Bruce and the Joker discover the whereabouts of Jackie Quinzel. Hoping to bust her out, they hatch a plan that could potentially save Jackie, all the while catching unwanted attention from Derek Powers. Can Batman and the Joker put aside their differences long enough to survive the onslaught?
This issue is full of surprises, from the fun clash and camaraderie between Bruce and Jack (Joker) as they attempt to rescue Jackie, to the rest of the cast and how they react to one another as the chain of events that follow unfold. Having crafted this saga from the previous 2 installments, Murphy has a solid grasp on who these characters are, how they’ve developed, and what remains the same despite all of the changes they experience.
The way Murphy sets up character arcs, and how things parallel between characters and events, it’s well written, it’s creative, and full of ideas that hadn’t been considered in other iterations of the Bat mythos. That’s what continues to make this series of books, much like this issue, a fun thrill ride. Murphy takes familiar characters and ideas, and shines a different light on them that shimmers glimmers of ideas that had never been explored before, and explores it to the best of his ability. There are a ton of great character moments both grand and small that really drive the story forward that is satisfying, and exciting to read.
No, not only does Murphy continue to flex his storytelling abilities as a writer, he continues to humble readers with his craftsmanship as a visual storyteller. Every design and crevice of Neo-Gotham is on full display, giving the city a personality that makes itself as much of a character as the ones that inhabit it. Which speaks to Murphy’s abilities as an illustrator as he is as a writer, and Dave Stewart further highlights that through his color work, giving new life to the established line work that Murphy delivers all the better jilted, carefully
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