A new enemy has risen in Gotham — a mysterious race of beings bearing a striking resemblance to the Joker is running loose, decapitating people and torturing a kidnapped Commissioner Gordon. Normally this would be a job for Batman, but he finds he’s outmatched by the unstable genetically modified mutants. He’s not the only one with a bone to pick — Harley Quinn has been kidnapped by these villains too, and the Joker is in a tight spot. The Clown Prince of Crime and the Dark Knight team up to save the city and their friends.
Created by master writer and artist Marc Silvestri, with colors by Arif Prianto and letters by Troy Peteri, Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #3 has Batman investigating his new foes while the Joker is held prisoner in the Bat Cave. The Caped Crusader takes a sadistic test meant for the Joker and discovers a genetic sample from one of the mutants that points to a lead dangerously close to Bruce Wayne. As it becomes clear that he can’t win this game alone, Batman finally decides to work with his sworn enemy.
Nearly every Batman series has gotten progressively darker and darker, and with this run, there is no letting up. Silvestri promised a grim and gritty take on Batman and delivered one of the bleakest and foulest variations of Gotham City fans have seen in a while. All the ultra-gritty noir trappings are here — mutilation, cold-blooded torture, hostage situations, and pervasive misanthropy. From the opening of this issue alone, Batman is forced to make a sadistic choice in one of the most disturbing sequences in recent memory.
The main draw of this series and Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #3 is the undeniably cool premise — the Batman and the Joker teaming up — however, there is little of that to be found in this issue. The Joker is only brought back into action in the last pages, but by then, his presence is greatly missed. The opening scene’s shocking twist occurs due to Batman’s refusal to work alongside the Joker, and the irony isn’t lost on Batman or the reader. It is a shame that it took two issues for Batman and the Joker to finally team up through clenched, bloody, and broken teeth, but the ending is promising.
While Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #3 spends regrettably little time with the titular “Deadly Duo,” it does a good job of establishing the mystery and intrigue behind the genetically modified head-hunters running loose in Gotham. The bio-engineering angle is easily the freshest and most exciting part of this series, and thankfully this issue runs with it to a repulsive and intriguing effect.
Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #3 is a visual treat. Silvestri’s art style, full of harsh and scratchy lines, realistic proportions, and a lot of textural grit, truly sells the grim tone of this issue. Blood, sweat, and scar tissue abound, making Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #3 beautiful and grotesque all at once. Much of the suffering depicted in the panels is viscerally unsettling. The sample of the dislodged teeth from one of the Joker-like mutants is particularly striking. Arif Prianto’s colors perfectly complement the grime and filth of the line art, favoring a palette of dour and oppressive earth tones, with the Joker standing out as the single bright presence.
Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #3 skimps on its titular draw and premise in favor of a slower burn. While the cruel and bleak bite it delivers is not much different than most contemporary Batman runs, it boasts an impressive set of teeth with its blend of science fiction, crime drama, and gloriously creepy visuals.
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