Joker Finally Earned Redemption by Killing Batman's Descendant (& Becoming Gotham's New Dark Knight)

Joker Finally Earned Redemption by Killing Batman’s Descendant (& Becoming Gotham’s New Dark Knight)


DC Comics’ Batman and Joker are the dysfunctional duo of Gotham City, locked in a forever war that spans space, time, and multiple parallel worlds similar to their own, with Batman always finding ways to thwart even the worst of Joker’s schemes. Yet in an alternate future where Batman has become the god of a crazed bat-cult, Joker finally takes out the Dark Knight and, in a twist on their iconic rivalry, becomes Batman himself.




Acting as a good guy in multiple out-of-continuity tales, including a couple that explore Joker donning the cape and cowl of his arch nemesis, Joker most notably became a force for good in Sean Murphy’s Batman: White Knight series of books, with his main continuity counterpart never truly flirting with the idea of being a hero.

In 1998’s Batman: I, Joker, Batman’s future replacement, “The Bruce,” leads a cult of personality in a dystopian Gotham craving blood and violence during the annual “Night of Blood,” leading a new version of Joker to take over the mantle of The Bat.



Joker Becomes the New Batman After Helping to Kill the Old One in a Cult Ritual

Batman: I, Joker – 1998 (Written and Illustrated by Bob Hall)

Joker Batman is cheered after "The Bruce" falls from a building and is impaled

Originally known as Joe Collins, this story’s Joker, alongside his lover, Marya, were rebels fighting against The Bruce’s tyranny, only to be captured and experimented on for use in his ritualistic rigged game of justice and control. Turned into the Joker after having his memories altered and his face modified by laser surgery, Joe slowly regains aspects of his former self throughout the story, and after finding inspiration in the original Batman’s Batcave, is helped by Marya to kill The Bruce via a fall from a skyscraper, thus becoming the new Dark Knight in the process.


What sets this one-and-done story apart from others that feature Joker becoming a hero is the fact that he actually gets to become Batman, bat symbol and all, rather than becoming a similarly well-intentioned heroic version of his clown persona. Effectively redeeming this Joker by having him complete his original rebel mission of taking down The Bruce for good, both Joe and Marya, now acting as the Robin to Joe’s Batman, are able to eradicate his influence across the city, killing the idea of his bat-cult while simultaneously ensuring that Batman’s true legend and legacy lives on.

The Joker’s Version of Batman Has a Unique Costume and His Own Robin Sidekick

Joker Batman and his Robin running towards the viewer with HAHA stylistically written all over the background


To make his transition into Batman complete, Joker wears his own set of superhero spandex with a large outlined bat logo and smile utility belt, with Marya’s turn as Robin sealing the bat-deal, giving this future Gotham City renewed hope. It’s unlikely the Joker is ever going to break good in official DC continuity — he momentarily became “normal” during 2015’s Batman: Superheavy story arc after losing his memories — but if he ever did, it would be interesting to see if Joker would follow in Batman’s heroic footsteps, or simply become a unique crime-fighter all his own.

Batman: I, Joker
is available from DC Comics.


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