John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.
The following contains major spoilers for Absolute Evil #1, on sale now from DC Comics.
DC Comics' Absolute Joker has arrived, and he is nothing like the Clown Prince of Crime who fans are used to.
During a meeting of some of the world's most powerful villains in the pages of Absolute Evil #1 (by Al Ewing, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stefano Nesi, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Tom Napolitano), the enigmatic billionaire known as the Joker takes the floor to break down the latest great breakthrough in science, specifically the discovery of the Omega Particle. As the Joker explains, these newly discovered particles are responsible for charting the very moral fabric of the universe itself. And, while that might sound ludicrous on the surface, those who know the Joker best are more than happy to assure the rest of those in attendance that the one thing he doesn't do is crack jokes.
Absolute Evil #1
- Written by AL EWING
- Art by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLLI & STEFANO NESI
- Colors by ROMULO FAJARDO JR.
- Letters by TOM NAPOLITANO
- Main cover art by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI, STEFANO NESI & ROMULO FAJARDO JR.
- Variant covers by FABRIZIO DE TOMMASO; GERALD PAREL; DUSTIN NGUYEN; RILEY ROSSMO; and DAVID NAKAYAMA
The Joker is by far one of the Dark Knight's oldest and most infamous enemies, having been introduced in Bill Finger and Bob Kane's "The Joker" from the pages of 1940's Batman #1. While the Joker's origin story has been reimagined and retold dozens of times over the decades, the Clown Prince of Crime has almost always ended up taking the same basic form in the end. Of course, like so many other characters in the Absolute Universe, this new version of the Joker is a far cry from what fans have come to expect, and from the looks of things so far, he will only be getting further from his usual self.
Back in September, Absolute Batman writer Scott Snyder teased what the future has in store for the Absolute Joker in a social media post featuring an image of a monstrous version of the character. Rather than the sleek, sophisticated crime lord that readers have come to know throughout the pages of comics such as Absolute Batman and Absolute Evil, this incoming Absolute Joker is a hulking, devilish, almost reptilian monstrosity unlike any fans have seen before. The image was shared with a caption simply reading, "Absolute Batman #15. December."
Absolute Evil #1 sees some of the deadliest and most powerful villains in the Absolute Universe come together for the very first time to address their shared superheroic problems. Among the villains at the center of the issue are Hector Hammond, Ra's al Ghul, Veronica Cale, Elenore Thawne, and, of course, the Joker. If this team-up weren't bad enough, the issue culminates in the villains forming an official alliance of their own. Rather than the Legion of Doom, however, this new team instead stands as the Absolute Universe's Justice League, further cementing just how twisted this reality has become thanks to Darkseid's unseen influence over it.
Absolute Evil #1 is on sale now from DC Comics.
Created by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson
English (US) · 