!
Deep in the heart of the Slab, the maximum security prison for super-powered criminals, the Joker learns that he is dying. Using the venom that transformed him into a pasty-faced sociopath, the Joker decides to share it with countless other super-villains, ensuring that his legacy of evil will live on! A prison break ensues -- and the Joker's army of super-powered followers escape to spread their insanity across the globe! Before Batman and his allies can put a stop to the madness, they'll have to contend with "Jokerized" versions of their most deadly foes!
Deep in the heart of the Slab, the maximum security prison for super-powered criminals, the Joker learns that he is dying. Using the venom that transformed him into a pasty-faced sociopath, the Joker decides to share it with countless other super-villains, ensuring that his legacy of evil will live on! A prison break ensues -- and the Joker's army of super-powered followers escape to spread their insanity across the globe! Before Batman and his allies can put a stop to the madness, they'll have to contend with "Jokerized" versions of their most deadly foes!
Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
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529 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
June 30, 2017
The Joker’s Last Laugh is down there with the likes of Going Sane and Lovers and Madmen as one of the worst Joker books ever.
Joker learns he has a fatal brain tumor and, without getting a second opinion or questioning the verdict in any way, decides that if he’s gonna die, he’s gonna take everyone else with him. He organises a prison break (no explanation for why he wasn’t in Arkham) and uses as many supervillains as possible to wreak chaos around the world.
So much of this book is contrived garbage: Joker’s far too easy and glossed-over prison break, the number of villains who decide to join him for no reason, not to mention the effectiveness of so many Z-list supervillains and the ineffectiveness of first-tier superheroes. Superman, Martian Manhunter and Flash could’ve easily solved the various global problems Joker caused between them but then there wouldn’t be a book so they’re conveniently and hopelessly flailing the entire time instead.
And speaking of characters acting out of character, why exactly is Harley running away from her beloved puddin’ who wants to knock her up now that he’s checking out? Usually she’s hounding him like cray but suddenly she doesn’t want anything to do with him - why... ?
I guess this was a crossover storyline probably involving Nightwing’s title which is why there’s so much Dick Grayson here, but still Batman barely figures overall. You’d think Joker would want to take Batman with him over anyone else, right? Hmm, it feels like the writers don’t know jack about the Joker.
Once the premise for all of this is revealed as irritatingly throwaway and brainless, a new motivation for Joker gets awkwardly shoehorned in at the end to give the semblance of some kind of arc. Suddenly the story becomes all about Joker wanting to kill Dick Grayson and Tim Drake like he did Jason Todd… because… he likes killing Robins…? So, so stupid.
The artwork is horrible throughout, even the Marcos Martin issue which is disappointing because he usually draws amazing pages. Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty are hacks who wrote a pointless, horrendously overlong and totally boring book, completely doing a disservice to DC’s best villain (and arguably the best comics villain ever). I’d say it was a laughable effort but it’s just mirthlessly bad - stay well away!
Joker learns he has a fatal brain tumor and, without getting a second opinion or questioning the verdict in any way, decides that if he’s gonna die, he’s gonna take everyone else with him. He organises a prison break (no explanation for why he wasn’t in Arkham) and uses as many supervillains as possible to wreak chaos around the world.
So much of this book is contrived garbage: Joker’s far too easy and glossed-over prison break, the number of villains who decide to join him for no reason, not to mention the effectiveness of so many Z-list supervillains and the ineffectiveness of first-tier superheroes. Superman, Martian Manhunter and Flash could’ve easily solved the various global problems Joker caused between them but then there wouldn’t be a book so they’re conveniently and hopelessly flailing the entire time instead.
And speaking of characters acting out of character, why exactly is Harley running away from her beloved puddin’ who wants to knock her up now that he’s checking out? Usually she’s hounding him like cray but suddenly she doesn’t want anything to do with him - why... ?
I guess this was a crossover storyline probably involving Nightwing’s title which is why there’s so much Dick Grayson here, but still Batman barely figures overall. You’d think Joker would want to take Batman with him over anyone else, right? Hmm, it feels like the writers don’t know jack about the Joker.
Once the premise for all of this is revealed as irritatingly throwaway and brainless, a new motivation for Joker gets awkwardly shoehorned in at the end to give the semblance of some kind of arc. Suddenly the story becomes all about Joker wanting to kill Dick Grayson and Tim Drake like he did Jason Todd… because… he likes killing Robins…? So, so stupid.
The artwork is horrible throughout, even the Marcos Martin issue which is disappointing because he usually draws amazing pages. Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty are hacks who wrote a pointless, horrendously overlong and totally boring book, completely doing a disservice to DC’s best villain (and arguably the best comics villain ever). I’d say it was a laughable effort but it’s just mirthlessly bad - stay well away!
February 1, 2015
This tale focuses upon Joker in a high security prison with a plan to escape but as Batman predicts there is something even more dastardly involved. We get to see most of the Batman Family as well as some appearances by JLA members. The stakes are raised even more as it becomes apparent that Joker thinks he is dying and wants to have one good laugh that will hurt a ton of people in the process.
See Nightwing lose control while fighting the Joker. See Joker manipulate and control other supervillains and superheroes. Supervillain Multiman had some of the best humorous moments followed by the little worm dude that goes into your ear.
STORY/PLOTTING: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B; ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B plus; JUGGLING ALL THE CHARACTERS: B; WHEN READ: mid August 2012; OVERALL GRADE: B.
See Nightwing lose control while fighting the Joker. See Joker manipulate and control other supervillains and superheroes. Supervillain Multiman had some of the best humorous moments followed by the little worm dude that goes into your ear.
STORY/PLOTTING: B; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B; ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B plus; JUGGLING ALL THE CHARACTERS: B; WHEN READ: mid August 2012; OVERALL GRADE: B.
May 31, 2021
Very fun DC crossover, incorporating Joker very well into a science fiction universe full of metahumans.
This is the best way to have Batman and co. in a superhero world, in my view. Wasn't always trying to be insanely dark back then, just tons of super-villains doing fighting heroes!
Good times
This is the best way to have Batman and co. in a superhero world, in my view. Wasn't always trying to be insanely dark back then, just tons of super-villains doing fighting heroes!
Good times
November 24, 2018
It's only 15 years old yet it reads as cartoonishly bad as anything published in the 60's. The first time I think I've ever been disappointed in a Chuck Dixon work.
September 11, 2020
Wow, what a piece of absolute garbage this is. I think this is the worst crossover event I've ever read. One of those rare instances where I'm mad at Goodreads for not offering a way to express zero stars. I hated every minute of this and only finished it because I, like the Joker I guess, am insane.
I don't even know where to start. The premise is decent-ish: Joker is told by a doctor that he's dying of a brain tumor, so he decides to orchestrate one last bit of global chaos. From there, everything eats it. The plot lurches forward without an ounce of attention to detail or consequence. Joker just decides to break out of prison and infect every D-list villain in the game with the Joker virus simultaneously. How could he possibly do this? At all? Don't worry, this is never explained. He just does it because he wants to.
Then, rather than show how a madman like Joker deals with his impending death, the story just cuts around the world to all of your least-favorite heroes fighting villains you've never heard of, who all look like Joker now, making it further impossible to distinguish any of them from each other. Joker, who this story is supposedly about, just sits on an island doing nothing while everyone else blows stuff up.
And I know I'm really ripping this thing, but I promise, I wanted this to be good! If this was about a grief-stricken Joker using his final days on earth to pull off a desperate final ploy to kill Batman, or make some sort of lasting impression himself, while being fully unafraid to die or be hurt, it could've been really frightening and strange. But instead, he just does a Classic Joker Thing. There is absolutely nothing about this dumb chaos plan that is any different from any other Big Stupid Thing the Joker does, aside from the fact that it's impossible to follow and a huge mess. And it's also so difficult to justify any of it, because you're constantly asking yourself as you read this, why isn't the Justice League just sweeping this up in no time? This should be a lay-up.
Oh, and the icing on this shit cake is, Joker isn't even dying. I mean, obviously he wasn't going to die. DC doesn't kill the Joker on a whim. But it turns out he was never even sick. There's just nothing satisfying in here! If this had been about how the Justice League, because of their principles, decided to find a cure for Joker's tumor despite the fact that he's a mass murderer, it would be a great moral quandary. Instead, we're just told in an aside that none of this is even true. God, every page in this book made me angry.
So, skip the living shit out of this. It's not worth any amount of time you'd put into it. Just use the time to call your loved ones or eat a cupcake or smash you head against a wall. All are better options.
I don't even know where to start. The premise is decent-ish: Joker is told by a doctor that he's dying of a brain tumor, so he decides to orchestrate one last bit of global chaos. From there, everything eats it. The plot lurches forward without an ounce of attention to detail or consequence. Joker just decides to break out of prison and infect every D-list villain in the game with the Joker virus simultaneously. How could he possibly do this? At all? Don't worry, this is never explained. He just does it because he wants to.
Then, rather than show how a madman like Joker deals with his impending death, the story just cuts around the world to all of your least-favorite heroes fighting villains you've never heard of, who all look like Joker now, making it further impossible to distinguish any of them from each other. Joker, who this story is supposedly about, just sits on an island doing nothing while everyone else blows stuff up.
And I know I'm really ripping this thing, but I promise, I wanted this to be good! If this was about a grief-stricken Joker using his final days on earth to pull off a desperate final ploy to kill Batman, or make some sort of lasting impression himself, while being fully unafraid to die or be hurt, it could've been really frightening and strange. But instead, he just does a Classic Joker Thing. There is absolutely nothing about this dumb chaos plan that is any different from any other Big Stupid Thing the Joker does, aside from the fact that it's impossible to follow and a huge mess. And it's also so difficult to justify any of it, because you're constantly asking yourself as you read this, why isn't the Justice League just sweeping this up in no time? This should be a lay-up.
Oh, and the icing on this shit cake is, Joker isn't even dying. I mean, obviously he wasn't going to die. DC doesn't kill the Joker on a whim. But it turns out he was never even sick. There's just nothing satisfying in here! If this had been about how the Justice League, because of their principles, decided to find a cure for Joker's tumor despite the fact that he's a mass murderer, it would be a great moral quandary. Instead, we're just told in an aside that none of this is even true. God, every page in this book made me angry.
So, skip the living shit out of this. It's not worth any amount of time you'd put into it. Just use the time to call your loved ones or eat a cupcake or smash you head against a wall. All are better options.
November 21, 2013
While the art was good, the story was absurd. Joker is diagnosed with a brain tumor so he decides to stage a prison riot--in part by changing the genetics of all the mutant villains so they are "jokerized"--and unleashes havoc across the U.S. We barely see Batman as this is mostly about Oracle wanting to kill Joker and Nightwing trying to calm her down. There are various subplots and a couple neat things, but all in all there was just too much going on for a decent story to be wrung from this mess.
There are way to many villains and superheroes in the Batman universe now--who can keep track? I don't read the series so I have no idea who they are or anything. I like it better when batman is Batman and the villains are humans driven just a little too far over the edge. All these meta-humans, mutants, and aliens are obnoxious.
There are way to many villains and superheroes in the Batman universe now--who can keep track? I don't read the series so I have no idea who they are or anything. I like it better when batman is Batman and the villains are humans driven just a little too far over the edge. All these meta-humans, mutants, and aliens are obnoxious.
August 29, 2025
It’s fine. I hesitate to even review books like this because I hate the Joker so much that I don’t feel capable of giving much of an objective review. I don’t even think I have much to say, besides there’s a lot going on here that I just don’t care about. There are a lot of characters I’ve never heard of or only have a time or two. The only parts I really cared about were Nightwing and Oracle.
Throughout most of the beginning of this book, Barbara is so beyond done with Joker that she’s ready to justify just this one murder. Dick is the one insisting that they can’t do that and she knows why. I’m not shocked by the turn Dick takes by the end, with how fed up he must have felt watching the most important people in his life suffer at the Joker’s hand again and again. It’s the way that Barbara doesn’t even hesitate to condemn the actions she now knows he’s going to take. Shouldn’t she be a little more conflicted about this, given her stance through the entire book?
I think DC is constantly contradicting Barbara. When the focus is on her, frequently in her own books, she is definitely more angry and more aggressive. When she’s in one of the boys’ books or she’s playing a supporting role, she plays the level-headed rule follower. That’s really on display here.
Throughout most of the beginning of this book, Barbara is so beyond done with Joker that she’s ready to justify just this one murder. Dick is the one insisting that they can’t do that and she knows why. I’m not shocked by the turn Dick takes by the end, with how fed up he must have felt watching the most important people in his life suffer at the Joker’s hand again and again. It’s the way that Barbara doesn’t even hesitate to condemn the actions she now knows he’s going to take. Shouldn’t she be a little more conflicted about this, given her stance through the entire book?
I think DC is constantly contradicting Barbara. When the focus is on her, frequently in her own books, she is definitely more angry and more aggressive. When she’s in one of the boys’ books or she’s playing a supporting role, she plays the level-headed rule follower. That’s really on display here.
June 17, 2025
Kinda ugly art. He thinks he has a brain tumor for some reason so there’s extra no mercy as he breaks out of prison. A billion heroes and villains come to help. The Robin and Batgirl dates could be cute, or interesting J wants to impregnate Harley, but this could use some serious character trimming and less cliche tactics. Mutants, Joker gas, Superman crossover, blah blah blah. The dialogue can sound fitting but there’s also so much going on IDC about at once.
Why is Harley so wimpy around EVERYone though? I guess it’s funny how stupid this book is. The gorilla, rain, and Che Guevara Jokers. The talking caterpillar, Lex Luther president. How anticlimactic/offscreen the death of a big player or two. The last few pages are good but it all happened so fast, there was barely Bat or Harley when you would think they’d be more main. Their reasons and emotions were so shallow, not v funny.
Why is Harley so wimpy around EVERYone though? I guess it’s funny how stupid this book is. The gorilla, rain, and Che Guevara Jokers. The talking caterpillar, Lex Luther president. How anticlimactic/offscreen the death of a big player or two. The last few pages are good but it all happened so fast, there was barely Bat or Harley when you would think they’d be more main. Their reasons and emotions were so shallow, not v funny.
February 8, 2021
Poorly written, art was horrible...just a piece of trash. Don’t recommend it all,
August 21, 2012
Batman: The Joker's Lasts Laugh is a 6-issue miniseries that ran in 2001-2002, written by comic vets Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty and drawn by a host of artists. The premise: The Joker, while incarcerated is told he has an inopperable brain tumor and that his time is short. Driven mad by the thought of dying against his will (can he really be driven any more mad?) the Joker easily breaks out prison, bringing with him a cadre of other baddies - and just for kicks - "jokerizes" them all with his patented drug that puts a smile on everybody's face. The series included cross-over issues in "the bat books".
The Pros:
Giving a character like the Joker a brain tumor is a brilliant twist to drive the story. I loved the idea. Beatty and Dixon created a plot in the muddled continuity of the Batman that was both original and believable.
This was not your average Batman vs. Joker story. Babs Gordon, Dick Grayson and the other Bat-protege's were the central characters while Batman took the back seat. This story was as much about Babs Gordon dealing with her hatred for the Joker as it was about the Joker reconciling his mortality.
Also, the Joker in this story was a return to the Joker of the 70's - laughing, colorful, funny, and still homicidal on a whim. The perfect vilian. Too many of the newer Joker stories relish in the darkness of his sadism. It was good to read a story that remembers he's still a guy with bright green hair and purple pinstripes. The Joker Beatty and Dixon wrote is closer to the original character than many who are on the shelves today.
Lastly, Brian Bolland's cover art for issue 1 and 6. His pencils are always just detailed enough to be creepy.
The Cons:
A common weakness of cross-over story lines is sloppiness. Art and plot typically become inconsistent - i.e. in Book A the character breaks his arm. The next piece of the story is in Book B where the character's arm is fine and he's also wearing the wrong costume. I thought that because this was a stand alone miniseries these problems might not occur, but it just wasn't meant to be.
Every issue had a different team of artists and by issue 3 of 6 we were already seeing jarring differences from the beginning of the story. Pete Woods' bold lines and whimsical facial expressions were replaced by Walter McDaniel's cramped, dirty style, filled with women that looked more grotesque than beautiful.
Another major inconsistency was the outfit of Babs Gordon. Almost every issue featured a dramatically different pair of glasses, hairstyle, and wheelchair. This may sound picky, but the character only has three identifying traits: bright red hair, glasses, and a wheel chair. If you can't get those things right about her, then what does the character have?
The Wrap:
Batman: Joker's Last Laugh is a unique story, weakened by poor quality art. The bat proteges and the Joker shine as characters, but the inconsistency in the visuals from issue to issue was too striking to be easily overlooked. Three stars.
The Pros:
Giving a character like the Joker a brain tumor is a brilliant twist to drive the story. I loved the idea. Beatty and Dixon created a plot in the muddled continuity of the Batman that was both original and believable.
This was not your average Batman vs. Joker story. Babs Gordon, Dick Grayson and the other Bat-protege's were the central characters while Batman took the back seat. This story was as much about Babs Gordon dealing with her hatred for the Joker as it was about the Joker reconciling his mortality.
Also, the Joker in this story was a return to the Joker of the 70's - laughing, colorful, funny, and still homicidal on a whim. The perfect vilian. Too many of the newer Joker stories relish in the darkness of his sadism. It was good to read a story that remembers he's still a guy with bright green hair and purple pinstripes. The Joker Beatty and Dixon wrote is closer to the original character than many who are on the shelves today.
Lastly, Brian Bolland's cover art for issue 1 and 6. His pencils are always just detailed enough to be creepy.
The Cons:
A common weakness of cross-over story lines is sloppiness. Art and plot typically become inconsistent - i.e. in Book A the character breaks his arm. The next piece of the story is in Book B where the character's arm is fine and he's also wearing the wrong costume. I thought that because this was a stand alone miniseries these problems might not occur, but it just wasn't meant to be.
Every issue had a different team of artists and by issue 3 of 6 we were already seeing jarring differences from the beginning of the story. Pete Woods' bold lines and whimsical facial expressions were replaced by Walter McDaniel's cramped, dirty style, filled with women that looked more grotesque than beautiful.
Another major inconsistency was the outfit of Babs Gordon. Almost every issue featured a dramatically different pair of glasses, hairstyle, and wheelchair. This may sound picky, but the character only has three identifying traits: bright red hair, glasses, and a wheel chair. If you can't get those things right about her, then what does the character have?
The Wrap:
Batman: Joker's Last Laugh is a unique story, weakened by poor quality art. The bat proteges and the Joker shine as characters, but the inconsistency in the visuals from issue to issue was too striking to be easily overlooked. Three stars.
May 16, 2014
I think the only reason why this is titled as Batman is because Joker is Batman's villain, but the Bats is not the focus here. If anything, I would say Oracle and Nightwing are carrying this story. But what was annoying about the story was it was incomplete! There are places where it has an * with the note that if you want to 'read more about this battle' read Nightwing issue whatever. What?! Super boo!
But there's so much going on and everything just kind of scrapes the surface. The whole prison break is so full of sci-speak that I found myself literally nodding off. The villains are easily dispatched when members of the JLA and the rest of the Bat-family step in. The art is good, but again a little too cartoony for me. If you want to read a good Joker story I suggest The Killing Joke, but the part with Harley Quinn did crack me up!
But there's so much going on and everything just kind of scrapes the surface. The whole prison break is so full of sci-speak that I found myself literally nodding off. The villains are easily dispatched when members of the JLA and the rest of the Bat-family step in. The art is good, but again a little too cartoony for me. If you want to read a good Joker story I suggest The Killing Joke, but the part with Harley Quinn did crack me up!
November 2, 2012
This barely has much to do with Batman, it's more about Oracle and her feelings towards the Joker and her feelings towards Nightwing/Dick. Joker gets cancer and goes on a bender, breaking out of prison and then it just gets ridiculous from there. Too many characters, too much stupidity and over the top stuff. When a Comic is too hard to believe, you know there's a problem. I could barely keep track of all the mutant bad guys and it also didn't help that in every different artist's work, Oracle/Barb look totally different. Some of the art is good/great, and some looks like it's for 12 yr olds. I didn't enjoy this much at all and would NOT recommend it.
June 19, 2012
The story doesn't have a lot of substance but there is good humor and for Joker fans it's a must. Seeing all the "jokerized" villains is really cool, but there isn't a whole lot more to this than just Joker and his cronies vs. Bats and the JLA.. Gave 4 stars but more around a 3.5...
October 30, 2011
Too many storylines and characters and the Joker just didn't feel too much like the Joker. It was all very supernatural. Not one of my favorites.
January 16, 2013
Dumb story + Terrible art = Stupid comic. Finishing this turd has made me a stronger person. Or maybe a dumber person.. I still don't know which.
June 22, 2025
joker is kinda a hit or miss for me besides the whole kill or not kill dilema can get pretty boring bc it feels like the writers have a side but have to write the opposite so it ends up sounding dumb
March 24, 2021
Batman: The Joker's Last Laugh is a special miniseries that is the core series of a crossover storyline. The Joker learns that he is dying and uses the venom that transformed him into a pasty-faced sociopath with countless other super-villains, ensuring that his legacy of evil will live on. Batman: The Joker's Last Laugh collects all six issues of the 2001 crossover event.
Batman: The Joker's Last Laugh is a six-issue limited core series (Joker: Last Laugh #1–6), which has the Joker learns that he is dying while he's deep in the heart of the Slab, the maximum security prison for super-powered criminals. Using the venom that transformed him into a pasty-faced sociopath, the Joker decides to share it with countless other super-villains, ensuring that his legacy of evil will live on. A prison break ensues and the Joker's army of super-powered followers escapes to spread their insanity across the globe and it is up to Bruce Wayne as Batman and his allies can put a stop to the madness, the Joker has created.
Chuck Dixon (Joker: Last Laugh #1–6) and Scott Beatty (Joker: Last Laugh #1–4) penned the trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Dixon and Beatty teams up to do a crossover event where the Joker runs out of control all over the world, which is an interesting concept, but satisfactory in execution.
Furthermore, large scale crossovers events are always difficult to collect in trade paperback format. The narrative is weaved in and out of the majority of 2001's Bat-titles and without reading those supplementary issues (which were not included) readers are forced to forever play catch up. Integral characters are alive one moment and reveled to be dead pages later, and it's never apparent why superpowers such as Superman and Green Lantern are reluctant to offer aid.
Pete Woods, Marcos Martin, Walter McDaniel, Andy Kuhn, Ron Randall and Rick Burchett penciled the trade paperback (Joker: Last Laugh #1–6 respectively). For the most part, their penciling styles are too distinctive, which makes the overall artistic flow rather ruggedly. It is the case of too many cooks in the kitchen – as the switch in penciling styles for each issue takes time to get use to and is rather distracting.
All in all, Batman: The Joker's Last Laugh is a mediocre series with wonderful potential, but the execution of it was much more to be desired.
Batman: The Joker's Last Laugh is a six-issue limited core series (Joker: Last Laugh #1–6), which has the Joker learns that he is dying while he's deep in the heart of the Slab, the maximum security prison for super-powered criminals. Using the venom that transformed him into a pasty-faced sociopath, the Joker decides to share it with countless other super-villains, ensuring that his legacy of evil will live on. A prison break ensues and the Joker's army of super-powered followers escapes to spread their insanity across the globe and it is up to Bruce Wayne as Batman and his allies can put a stop to the madness, the Joker has created.
Chuck Dixon (Joker: Last Laugh #1–6) and Scott Beatty (Joker: Last Laugh #1–4) penned the trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Dixon and Beatty teams up to do a crossover event where the Joker runs out of control all over the world, which is an interesting concept, but satisfactory in execution.
Furthermore, large scale crossovers events are always difficult to collect in trade paperback format. The narrative is weaved in and out of the majority of 2001's Bat-titles and without reading those supplementary issues (which were not included) readers are forced to forever play catch up. Integral characters are alive one moment and reveled to be dead pages later, and it's never apparent why superpowers such as Superman and Green Lantern are reluctant to offer aid.
Pete Woods, Marcos Martin, Walter McDaniel, Andy Kuhn, Ron Randall and Rick Burchett penciled the trade paperback (Joker: Last Laugh #1–6 respectively). For the most part, their penciling styles are too distinctive, which makes the overall artistic flow rather ruggedly. It is the case of too many cooks in the kitchen – as the switch in penciling styles for each issue takes time to get use to and is rather distracting.
All in all, Batman: The Joker's Last Laugh is a mediocre series with wonderful potential, but the execution of it was much more to be desired.
September 29, 2020
I was pretty disappointed with this one. It had the makings of a great graphic novel: Joker with no holds barred, Dinah, Babs, Cass, Steph and Dick working together, Harley not being the Joker's puppet but it didn't deliver. I think it focused too much on what the Jokerized lackeys were doing to undefined victims rather than the man himself, and while the cast was great, no one except Babs and Tim really got enough screen time. I also really didn't like Dick in this one.. SPOILERS follow: He's so critical of Jason and Barbara wanting the Joker dead for what he did to them but doesn't hesitate when Tim is "killed"? And that wasn't even by the Joker himself, it was Killer Croc. I get that Tim's death could have been a sort of "final straw" to him, but he was so against murder just a few pages before. I did, however like the Joker's characterization in that scene. Even in death he's still masterminding the plan to break Batman but turning him or his son into a killer. And then pulling out Jason's murder was a real stab in the gut. Overall, not a stellar read but it had potential.
December 9, 2021
Durante toda la lectura, te tiene cogido por los pelillos una sensación constante de "si esto lo llegan a hacer con villanos reconocibles, hubiera sido un pelotazo absoluto". Ese es su principal, y yo diría que único, problema con este volumen. Nadie se terminaría de creer que, en libertad, el Joker se limitase a contar con villanos de tercera (un par de segunda, tal vez, como Killer Croc, que casi no aparecen y van un poco por libre) para ejecutar un plan de los suyos, que a la sazón (no desvelo nada de la trama, esto viene en las tapas y es la premisa que se conoce de base) iba a ser el último. Para una despedida por todo lo alto, lo primero que hubiese hecho es irse a por los "clásicos".
Dicho esto, es un tomo brutal, con unas portadas de las mejores realizadas nunca, y un ritmo desenfrenado que no deja un segundo de respiro en todas sus aristas.
Muy recomendable, a pesar de las cosquillitas en los pelos.
Dicho esto, es un tomo brutal, con unas portadas de las mejores realizadas nunca, y un ritmo desenfrenado que no deja un segundo de respiro en todas sus aristas.
Muy recomendable, a pesar de las cosquillitas en los pelos.
Read
February 23, 2023I read this as single issues, and it's absolutely criminal that this trade does not include the full story.
Thanks to Amazon reviewer MP, I was able to read the full story, which SHOULD look like:
Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files & Origins #1 (this is not skippable; it sets up everything that follows)
Joker: Last Laugh #1
Nightwing #62
Joker: Last Laugh #2
Birds of Prey #36
Joker: Last Laugh #3
Joker: Last Laugh #4
Joker: Last Laugh #5
Robin #95
Joker: Last Laugh #6
Robin #96
Birds of Prey #37
Nightwing #63
Thanks to Amazon reviewer MP, I was able to read the full story, which SHOULD look like:
Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files & Origins #1 (this is not skippable; it sets up everything that follows)
Joker: Last Laugh #1
Nightwing #62
Joker: Last Laugh #2
Birds of Prey #36
Joker: Last Laugh #3
Joker: Last Laugh #4
Joker: Last Laugh #5
Robin #95
Joker: Last Laugh #6
Robin #96
Birds of Prey #37
Nightwing #63
October 22, 2025
Decent book with a fairly good story but at times the art was a little goofy. Considering that the front cover of the book has an awesome drawing of the Joker by Brian Bolland (same artist from The Killing Joke), it’s little disappointing when you open the book and find that none of the issues at all are drawn by him.
The story was interesting enough and kept me reading issue after issue, however the inevitable truth of the Jokers terminal illness was a bit underwhelming and predictable. I do feel majority of the writing and cartoonish artwork looks more like something you would expect from a Child or Teen comic book, but it wasn’t too bad.
Would only recommend to a hardcore Joker fan.
The story was interesting enough and kept me reading issue after issue, however the inevitable truth of the Jokers terminal illness was a bit underwhelming and predictable. I do feel majority of the writing and cartoonish artwork looks more like something you would expect from a Child or Teen comic book, but it wasn’t too bad.
Would only recommend to a hardcore Joker fan.
January 17, 2022
This was a lot.
Joker proved himself as one of the most violent, insane, yet wickedly clever villians in the Batmanverse.
The bit that got to me though - obviously Joker would have spun out if he was told he was going to die, not become a freaking choir boy - you'd have to be stupid to not think otherwise.
I'm with Batgirl.
Kill the bastard.
No matter how nobel your intentions, your morals are not more important than another's life and how many died because they couldn't just wipe him out?
Joker proved himself as one of the most violent, insane, yet wickedly clever villians in the Batmanverse.
The bit that got to me though - obviously Joker would have spun out if he was told he was going to die, not become a freaking choir boy - you'd have to be stupid to not think otherwise.
I'm with Batgirl.
Kill the bastard.
No matter how nobel your intentions, your morals are not more important than another's life and how many died because they couldn't just wipe him out?
August 25, 2017
Something of a garbage storyline, this is one of those multi-title crossover events that have gotten too out of hand and unwieldy from both major publishers as they try to boost sales across the board. Without all the tie-in stuff, the storyline hops around and you can sorta-kinda-just understand what's going on in the book, but not in any kind of supercohesive way. What's understandable is fun, but it's all over the map in terms of art style and plot.
September 17, 2022
Chuck Dixon's Batman and related titles were books I enjoyed throughout the 90s. This however, is an unmitigated mess. The premise is solid enough, Joker thinks he's dying so he plans one last caper. The execution was a disaster though. The "hows" made little to no sense. The "whos" were askew. There was little to no ramifications from the line wide storyline. The art was mostly subpar. Overall, a near worthless event.
July 17, 2023
Welp, this was extremely anticlimactic. And to be fair to the DC nerds, I did mistake this for the Killing Joke which is also a DC purists favorite that I haven’t read yet.
The whole part with the prison disappearing into a black hole was so pointless that describing it as boring would be offensive to boredom.
Hey but at least I liked the three to five panels that I read this for! (But seriously how can you manage to make the joker so boring? And it’s impressive how NPC batman reads)
The whole part with the prison disappearing into a black hole was so pointless that describing it as boring would be offensive to boredom.
Hey but at least I liked the three to five panels that I read this for! (But seriously how can you manage to make the joker so boring? And it’s impressive how NPC batman reads)
July 30, 2017
A lot of potentially-interesting ideas and interplays pretty much wasted in one of those "get everyone and his dog involved in a thin story full of random thunderclaps" efforts that dislocate comic franchises once a year. This is by no means the worst example but it's still thin beer. "Joker's Last Stand" could just as easily been "Doctor Fang Finds A Magic Doodad."
March 4, 2025
My opinion could change by reading the tie-ins but this collection was very bad. It's disjointed, too much attention is given to obscure characters and the relevant ones are written out of character, especially Lex Luthor. Characters rethink their stances on moral issues like they're changing socks and somehow every time it happens you're supposed to take it seriously.
June 19, 2020
Though the story isn't the most amazing thing you'll ever read, "Joker's Last Laugh" still stands out because of its inclusion of some pretty great villains and heroes of the DC Universe who don't get as much attention as they should.
May 4, 2018
Good escapist fare.
February 27, 2020
Nothing made sense and nothing mattered, which actually sounds like a good description for Joker story. Too bad it sucked.
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