DC’s Joker Year One Reveals Secret Connection Between Joker And One of Batman’s Teachers

Batman comic writer Chip Zdarsky  “The Joker: Year One” officially began with the release of Batman #142 this week, and it certainly is a unique take on a flashback story about The Joker. Zdarsky takes readers on a dark, trippy, journey back through The Joker origin we know (inspired by Alan Moore’s “The Killing Joke”) while trying to reconcile the modern lore that has multiple Jokers showing up around the the DC Universe over the years – not to mention all the conflicted and/or mysterious accounts of his true origin and identity. 

One clear point of crossover comes when it is revealed that The Joker didn’t just become the nihilistic monster that has shaped some of the most iconic portrayals of the villain (see: Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight) – he had help from one of Batman’s most pivotal teachers! 

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

Part 1 of “The Joker: Year One” depicts Joker as having survived his infamous “Red Hood Gang” heist at Ace Chemicals with several other members of the gang also having been ‘Jokerfied.’ After a short, brutal, fight to the death, the surviving Joker tries to disguise himself as a normal man and act like one – but the insane “comedian” in his head doesn’t let him avoid the chaos and violence that defines Joker. 

One night, Joker is triggered when he sees Batman swinging across the sky. The memory of the Ace Chemicals heist sends Joker scrambling back to the river where he washed up on shore and confirmed that despite all he’d been through, and all he’d done, he wasn’t truly “Joker” yet, because he still felt fear. The big reveal is when a figure approaches Joker on the shore proposing to help him solve that problem: Doctor Daniel Captio. 

Daniel appeared in Chip Zdarsky’s Batman: The Knight miniseries, which retold the story of Bruce’s training to become Batman while traveling the world – and all the teachers along the way who helped shape The Dark Knight’s persona and skill set. Daniel was the best mentalist in the world – a nomadic academic who became fascinated with Bruce and his mission and taught him the skill that would define Batman: mastering and weaponizing fear. Daniel showed Bruce that his fear was the fear of loss – of losing those he loves – and that it made his mind vulnerable. He also taught Bruce to master feats like mentally blocking out pain and fatigue – but could not separate him from his empathy, and the fear of loss that came with it, despite a harsh test. 

Still,  of his mind and emotions became a crucial component of “Batman,” allowing him the discipline and fortitude for his mission – as well as the ability to manipulate the emotions and fears of criminals. 

How Batman’s Teacher Creates “The Joker”

Daniel appears at Joker’s side offering the same kind of lesson he taught Bruce: how to master fear. According to Daniel, Joker can only become a true agent of Chaos if that chaos isn’t burdened by fear. Daniel promises he can make Joker “the greatest force this world has ever known” by making sure he never feels fear again. 

This is an interesting turn in the shared history of Batman and Joker, as Joker’s psyche has always been a mysterious canvas for creators to paint on. Chip Zdarsky is once again folding retconned DC history into the present-day era of Batman so that it is truly cemented in the canon. Bruce left with bad blood between him and Daniel, and Joker Year One shows us that Daniel didn’t wait long after Bruce returned to Gotham to get his revenge (teachable moment?), by helping to create Batman’s worst enemy. 

Will this retcon to Joker’s history and personality sit well with fans? We’ll soon find out. 

Batman #142 is on sale at DC Comics.