The Joker Finds an Unlikely Sidekick in a Classic Batman Villain

The Joker is known for having female sidekicks like Harley Quinn and most recently, Punchline, but he’s about to pick up a new sidekick that comes from Batman’s deep rogues gallery. The Clown Prince of Crime stars in his own ongoing series titled The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing from writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Carmine Di Giandomenico. While fans continue to read each month to figure out what the deal is with Joker’s mysterious doppelganger, a look ahead to Issue #8 reveals the introduction of a new sidekick who will be very familiar to fans of the Dark Knight.

DC released its May 2023 solicitations, which include The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #8 by Matthew Rosenberg and Carmine Di Giandomenico. The solicit text refers to Solomon Grundy as a “sidekick” for The Joker, with the two working together against another monster in the sewers. Of course, a look at the main cover by Di Giandomenico features Joker and Killer Croc, who is most likely the other monster being referred to.

Fans may remember Joker and Solomon Grundy teaming up in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s iconic story in The Long Halloween. It appears The Man Who Stopped Laughing will provide an update on their pairing in the present day.

The Joker Writer Matthew Rosenberg Responds to Pregnancy Controversy

Matthew Rosenberg recently addressed the controversy surrounding a backup story in The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing that found the villain pregnant.

In a post to his Sustack titled “Chapter 90: I guess we have to talk about it,” Rosenberg wrote in part that, “If you don’t get your news from the ‘here’s what to be angry about’ people you may have missed this. But certain corners of the world are quite mad that the new issue of THE JOKER: THE MAN WHO STOPPED LAUGHING makes the Joker trans and then they become pregnant and give birth…Only, slight problem, none of that actually happens in the comic.”

The cover and solicitation for May’s The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #8 is below. The issue goes on sale May 2nd.

• THE JOKER: THE MAN WHO STOPPED LAUGHING #8
• Written by MATTHEW ROSENBERG
• Art and cover by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
• Backup art by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
• Variant cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
• Variant cover by CLAY MANN
• 1:25 variant cover by IVAN TAO
• $5.99 US | 40 pages | (all covers are card stock)
• ON SALE 5/2/23
• After getting hit by a train, the Joker awakens in the Gotham sewers, being cared for by…Solomon Grundy?! While his mind and body are recovering, the Clown Prince of Crime and his new sidekick learn they’re not the only monsters currently calling the sewers home! And the second Joker has set a course to find and destroy his alter ego…