It’s kind of crazy to think that the Joker– quite possibly the most recognizable comic book villain of all time– has had so few headlining series. Sure, he’s popped up in tons of books over the years, and has been the star of various extended arcs, miniseries, and graphic novels. But save for a brief ongoing way back in the Seventies, there’s never been a true blue “Joker book” on the stands.
Now, it looks like DC are making up for lost time and missed opportunities, as we’re about to have two separate Joker titles to get our fill of the Clown Prince of Crime. In addition to The Joker ongoing, a new seven issue miniseries was just announced, in the form of The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox. True to the irreverent and zany nature of the title, the series will be filled with “murder, mayhem, and mystery,” as the Joker tells some seemingly unconnected tales about his fellow villains… that may end up being clues to solve a larger mystery.
It has shades of “Joker’s Asylum,” but delivered with the biting wit of Matthew Rosenberg. He’ll be joined by a team of artists that include Jesús Merino, Joshua Hixon, Ulises Arreola, Vanesa Del Rey, Christopher Mooneyham, and Ricardo Ortiz, and Chip Zdarsky provides the cover for the first issue.
While the series will come to comic shops this fall, it will be made available almost two months earlier for DC Universe Infinite subscribers, who will be able to gather clues to solve the mystery ahead of time, along with being presented with some extra “director’s cut” material. Not a bad deal.
You can find out more here on the DC blog.
The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox will debut on DC Universe Infinite on June 7, with print copies hitting comic shops starting August 3.
