DC Comics has revealed a new future version of The Joker, that exists in a new Batman future timeline. That new timeline exists as part of Tom King’s new Batman/Catwoman miniseries and its convoluted, non-linear stories that exist across three different eras of Batman and Catwoman’s lives. The three timelines King’s Batman/Catwoman story looks in on are a past era set in Batman and Catwoman’s early days; a present-day storyline set during “Bat and Cat’s” current romance; and finally a future in which Selena Kyle is an elderly woman embarking on a road trip.
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Warning: Batman/Catwoman #1 SPOILERS Follow!
It’s the future timeline of King’s story where we get to meet a future version of the Joker – and it’s quite a surprising version of Batman’s archnemesis! Taking a page from Marvel, Tom King introduces ‘Old Man Joker’ into the DC Universe!
In the future segment of Batman/Catwoman, we see a grey-haired Selena Kyle driving up a sunny coast in a gorgeous classic sports car, with her black cat in tow. Selena pulls up to a trailer park called “Seabird Island” where she heads into a trailer to meet with an “old friend.” That old friend is an old man sitting around staring at his TV; he knows the secret of Selena’s double life and connection to Bruce Wayne/Batman – and by the end of the issue, we know why: this old retiree is actually The Joker.
What’s so odd and unnerving is the friendly old-person conversation Selena and Joker have for most of this issue. The Joker reveals at the end is a real big surprise mostly because of how normal and mundane Joker seems to have become in his old age. The two talk like old friends fondly remembering a shared past. They discuss what happened with the Bat-Family and Batman dying from cancer; Joker also seems to have made a family for himself, as he has pictures of his grandkids and mentions a son, Nathan, with twin kids, as well as a daughter, Bethany, who has three kids. Selena confesses to having a daughter named Helena, who’s dating a nice woman doctor.
It’s only when Selena confirms that Batman is dead that Joker gets emotional, saying it feels like the “end of something.” But with Batman gone, Selena reveals that she’s come for Joker, finally, because Batman is no longer there to protect him. Selena alludes that something that unfolds in Batman/Catwoman leads to Batman and Catwoman being scarred for years after. Selena has come to kill Joker at last, and Old Man Joker’s response is a seemingly satisfied laugh.
Can’t wait to see where this Old Man Joker storyline goes; since Batman/Catwoman is DC Black Label, it’s uncertain how much any of this is considered official DC canon.
Batman/Catwoman #1 is now on sale.
