Bring On The Bad Guys: Previewing ‘The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing’ #9, ‘Poison Ivy’ #13, And ‘The Riddler: Year One’ #5

Two of Batman’s arch enemies get their own new issues this Wednesday 7th June from DC Comics. Both Poison Ivy and The Joker step out in fashion, with both previewed below:

The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #9

Writer: Matthew Rosenberg
Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Colours: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letters: Tom Napolitano
Backup: Rosenberg, Francesco Francavilla, Tom Napolitano

What’s big and scary and lives in the sewers? In Gotham City, a lot of things. But the Joker is going to war with the biggest scariest of them all—Killer Croc! Plus, Red Hood is being set up to take a fall at Blackgate Prison…and his only hope of survival may just be someone from his past.

Poison Ivy #13

Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Marcio Takara, Guillem March, Kelley Jones, A.L. Kaplan
Colours: Arif PRianto, Jose Villarrubia, A.L. Kaplan
Letters: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

CHAPTER THIRTEEN – There sure is nothing quite like a romantic night with your sweetie in the swamp to make your mouth water. It’s the dawn of a new day as Pamela Isley makes her return to Harley and Gotham City with a lovestruck Janet-from-HR in tow. The tension’s so thick you could cut it with a fan boat’s propeller!

The Riddler: Year One #5

Writer: Paul Dano
Artist: Stevan Subic
Main Cover: Bill Sienkiewicz

The penultimate issue of this hit miniseries features an unusual break in format, as we will see Edward Nashton constructing his master plan for taking down the corrupt officials and criminals of Gotham City in the pages of his journal. As his mind spirals deeper and deeper, so too does his writing become more unhinged. How can he continue to labor at his accounting job by day while also become more enraged by what he’s uncovered?

As shown in The Batman movie, Edward fills thousands of pages with his rantings. Here we get a glimpse into something that was never meant to be seen and a mind equally brilliant and unhinged. By the end, a turning point will be reached and Gotham’s greatest menace will come one step closer to being unleashed.

Actor Paul Dano (The Batman) and artist Stevan Subic continue the origin of the Riddler, leading up to his appearance in Matt Reeves’s epic film.

DC has your first look at the penultimate chapter of The Riddler: Year One, the limited series by actor/writer Paul Dano and artist Stevan Subic, providing a deeper look into the mind of Edward Nashton, as his very sanity hangs in the balance. 

On sale June 27, this issue features an unusual format, as readers will see Edward’s story and his plans to take down the corrupt officials and criminals of Gotham City through the pages of his Journals. Readers familiar with Dano’s critically-acclaimed role in Matt Reeves’ The Batman saw first hand how Edward Nashton’s Journals was rife with thousands of pages of his rantings. This issue provides a haunting glimpse into something that was never meant to be seen, the mind of a tortured genius at the breaking point. As Edward spirals deeper and deeper, his writing becomes more and more disturbed; by the issue’s end, a turning point will be reached, and the menace that is The Riddler comes that much closer to being unleashed on an unsuspecting Gotham City. 

This issue features a main cover by Bill Sienkiewicz, with variant covers by series artist Subic, Nightwing artist Bruno Redondo, and Christian Ward (Batman Secret Files, Aquaman: Andromeda). The Riddler: Year One is available for pre-order now, check your local comic book shops for availability and pre-ordering.