Batman And Commissioner Gordon Just Formed A New Kind of Partnership to Catch Joker

Batman and Commissioner have worked together for years in a carefully arranged and unofficial partnership, but now that’s all changed. In DC Comics‘ new Joker series, Gordon was tapped by a myterious wealthy benefactor named Cressida, to hunt down Joker after the Crown Prince of Crime went on the run (and into hiding) after the Joker War. In Joker #2, Gordon gets to work on his manhunt, only to quickly find that hunting down Joker is not a task that he can complete on his own. Gordon needs resources to complete this mission, and there’s only one person he can turn to: The Batman.

Warning: Joker #2 SPOILERS Follow!

As stated, Batman and Gordon have worked alongside one another for years, in what was a pretty clear-cut set of boundaries between law and order and vigilante justice. However, in order to complete his mission to find the Joker, Gordon has to re-negotiate his entire relationship with Batman – and Gordon comes to drive a hard bargain.

Despite Batman’s confession that he has lost significant resources since the Joker War, Gordon isn’t buying it: “Please you’re Batman. Your Utility Belt has a Utility Belt. Don’t tell me you don’t have resources.”

Batman admits that he can provide Gordon with what he needs – but what Gordon needs is a level of access that Batman has never given to anyone, outside the Batman Family. Gordon asks for Batman to get intel on the mystery woman who hired him – but he wants even more information than that. Gordon needs every detail and file that Batman has compiled on Joker over the years – and to review all that information, he needs access to the Bat-Computer. A look into The Dark Knight’s files isn’t the end of Gordon’s ask: he also wants Batman’s phone number, to reach the Caped Crusader whenever he needs to.

Batman being Batman, he agrees to his old ally’s requests – with a catch: Oracle is in charge of keeping Gordon and his new Bat-Resources on the leash. Of course, Oracle quickly surmises that her father is holding something back, and pulls him in for a meeting of their own. Oracle learns that Gordon isn’t just trying to locate Joker – he’s been hired to kill him. However, Gordon has his own card to play: he knows that Barbara is Batgirl and Oracle. With that stalemate established, Oracle gives Gordon limited access to the Bat-Computer and a direct line to Batman (through her).

No doubt Jim Gordon is currently playing a very dangerous game. Not just in his manhunt for the Joker (which has roped in a new female Bane, the Court of Owls, and other crooks and killers), but also in his relationship with Batman. There’s no telling what Gordon and Batman’s relationship will be if (when) Batman learns that Gordon used their mutual trust as means to try and cross the one line that Batman never wants to cross.

Joker #2 is now on sale from DC Comics.