Batman: Joker’s Daughter – Review

By: Marguerite Bennett (writer), Meghan Hetrick (artist), Michelle Madsen (colorist)

The Story: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness.

The Review: Despite DC’s insistence that she’s a ‘fan-favorite’ character and soaring speculation on ebay, Ann Nocenti’s Joker’s Daughter issues have not fared well in the court of public opinion. The character was near universally panned, with claims of uninspired writing and needless vulgarity.

It’s all the sadder for the weird, wild ride JD has taken; winding her way through countless villains in an attempt to find relevance and depth equal to the power of her moniker, finally finding a solid but unfulfilled concept as some sort of strange priestess of the Joker’s unique religion of madness. In spite of this long and troubled road, Marguerite Bennett strips this loathsome character down to the purest brilliance of her concept, scraping off the scabs and filth with which she’s adorned herself.

As she has done in all her previous work, Bennett immerses herself and her readers in the dark corners of the villainous psyche. The Joker’s Daughter is, from start to finish, the main attraction, and Marguerite takes great pleasure in indulging the girl’s twisted ramblings.

There’s something archetypal and frighteningly logical about the Joker’s Daughter. If you listen long enough you may find yourself following her down the rabbit hole; recognizing that that action won’t be enough, knowing that what she does next won’t truly make her one with the Joker. She lays out her plans just so, talking as much to the readers that she doesn’t know exist as to herself. We see the gaping flaws in her plans, just as we’re impressed that this arrogant pup grasps some small details of the grand play we enjoy each month. And, before long, she’s learning and the dialogue she’s having with you is operating on rules that don’t exist and really, really shouldn’t.