The Joker Annual: 2021

Tynion has done an outstanding job establishing a stronger history with Gordon and Joker and this annual adds another satisfying layer to this chapter. The details Rosenberg and Tynion add really make for a captivating and engaging story. Combined with fantastic art this is definitely worth checking out this week. Read Full Review

What's interesting about this issue's portrayal of Joker is that he's actually" funny. It's very rare for Joker to have any actual punchlines anymore, but here he seems to have a genuine chaotic energy that's more unsettling than any of his past portrayals. Read Full Review

The Joker Annual 2021 is a masterpiece of day-glo crime storytelling from Francesco Francavilla, who can create tension from a flashlight or a cigarette butt as well as James Tynion and Matthew Rosenberg, who continue to flesh out Jim Gordon and his relationship with his daughter Barbara and the clown prince of crime. Like Joker #5, this comic easily stands on its own, but also adds context (Aka emotional scarring) to Gordon's actions as he haphazardly tries to create his own system for taking out the Joker while keeping his soul intact. Read Full Review

If you're a fan of stories like The Long Halloween, this makes for a fantastic companion piece. Read Full Review

The Joker 2021 Annual #1 is a thoughtful exploration into Gordon's career, specifically in his early years as commissioner and one fateful misstep he would make that would prove dangerous for Gotham City. Read Full Review

In this Annual you'll get a look back to the past where Jim Gordon is doing his damnedest to be the best Commissioner he can and while that's all fine and well, you won't really get any new information out of this issue and only give us another example why Jim Gordon doesn't like the Joker and that really doesn't seem needed at this point. Read Full Review

However, keep your reading glasses on and not your artistic endeavors. Again Francavilla is not a bad artist. It is just that DC set the readers up with having Andolfo and March at the helm! Read Full Review

The script for this issue is flawless and real scary" I won't be busting open a pinata anytime soon, but keep your reading glasses on and not your artistic lenses. Again Francavilla is not a bad artist, it's just that DC set the readers up with having Andolfo and March at the helm, and I found the difference quite jarring. Read Full Review

Cliff Booth

Dec 05, 2021

One of those excellent issues that perfectly captures just how twisted the Joker is.

cincyfan

Dec 18, 2021

I loved every second of this book. Great character moments great dialogue great story.

UxasIs

Dec 09, 2021

This was an almost perfect self contained story

Psycamorean

Jan 07, 2022

This is a good done-in-one, and I prefer this over the main story tbh.

Merlyn

Nov 30, 2021

Honestly this story is all over the place and I could definitely feel Rosenberg's hand at work, it's the exact chaotic type of storytelling that he uses in The Joker presents: A puzzlebox. But I had a few laughs so there's at least that, even though the story makes little sense. Gordon looks like a dumbass here, something I'm having a pretty hard time buying.

Loafy Trophy

Dec 06, 2021

Francavilla on art is always a good thing.