The Batman Who Laughs Review: Nightmarish. Visceral. Unputdownable.

Facing up to nightmares is one of the hardest things that anyone can do. They force us to confront our deepest fears and see the worst parts of ourselves. Over the years, Batman has had to battle with many nightmares. But none have been more terrifying than the Batman Who Laughs, a twisted version of Bruce Wayne who became the new Joker.

In Scott Snyder’s The Batman Who Laughs, the character returns in a huge way to terrify Gotham. The graphic novel features Batman having to find the darkest parts of himself to fight against his doppelganger. But how far is he willing to go and is it true that a Batman who laughs is a Batman who always wins?

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Why The Batman Who Laughs Is Scarier Than The Joker

The Joker is considered to be one of the most horrifying villains in pop culture. The amount of pain and misery he’s caused Batman over the years is indescribable. Despite Joker being a terrifying villain, I would argue there’s one character who is even scarier: The Batman Who Laughs. A twisted combination of Bruce Wayne and Joker, The Batman Who Laughs is Batman’s greatest nightmare come to life. The Comic Vault is looking into the history of the character to see what makes him an even bigger threat than Joker.

Dark Knights: Rising Review: A Disturbing Collection Of Cautionary Batman Tales

Batman has defined himself by his war on crime, with his code stopping him from going too far. But what if he crossed the line? What if there was no coming back from the other side? Dark Knights: Rising presents a look at seven versions of Bruce Wayne who gave into their fears and became the darkest versions of themselves. As part of the Dark Nights: Metal event, this graphic novel tells the stories of the evil Batmen that came from the Dark Multiverse. Each of them have their reasons for going down the wrong path, providing a fascinating look into the mind of Bruce Wayne.

All-Star Batman: Ends Of The Earth Review: A Look Into The Lives Of Bruce Wayne’s Greatest Enemies

In my opinion, Batman has the most engaging cast of villains in modern comics. Every member of his rogues gallery represents a different facet of his character, pushing the Dark Knight to be a better superhero. If Batman didn’t exist, would characters like Joker or Riddler have ever been created? All-Star Batman: Ends Of The Earth, written by Scott Snyder, puts the spotlight on some of the Caped Crusader’s greatest adversaries, as he races across the globe to stop a cataclysmic threat.

Dark Nights: Metal Review: A Comic Event Writing Masterclass

When it comes to comic events, it’s easy to feel cynical about them because of how often they happen. Marvel and DC have got into a habit of altering their universes on a yearly basis, to the point it’s felt as if storytelling has become a money grab, rather than a way of building compelling characters. I’ve felt comic event fatigue before, but there’s something exceptional about the writing of Scott Snyder that keeps me coming back to his stories. Snyder has become the definitive Batman writer, which is why I was eager to pick up Dark Nights: Metal. Here are my thoughts on a graphic novel that nails all the things that makes a comic event worth investing in.

Beneath The Pages: Scott Snyder

Beneath The Pages looks at writers and artists in the comic book industry and examines how influential they are. It’s about giving them recognition for their hard work and drawing attention to their finest creations. In the past decade there’s been a lot of influential comic writers, but it could be argued that no one has left more of an impact than Scott Snyder. Best known for his work on Batman, Snyder has redefined The Dark Knight for a new generation of fans.

Batman: The Black Mirror Review

“I remember one time I asked my father why. What made Gotham so special? And my father, he looked down at me, and he said…some places just have a hunger about them, son. And you either feed them what they want…or you stay far, far away.” – Dick Grayson

Some graphic novels are powerful enough to make you feel as if you’ve left a part of yourself behind on the page. I felt that sensation after reading Batman: The Black Mirror, written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Francesco Francavilla and Jock. It follows Dick Grayson as Batman and how he deals with Gotham as a living entity that is trying to challenge him. There’s murder and mayhem around every corner and Commissioner Gordon is dragged into the fray when an old ghost comes calling.

Batman: Endgame Review

“You’re bigger than your feelings. Bigger than your body. Your heart, your eyes…You’re Batman. And you’re going to stop him. Just like you always do. You’re going to stop it all.” – Batman

Over the years, there’s been many great Batman stories. But in my opinion, I’d be hard pressed to think of a more consistent duo than Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. For nearly a decade they’ve pushed The Dark Knight to new limits and redefined his mythology. It all had to lead somewhere, and that’s where Batman: Endgame comes in. The graphic novels sees The Joker return for a final confrontation with Batman after the Death of the Family arc. Here is my review.