The Batman Who Laughs #2 review: Bleeding hearts

The Batman Who Laughs #2 continues Scott Snyder’s dark tale as Batman races against the clock to keep the Laughing Bat from destroying Gotham City.

Scott Snyder’s six issue mini-series featuring the instantly iconic villain from the Dark Knights: Metal saga is only two issues in and it’s already blowing minds. The Batman Who Laughs #2 begins moments after the point where the debut issue left off. But this is just the beginning.

Batman’s worst enemy has a gaping gunshot wound in his chest and Batman is trying to control the Joker toxin released from the wound. Joker’s words from the final moments of the first issue hang heavy in the air: “The only way you’ll beat him…is to become him. Heh.” To Batman’s horror, he starts to transform into his worst nightmare: He’s becoming a Joker.

It’s not surprising that just days before the release of the second issue in the series Diamond Comic Distributors announced that The Batman Who Laughs #1 came in at No. 9 on the list of top selling comics for 2018. So if you’re thinking about getting into one of the hottest titles of the year, now is the perfect time.

This post contains spoilers for The Batman Who Laughs #2.

It’s a race against time as Batman uses every known toxin antidote to hold off the transformation, buying mere days before he loses control completely. He needs to find answers, and fast.

Batman goes undercover to investigate a crime scene with Gordon. Other versions of Bruce Wayne from other worlds keep showing up dead. They’re identical to the Bruce Wayne we know, but they come from all walks of life: Family men, mayors, you name it. (It’s worth noting that some of these men had laugh lines, suggesting they comes from worlds where Bruce Wayne isn’t the Dark Knight but a contented family man.)

In each case, their cardiac blood has been stolen from their lifeless bodies. Given that Joker’s cardiac blood is what is causing Batman’s current transformation, and given that the Batman Who Laughs is an altered version of Batman, it’s possible that the Laughing Bat is making something to infect the people of Gotham City, turning them into the worst versions of themselves.

Thankfully, Bruce Wayne’s ancestors had a plan to keep the city safe from biological attacks after a plague ravaged the city in 1780. Batman created a similar system to protect the city, and this would be a good thing except that the Batman Who Laughs knows everything he knows, and he’s already making a move. The plan that was meant to keep Gotham City from descending into darkness might be its undoing.

There’s only one person who might be able to help Batman stop the Laughing Bat, and it’s the last person anyone would ever expect.

Snyder’s story uncoils with all the sinister pacing of a nightmare. He moves effortlessly between the Dark Knight and the Laughing Bat, capturing their voices and constantly highlighting how they’re so vastly different, and yet they’re also the same.

Snyder also loves to surprise us. There’s an exchange between the Laughing Bat and a blind Wayne Enterprises employee who has no idea that he’s talking to a monster. He thinks he’s talking to Bruce Wayne. Though he’d make an easy kill, the Laughing Bat spares him. Why? What does that mean for such a dark character whose focus is heralding death at every turn?

The art in this issue is insane. Artist Jock and colorist David Baron capture the gritty feel of this ever-expanding nightmare scenario. Whether it’s the Batman Who Laughs’ larger than life smile, Batman’s newly glowing eyes or seeing our hero with dozens of syringes sticking out of him, the in-your-face art brings Snyder’s story to life with abandon.

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Jock

Colors: David Baron

Letters: Sal Cipriano

The Batman Who Laughs #2 is available now at your local comic shop.