W: Jeph Loeb, J.M. DeMatteis, Mark Schultz, & Joe Kelly
P: Ed McGuiness, Mike Miller, Doug Mahnke, Kano, & Various others
I: Cam Smith, Jose Marzan, Jr., Tom Nguyen, John McCrea, Marlo Alquiza, Armando Durrurthy & various
Pub: DC Comics
Price: $14.99 USD
Reprinting stories from: Superman #160-161, Adventures of Superman #582-583, Action Comics 769-770, Superman: The Man of Steel 104-105, and Emperor Joker.
Every night, evil criminal Superman escapes from Arkham Asylum to wreak havoc on Metropolis. Only Bizarro #1 and the JLA can save the bomb-bedecked buildings. Bizarro always saves the day, allowing the square Earth’s people to continue their lives of chaos and random death. Has the world gone mad? Yes. Because Joker is now God.
‘Emperor Joker’ is one of very few Superman stories of the last 10 years I’ve really enjoyed. The Joker tricks Mxyzptlk out of his reality-warping powers and remakes the world in his broken image. Only Superman believes that something is wrong. His faith inspires other heroes to remember who they really are. But how do you defeat someone who’s all-powerful? How about talking to him? Without giving too much away, Superman saves the universe by outsmarting the Joker and using a simple psychological trick to defeat him. It’s rare these days to see a hero use his wits to defeat his opponent. That’s the one quality of Silver Age comics I wish would return.
Kelly, Loeb, and Co. display a great understanding of what makes Superman a great character. His faith is strong enough to inspire other people to greatness. His belief in an ordered universe, where life triumphs or death and hope can defeat all evils, is his anchor in a chaotic world. The writers also show rare depths to the Joker’s character. Sure, he’s a madman with a sick, (but funny), sense of humor. But the clown’s crying on the inside. Joker believes the universe is inherently chaotic, causing nothing but pain and suffering. Insanity is the only rational way to live. This matches his most popular origin in ‘The Killing Joke’. He thinks destroying creation will replace chaos with order. Of course, he’ll still have fun doing it. Superman and The Joker become natural rivals based on their opposite views of the world.
Unlike most Superman crossovers in the 90’s and early 00’s, ‘Emperor Joker’ is self-contained. You need know nothing about Superman’s allies or recent series to enjoy this story. It cuts to the core of who Superman is as a hero while putting him through unpredictable and downright weird trials. Best of all, it comes to a satisfying ending. All plot threads are resolved, save one; and it doesn’t matter much anyway. But the story feels disposable. It’s entertaining, well-written, and respectful of the characters’ histories. It doesn’t feel like it has any weight. Compare that with stories like “Return to Krypton” or “Our Worlds at War”. Characters are lost beneath dozens of overlapping plot threads that are never truly resolved. And it all drips with significance. ‘Emperor Joker’ can be easily read and understood, but also easily forgotten.
Only two things really bother me about this book. One is Lois Lane. In Joker’s world, she becomes the ruthless corporate manipulate Lex Luthor was. After Supes inspires Superboy,, Supergirl, Steel, Batman, and the JLA to remember their true selves, Lois still doesn’t believe in him! She actually betrays Superman to Joker! It is implied that she was evil only because she believed “Clark Kent” was dead, and didn’t connect Superman to Clark until the very end. But you’d think a wife would know her own husband if she truly loved him.
The other is Ignition. Ignition makes his debut in these comics. From the start, it’s clear he wasn’t made by the Joker. He refers to a “greater power” that he serves. Years later, we know it was General Zod, superhuman dictator of Pokolistan. But we still don’t know exactly who Ignition is, or why he was immune to Joker’s powers. Is he connected to the Phantom Zone criminals like his Zod? Do his powers have a cosmic origin? Is he even human under that armor? And why would someone wear shorts over their full-body armor? The fanboy in me needs to know!
One last thing: When the story was first published, the Joker’s involvement was kept secret. The end of chapter 4 was the shocking revelation that Joker had twisted the world. That surprise is now gone. I just mention it to show how the physical act of telling a story one chapter at a time, with at least a week between chapters, can affect the story itself.
‘Emperor Joker’ is one of the better Superman stories in recent years. It’s driven by the cores of its characters. The art is great. Styles differ wildly, but each is excellent at depicting the madness and violence. And $15 for nine comics is a great deal. Definitely worth buying, but not to be taken seriously.
What did you think of this book?
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