Three Jokers #1 went on sale today, and to call it a game-changer for the world of Batman would be an understatement. While we don’t know how it will affect the wider mythos and current continuity, the revelation that there’s more than one Clown Prince of Crime is undeniably mind-blowing. 

Now, we’re taken a deep dive into this opening chapter to bring you a detailed breakdown of what happens and all the biggest reveals. Seriously, you will not see a lot of what happens coming! 

It goes without saying that spoilers for the issue follow from this point on, and if you haven’t read it already, we highly recommend that you do. However, if you’re just curious about what to expect, then we definitely have you covered with this breakdown of the event’s first issue.

To take a look through these details, all you guys need to do is click on the “Next” button below!
 

10. Scars

After a particularly nasty battle with The Penguin, Batman returns to Wayne Manor to have Alfred patch him up. It’s then the comic book shows us many of the hero’s scars, including those inflicted on him when Bane “Broke the Bat” (confirming that is indeed part of this continuity). 

The comic quickly introduces the concept of the three Jokers: “The Criminal” (the classic crook who targets Gotham City’s organised crime families), “The Comedian” (from The Killing Joke), and “The Clown” (who was responsible for murdering Jason Todd all those years ago). 

Batman, Batgirl, and Red Hood all have scars left by their respective Clown Princes of Crime, some more signifiant than others, and this opening serves to remind us of what the villain has done to them.
 

9. Three Crimes, Three Jokers, One Night

There’s chaos in Gotham City.

The Joker has struck three times seemingly at the exact same time, with one killing the Moxon crime family, another brutally murdering comedian Kelani “Fatman” Apaka, and the final stealing the same chemicals that created The Joker after throwing three men dressed as the Red Hood into them.

One of them has survived, but what did the villain want with this trio? Was he trying to recreate the night he became The Joker, albeit with someone else? As crazy as that sounds, it seems so…
 

8. “The Boss”

“The Clown” with the stolen chemicals arrives at an isolated cabin outside of Gotham City, and comes face to face with “The Comedian” (who is decked out in his gear from The Killing Joke). 

They taunt one another about taking credit for the other’s crimes, but agree that their “greatest act of madness” is to follow as “The Boss” has something truly crazy in mind. They acknowledge that one of them has to be in charge, and we then learn that it’s “The Criminal” who is calling the shots. 

His plan, however, is a real shocker! 
 

7. Making A Better Joker

What are they going to do with those stolen chemicals from ACE? “What do we do next?” asks “The Criminal.” “We do what we always do. We try to make a better Joker.” He goes on to say that one of them will have to set up the “Factory,” while the other helps him out with a casting call. 

The villain believes it’s time The Joker had “more meaning,” and the inference here is clear to see. 

The original Joker, “The Criminal,” has spent years creating new Jokers, staging their origin story (presumably with The Red Hood moniker and a stand-in for Batman) and unleashing a new Clown Prince of Crime on Gotham City to take on Batman. What makes these three so special is hard to say, but this is bound to be elaborated on and explained moving forward. 
 

6. Gaggy Returns…

Gaggy, also known as Gagsworth A. Gagsworthy, was once Joker’s original sidekick, though he ultimately found himself replaced by Harley Quinn. While he has made the odd cameo in modern stories, most of his appearances came during the 1960s (alongside “The Criminal,” we assume).

At this point in the story, Batman, Batgirl, and Red Hood are working together after the two heroes catch Jason Todd interrogating that one ACE survivor in the back of an ambulance.

Gaggy sets his men on the trio, and seems particularly keen to get his hands on Jason. The Joker, meanwhile, is back up to his old tricks, infecting not just fish, but a massive shark this time too.
 

5. …But Not For Long

Poor Gaggy doesn’t last long as a well-placed shot from Red Hood sees him eaten by the aforementioned shark. It’s a crazy, fun moment, and one that means this villain’s time is again over. 

It’s at this point “The Clown” makes his presence felt, and while he definitely takes the fight to the heroes, they quickly take him down. Understandably, they’re baffled by him using his old tricks again, and as Batman reports to a second Joker sighting by Jim Gordon, Batgirl and Red Hood tie the villain up until he can be returned to Arkham Asylum. 

However, it’s at this point things take a dark turn for the heroes left behind to keep an eye on him!
 

4. “I’ll Be Your Robin”

With The Joker tied up and at the mercy of Batgirl and Red Hood, he wastes no time at all in taunting the former. While this is happening, Jason once again debates just killing the villain in order to break the cycle of his continuous returns to torment and attack the Bat Family. 

The Joker taunts Jason, saying that perhaps the reason he survived is because the villain wanted him to. Why? Well, when he was bashing in the former Robin’s skull with a crowbar, he reveals that Jason said: “Please, Stop! Pleeease! If you let me live…I’ll do anything you say. I’ll be YOUR Robin.” Needless to say, this is new information, and a legitimately shocking moment.

The Joker laughs that Jason becoming Red Hood means, ultimately, he managed to get his way.
 

3. Jason Todd Murders The Joker

Pushed to the brink by these taunts, Jason draws his gun, ignoring Batgirl’s pleas to stop. She leaps into action to try and stop him, but the hero’s shot lands, and he shoots Joker in the head.

There’s no coming back from this; he’s well and truly dead, and after all these years, the former Robin has finally got his revenge on the man who murdered him in cold blood all those years ago. 

Of course, there are still two more out there, but “The Clown” is now well and truly gone. 
 

2. “When’s The Last Time You Missed?”

Batgirl threw a Batarang to try and stop Jason from killing The Joker, but missed, meaning his shot didn’t miss. While Barbara Gordon is horrified by what he’s done and condemns him for it, Red Hood makes a very good point when he says, “When’s the last time you missed?”

The insinuation here is that she wanted Jason to kill the villain, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Of course, this isn’t The Joker who left her in a wheelchair, so her revenge is yet to come.

As the issue ends, Jason hopes he’s killed the right one, not knowing that there’s three more out there…
 

1. What Comes Next?

This is the big question, and there are still two issues left which will hopefully clear things up. As we’ve established, the DC Universe has indeed had more than one Joker, seemingly with one mastermind who has been pulling the strings all this time and setting a series of Jokers after Batman.

Why has he been doing this and what’s his endgame? This remains to be seen, but every Joker seems to have a significant crime to pin to their name, and this explains why they’re all so different.

Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok clearly have a lot of story left to tell, and Three Jokers is clearly going to continue to surprise. We’ll just have to wait and see what those hold in store for us…