Absolute Batman #15 arrived in comic book stores today, and Scott Snyder and Jock finally pull back the curtain on the Absolute Joker's twisted origins.
In this world, the Wayne family are neither millionaires nor billionaires, but the Grimms are. Alfred Pennyworth recounts to Bruce Wayne their history as philanthropists dating back to the 1800s. It turns out that Joseph "Jack" Grimm was a street urchin who performed as a clown before finding success in vaudeville performances, which eventually led his son to Hollywood.
As the years passed, each new Jack increased the family fortune, expanding their reach into everything from gaming to network news and online gambling. However, Alfred believes that trillionaire Jack Grimm V is, in fact, the original Joseph Grimm from the 1800s.
Through his investments in children's charities, Jack has found a way to use the underprivileged kids he encounters as a form of sustenance. Is he a demon, or has he simply created some sort of bioweapon or virus that makes him a monster? We don't know as of yet, but this seemingly immortal Joker has now set his sights on Gotham City.
Jack, who never laughs, is later revealed to have stranded those who cross him on remote islands, returning to them sometimes decades later to hunt his foes down and feast on them in his monstrous Joker form (the only time he does laugh).
And, in a twisted reflection of the main DC Universe's Bruce Wayne, the issue ends with Jack—who looks a lot like the classic Bruce—returning to his mansion, where he has a butler and a grandfather clock that grants him access to his "cave."
Bleeding Cool has also shared a compelling theory about what Snyder is planning. The site posits, "[This] revives Scott Snyder's take on The Pale Man from his run on Batman with Greg Capullo, with a look at that origin of The Joker and the idea that he could have been The Pale Man, an immortal serial killer, recurring through history."
Making The Joker a demonic being that's part-monster, part-Bruce Wayne is undeniably inspired, and it seems we've only scratched the surface of what this villain is capable of in the Absolute Universe.
You can check out some pages from Absolute Batman #15 below.
SCOTT SNYDER REUNITES WITH LEGENDARY ARTIST JOCK! Alfred reveals to Bruce the story of the man he's been chasing for years. Enter: Joker! Scott Snyder and Jock reunite for an epic tale in the Absolute Universe!
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #15
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Artwork by JOCK
Cover by NICK DRAGOTTA