It might be Batman Day, but DC just recently unleveled plans for a brand new Joker in an upcoming issue of Future State: Gotham. Fans already knew that there was some drama brewing with the Clown Prince of Cime in the future-based title. Well, on Twitter, writer Dennis Culver gave people a look at what kind of terror is marching their way in Gotham City. It stands to reason that the Next Batman would have a version of the original’s greatest enemy. *Spoilers for Future State: Gotham follow below* So, Batman has been framed for an accident that killed a lot of citizens. The evil magistrate, that’s outlawed vigilantes, has dispatched Peacekeeper Red to deal with The Dark Knight. Well, a scuffle ensues with Harley Quinn and Punchline where the Magistrate steps in again. Joker’s new squeeze told the group of characters that the “Next Joker” is coming to hunt them all down and that they would wish they were dead once he was through with them.
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In that Twitter post, Culver showed off his design for this new Joker. A menacing mask and clown motif jumpsuit walk through the streets of a Gotham under siege. His hair is literally on fire and the villain has taken care of billboards and other cybernetic displays in the city. (An inspired take on the Laughing Man calling card from Ghost in the Shell right there on the cover.) No one knows who this person is or what they want. But, you have to believe it will have something to do with the Bat-Family and their extended acquaintances.
Culver wrote, “Big News! I’m taking over the FULL writing duties of FUTURE STATE GOTHAM with issue 8 kicking off the new arc entitled THE NEXT JOKER. Part one is drawn by @NikolaCizmesija and features this AMAZING cover by @SimoneDiMeo_“
Justice League editor Alex Carr talked to Den of Geek about the unique opportunities presented with Future State, “We’re in the far future, where anything can happen, where storytelling possibilities are limitless,” so too does that mean approaches to our characters. While we don’t have a central hub as a setting, or even a central time period where all of our stories take place, what we did want to get across, through all the editors in our group, was a thread of change. That thread carries through, not just our heroes, but also again, their power sets, the way they approach villains, the villains that they interact with.”
“If we’re talking about new heroes, that’s a huge change. Then if we’re talking about classic heroes, what’s a new mission statement that we can give to a hero? What’s a new setting we can put this hero in? What’s a new perspective that this hero can have that will really give readers a reason to open up these books, and then secondly, to get excited about the stories that are unfolding therein?”
What do you think of the new Joker? Let us know down in the comments!
