Overview:
Joker’s Last Laugh is a fun event from DC Comics, published in 2001. Written by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty, with artwork by Pete Woods, this storyline puts the Joker front and center as a global threat, rather than just a local Gotham menace.
The premise revolves around Joker believing he is terminally ill. Faced with the prospect of death, he goes on a rampage, using a special toxin to “Jokerize” other villains, making them as insane and dangerous as he is. This transformation spreads chaos worldwide, forcing heroes like Batman, Nightwing, Oracle, and others to act quickly to contain the fallout.
Fan reception was somewhat mixed, with some enjoying the larger-than-life Joker-centric storyline, while others felt the execution was too over-the-top. Critical reception also wavered, as some reviewers found the event’s tone uneven and had no real lasting impact on the broader DC Universe. Despite this, the series remains notable for exploring Joker’s psyche.
Overall, Joker’s Last Laugh stands as a memorable experience with the Clown Prince of Crime. (Full Review)
Background Reading:
- None
Related Guides
- None
Best Way To Read:
Main Collection
- Batman: Joker’s Last Laugh
- Collects: Final Crisis #1-7, Final Crisis: Submit #1, Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1-2, Final Crisis Sketchbook, Final Crisis #1: Director’s Cut, Batman #682-683
Tie-Ins
- Not Collected
For crossover and significant events, I typically only read the main story the first time I encounter it. Trying to read all of the tie-ins with the story tends to make them increasingly convoluted and are not crucial to the main narrative. However, I think they are important to read, as many series-shifting plotlines can happen.
For the tie-in issues, I only read them as they come up in the reading guide that I am working through. This can become problematic because the tie-in issues are not always included in collected editions of the event. So you may need to hunt for them.
Reading Order:
Other than the main story and Batman tie-ins, all other issues are independent “Jokerized” experiences.
| Title | Importance | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Joker: Last Laugh #1 | Main Story | Batman: Joker’s Last Laugh |
| Joker: Last Laugh #2 | Main Story | Batman: Joker’s Last Laugh |
| Young Justice #38 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Orion #19 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Azrael: Agent of the Bat #83 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files and Origins #1 | Main Story | Not Collected |
| Superman Vol. 2 #175 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Batman: Gotham Knights #22 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| Birds of Prey #36 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| Nightwing Vol. 2 #62 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| Impulse #79 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Joker: Last Laugh #3 | Main Story | Batman: Joker’s Last Laugh |
| Batgirl #21 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| Superboy Vol. 4 #93 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Detective Comics #763 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| JSA #29 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Harley Quinn #13 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| Spectre Vol. 4 #10 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Adventures of Superman #597 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Joker: Last Laugh #4 | Main Story | Batman: Joker’s Last Laugh |
| Flash Vol. 2 #179 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Superman: Man of Steel #119 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Supergirl Vol. 4 #63 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Green Lantern Vol. 3 #143 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Wonder Woman Vol. 2 #175 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Joker: Last Laugh #5 | Main Story | Batman: Joker’s Last Laugh |
| Robin Vol. 4 #95 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| JLA #59 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Batman #596 | Batman Tie-in Read | Not Collected |
| Action Comics #784 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Titans #34 | Tie-in Not Important | Not Collected |
| Joker: Last Laugh #6 | Main Story | Batman: Joker’s Last Laugh |
Publications Impact
No significant impacts on-going series.
References:
Feature Image from Joker: Last Laugh #1 cover art by Brian Bolland
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