Warning! Spoilers for DC Horror Presents… #4!Batmanand theJokerhave been intense enemies for decades, but there’s always been a thin line between love and hate. While Batman certainly despises the Joker, it’s not exactly clear if the feeling is mutual. While the Joker certainly enjoys hurting Batman, he’s also stated that he loves Batman, which makes his new outfit all the more disturbing.
The Joker’s twisted new outfit is the scariest part of the first story fromDC Horror Presents…#4 by Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, and Danny Earls. AfterCatwomancomes into possession of a cursed diamond, she schemes to trick the Joker into stealing it from her, which is the only way to be free of it.
After Catwoman makes sure that the Jokerlearns that she has a precious diamond, he breaks into Catwoman’s apartment, rummages through her stuff, and eventually steals the diamond - but not beforeputting on one of her iconic skin-tight suits, which is horrifying for a host of reasons.
The Joker Steals Catwoman’s Costume, Twisting One of DC’s Greatest Love Stories
DC Horror Presents…#4 By Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Danny Earls, Jão Canola, and Simon Bowland
Batman and Catwoman have always been one of the great romancesin the DC Universe. No matter what universe they’re in, they almost always seem to find one another. In most worlds, they end up getting married. They almost got married in the Prime Universe as well. While they’ve never fully managed to tie the knot, they still love each other deeply and truly - which is whythe Joker taking on Catwoman’s outfit is so utterly horrific.There are a few interactions that Joker has had with Catwoman that seem to imply that the Joker feels as though he’d be the better love interest.
The Joker might just end up going after Selina eventually, seeing her as a rival to Batman’s affections.
The Joker’s feelings for Batman have always been complicated. It’s very clear that the Joker enjoys hurting Batman, but he rarely goes so far as actually trying to kill Batman. The Joker has even gone so far as stating that he simply wants to fight Batman forever, but not actually kill him. In another comic, the Joker goes even further and implies thathe could satisfy Batman better than Catwoman could.Taking this statement in, now with the additional scene of him wearing Selina’s catsuit, has some pretty terrifying implications. The Joker might just end up going after Selina eventually, seeing her as a rival to Batman’s affections.
Does The Joker Really Have Romantic Interest in Batman?
Panels fromBatman / Catwoman#10 by Tom King, Clay Mann, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles
The Joker is no stranger to trying on new outfits. The Joker has had plenty of different Batsuits over the years, but taking Selina’s catsuit is a new level of derangement. The Joker has tried several times to kill the Bat-Family, but he’s never really gone after Catwoman. It’s possible that could change in the future.If the Joker has gotten to the point where he’s comfortable wearing Selina’s clothing,he may eventually try to replace her entirely.As horrifying as that sounds, the Joker has never been shy about wanting Batman’s attention entirely on himself.
As terrifying as seeing the Joker in a skintight leather bodysuit is, the real horror is the Joker’s growing obsession with Batman. The two went from merely standard enemies to almost becoming codependent on one another. Batman has often stated that he’s the only one who understands the Joker, and it seems that the Joker feels the same way. The Joker has tried to destroy the Bat-Family dozens of times, and he’ll surely escalate to removing Batman’s romantic interests as well, all so theJokerwill be the only oneBatmanhas left.
The Joker
The Joker is a psychopathic criminal mastermind with a warped sense of humor. Initially introduced as a remorseless serial killer, the character evolved over time, often oscillating between a prankster and a homicidal maniac. His relationship with Batman is one of the most complex in comic book history, defined by their mutual obsession. Over the decades, the Joker has become an enduring icon of chaos and madness, embodying the antithesis of Batman’s order and justice.
