Batman Fans Get A Look At Matt Fraction's Brand New Joker

The Joker is finally back in the pages of Batman, even if he isn't exactly making any major waves on his own.

Following an unexpectedly harrowing date with Bruce Wayne in the pages of Batman #6 (by Matt Fraction, Jorge Jiménez, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles), Doctor Annika Zeller returns to her work at Arkham Towers, though not necessarily the work she has made public. As it turns out, the enigmatic Patient 10, who has been the subject of so much of Doctor Zeller's work is none other than the Joker, and while he isn't going anywhere any time soon, he doesn't seem far from being back in action.

Batman #6

• Written by MATT FRACTION
• Art by JORGE JIMÉNEZ
• Colors by TOMEU MOREY
• Letters by CLAYTON COWLES & JORGE JIMÉNEZ
• Main cover art by JORGE JIMÉNEZ & TOMEU MOREY
• Variant covers by JIM LEE, SCOTT WILLIAMS & ALEX SINCLAIR; JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO; GERALD PAREL; JORGE JIMÉNEZ; DAVID AJA; and CHRISSIE ZULLO-UMINGA

The official solicit synopsis for Batman #6 from DC Comics reads, "After he survives the date night from hell, the long night isn't over for Bruce Wayne. While he juggles multiple needs as Bruce, Hugo Strange's Monster Men attack a petrochemical facility and force Batman into action. Gotham City becomes a powder keg as superstars Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez continue their acclaimed run on the Caped Crusader."

Who Is Doctor Annika Zeller In Matt Fraction's Batman?

While Doctor Annika Zeller is a relatively new character, only being introduced at the very start of Fraction and Jiménez' run on the series, she has quickly become one of the more intriguing figures in Gotham City. Through her research at Arkham Towers, Doctor Zeller helped Waylon Jennings, the Killer Croc, reclaim a large part of his humanity and begin down the path toward a better life.

Many of Doctor Zeller's accomplishments have only been possible thanks to her greatest creation, the Crown of Storms. This high-tech device monitors and regulates electrical impulses and brainwave patterns, all as part of an effort to help recover and recuperate from mental trauma and its lasting impact.

This has not only made Doctor Zeller a target for critics such as Hugo Strange, who are overtly wary of both her claims and true intentions, but it has also drawn suspicion from her boss, Bruce Wayne, who has made it a point to better understand what she is doing. Of course, that hasn't put Batman in a position to uncover Doctor Zeller's unsettling pet project, at least not yet.

While on their most recent date, Bruce and Doctor Zeller came under heavy fire from a variety of threats ranging from the 000 Gang to the enigmatic assassin known as The Ojo. While the pair were fortunate enough to survive the evening, they only did so with some timely help from Damian Wayne, aka Robin, whose penchant for calling Bruce "father" ended up revealing one of the Bat Family's most closely held secrets to someone they aren't sure they can trust.

The Joker's new look was previously teased back in December, with fans getting a sneak peek at the villain's grisly new visage courtesy of multiple cover arts for Batman #7. The official solicit synopsis for Batman #7 from DC Comics reads, "As Batman is beckoned to Arkham Towers by the mysterious man in Room Ten, nothing will prepare him for who he finds there. Some might call him the Caped Crusader’s archnemesis. Others might call him Batman’s best friend. Everyone calls him the Joker."

Batman #6 from DC Comics is on sale now.