Batman The Man Who Laughs

The deluxe edition featuring critically acclaimed writer Ed Brubaker's seminal run on the Dark Knight and The Joker. The deluxe edition featuring critically acclaimed writer Ed Brubaker's seminal run on the Dark Knight and The Joker. Witness Batman's first encounter with The Joker in this volume collecting the graphic novel BATMAN: THE MAN WHO LAUGHS by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke! This collection also includes DETECTIVE COMICS #784-786, a murder mystery tale guest-starring Green Lantern Alan Scott.

Witness Batman's first encounter with The Joker in this volume collecting the graphic novel BATMAN: THE MAN WHO LAUGHS, by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke! This collection also includes DETECTIVE COMICS #784-786, a murder mystery tale guest-starring Green Lantern Alan Scott.

Moving away from the explicitly political content of his previous novels, Victor Hugo turns to social commentary in The Man Who Laughs, an 1869 work that was made into a popular film in the 1920s. The plot deals with a band of miscreants who deliberately deform children to make them more effective beggars, as well as the long-lasting emotional and social damage that this abhorrent practice inflicts upon its victims.

In 1986, writer Frank Miller joined with artist David Mazzucchelli and colorist Richmond Lewis to create one of the most groundbreaking superhero tales ever to see printÑBATMAN: YEAR ONE, now available in a deluxe edition! Originally published over four issues in the monthly BATMAN series, this mesmerizing story followed the unprecedented success of MillerÕs apocalyptic saga BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS to become one of the most popular and influential graphic novels in the history of American comics. By turns brutal, tender, grim and hopeful, Miller and MazzucchelliÕs masterful reimagination of Bruce WayneÕs first year as Gotham CityÕs champion has electrified generations of readers with its unprecedented fusion of gritty realism and elegance of form. Now, DC Comics is proud to present a special new hardcover collection of this modern comics classic. Featuring digitally remastered art, introductions by Miller and series editor Dennis OÕNeil and an illustrated afterword by Mazzucchelli, BATMAN: YEAR ONE THE DELUXE EDITION also contains more than 40 pages of behind-the-scenes material, including the complete script and pencil breakdowns for BATMAN #407.

Superstar writer Ed Brubaker (CATWOMAN, GOTHAM CENTRAL) teams with artist Doug Mahnke (FINAL CRISIS, GREEN LANTERN) to tell the tale of Batman's first battle against his greatest enemy: The Joker!

Batman is on a desperate hunt through Gotham City, tracking down the dark version of himself known as the Grim Knight. But the serum BatmanÕs been self-administering has started to transform his mind, making him into something much darker...something amoralÉsomething like the Batman Who LaughsÑand heÕs starting to lose his grip on reality. Toeing the line between vengeance and justice, Batman must struggle to keep his moral code as the Grim Knight gains control of the Batcave, sending all of his vehicles and weapons on a collision course with Gotham City. The Grim Knight, the Batman Who Laughs, even allies like Jim Gordon and his son force Batman to pull the triggerÉand activate the Last Laugh. Will Batman be the savior of Gotham City once more? Or is he the kill shot?

True happiness begins in the heart. Our memories and emotions can play tricks on us, though, and divert oneÕs reality into something completely different. The Batman Who Laughs has based his entire worldview on this very concept, and it is in this moment that he must finally confront the one man who stands in his way, the one man who could complete or halt his planÉthe last Bruce Wayne. It is here, on the home turf of Wayne Manor, that Bruce relives the happiest moment of his lifeÑthe moment he became the Batman Who Laughs. Will Batman be able to outthink the Dark Multiverse version of himself and stop his most sinister end? Or will the original Dark Knight succumb fully and let go of his morality? While good almost always wins, this issue is the start of something moreÉsetting up a larger plan based in the ultimate betrayal of infection, loyalty and true happiness. This is not the endÉitÕs only the beginning.

After the shocking ending of issue #1, a ticking clock sets Batman on a trail throughout the different realities of the Multiverse. He starts to see all the iterations of his life, and what could have beenÉbut more importantly, Bruce Wayne begins to deduce that his current life is somehow wrong, and that all the mistakes heÕs made are somehow connected. Meanwhile, the Batman Who Laughs raises the curtain on his second act, pulling out the big guns to break into Arkham AsylumÉenter one of the most punishing Batmen of the Dark Multiverse: the Grim Knight!