The Joker has always been one of the DC Universe's most iconic villains, but is he also one of its greatest threats? A bold plan reveals how the Clown Prince of Crime could take down everything if one thing wasn't holding him back.
It's not controversial to say that Batman has one of the most identifiable rogues' galleries in comic book history. And saying that the Joker is the most iconic member of the Caped Crusader's cast of villains would be agreed by most fans, if not all. The Harlequin of Hate is popular among readers, largely due to the Joker's ability to flummox the Dark Knight more than any of his other foes. Despite only being a clown with a tenuous grip on sanity, Joker has managed to torment Batman more than any other Gotham baddie, and his horrifying pranks and schemes always keeps the Bat-Family on their toes.
Joker Created a Black Hole Because He Thought He Was Dying
But the Joker proved that he’s capable of genuine destruction when nothing is holding him back. In Joker: Last Laugh #2 by Chuck Dixon, Scott Beatty, and Marcos Martin, the metahuman penitentiary known as the Slab is under red alert after the Joker enacts a terrible new plan. Using his Joker Venom, the villain ‘Jokerizes’ every metahuman in the facility, causing every prisoner to give in to their darkest impulses and go along with the Joker's scheme. The clown convinces a powerful metahuman named Black Mass to use his power to create a black hole to destroy the Slab and any heroes attempting to quell the riot. The singularity nearly kills Batman and Nightwing, though they manage to get away with Blue Beetle's help. The heroes discover that the Joker is dying of a terminal brain tumor and is planning to take everything down with him.
The chaos that comes with the Joker’s usual antics are scary enough, because he’s ready to kill anyone and anything for a laugh. But a Joker that’s accepted death is around the corner makes him more dangerous than ever. It was already a nightmare scenario with the villain giving every villain imaginable a Joker-y makeover, but creating a literal black hole is something that could quite literally destroy the fabric of reality. Apparently the only thing that makes the Joker even worse is a lack of self-preservation.
A Joker With Nothing to Lose is Worse Than Usual
People may see the Joker as crazy, but he’s usually not one to try and get himself killed. However, facing death causes Joker to take a completely different approach to things. After all, if he’s going to die, why not try and create an army of Jokers or create a black hole? With the knowledge that he’s going to die no matter what, the Joker is freed of what few encumbrances are holding him back and allow him to do the things even he thinks might be too far. With his desire to live removed or rendered pointless, the Joker has no reason not to try and destroy the DC Universe.
