DC’s very own crown prince of crime, the Joker is perhaps as well-known around the world as his beloved nemesis Batman, inspiring fear, terror, and obsession on every continent. In the same vein as Batman: The World (2021), Joker: The World (2024) is an anthology of harrowing stories centered around iconic villains, with each story set in a different setting on Earth. Written and drawn by creators from different countries. Joker: The World includes stories from the United States, Spain, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Czech Republic, Turkey, South Korea, Argentina, Cameroon, Poland, and Japan, each featuring a comedian named Clown. provides a culturally unique perspective on , criminal.
I had a lot of fun while reading Joker: The World. Mainly because it felt like a disturbing, beautiful, and educational journey from the perspective of a non-American comic book reader. It’s something we’re not as familiar with as Americans who primarily consume titles from Marvel, DC, Image, and Dark Horse. Of course, there are some very talented international creators creating comics for the Big Two, but they’re still often created through a lens that American or English-speaking readers can understand, and Joker: The World’ expands this narrow perspective.
Joker: The World (2024) Title Featured Creator Score America “Epilogue is Prologue” Geoff Johns (Writer), Jason Fabok (Artist) 8/10 Spain “Spring Break” David Rubin (Writer & Artist) 7/10 Germany “No Jazz” Torsten Ströter (writer), Ingo Röhmling (artist) 7.5/10 Italy “Strategies of Tension” Enrico Brizzi (writer), Paolo Bachilieri (artist), Vincenzo Firoza (colorist) Home) 6/10 Brazil “City of the Mad, Cemetery of the Living” Felipe Castillo (writer) ), Tynan Rocha (artist), Marianne Guzman (colorist) 9/10 Mexico “The Wrestler” Alvaro von Barrera (Writer), Oscar Pinto (Artist) 7/10 Czech Republic “Kafka, Beer, Semtex” Stepan Kopriva (Writer), Michalsuchanek (Artist) 8/10 Turkey “The Fool’s Bootblack” Metin Akdurga (Writer), Etem Onur Bilgic (artist) 6.5/10 Korea “Copycat” Jung In-pyo (writer), Park Jae-kwang (artist) 8.5/10 Argentina “Funeral” Matias Tymarchi (writer), Germán Peralta (artist) 9/10 Cameroon “Black Therapy” Dr. Ejou Gaius (writer), Bertram Mbozoo Ze (artist), En Ejou (colorist) 7/10 Poland “Royal Jester” Tomasz Kołožeczak (writer) ), Jacek Michalski (artist) 7/10 Japan “Unfunny Joke” Satoshi Miyagawa (writer), Keisuke Goto (artist) 6/10
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For me, the highlight of this anthology is the diverse and unique art that each creator brings to their world. Although some of the stories are not my favorites, and I freely admit that this opinion is only through my eyes as an American reader, I adore the artistic style and vibrancy of each story. I am. Major artistic highlights of Joker: The World include David Rubin’s gritty art in “Spring Break,” Ingo Romling’s gorgeous cartoon style in “No Jazz,” and Jaegwang Park’s “Copycat” Contains exciting illustrations. But all the art successfully captures the spirit and dignity of that story, enhancing the vision and giving each its own unique cultural lens. One thing I was disappointed with was that Japan’s contribution was simply the first chapter of Satoshi Miyagawa and Keisuke Goto’s manga One Operation Joker. I really wish other Japanese manga artists had the opportunity to tell a unique Joker story.
Another thing that I really liked about Joker: The World, which I also felt about Batman: The World, was that you really learned about other countries that you didn’t know about, and as a result, you could really learn about other countries that you didn’t know about. That’s how much time I spend on Wikipedia. I did it in a manga! In particular, we learned about the tragic history of the Colonia de Barbacena Hospital, a “mental hospital” that led to the massacre of over 60,000 “patients” through torture, starvation, and medical malpractice. Colonia Hospital’s population is primarily filled with Brazil’s “undesirables,” from homosexuals to the homeless, and the horrific practices within the facility have been likened to conditions in Nazi concentration camps. It’s a truly horrifying piece of history, and I would never have known about it if it weren’t for this comic.
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We also learned about the Argentine “barra brava” or Argentine hooligans. This is a group of passionate soccer supporters who enthusiastically devote their time and energy to their team. By 2012, more than 200 people had died in connection with Bala Brava activities, and although the government and law enforcement agencies have cracked down on the practice, sporadic incidents still occur. Beyond these historical moments that I’ve learned about, I think a recurring and interesting theme is that real-world cities are sometimes more dangerous and a frightening and grim prospect than the fictional Gotham. Several stories in the anthology, especially Spain and Brazil, emphasize this theme, with the Joker returning to Gotham to become a true villain once again.
There are 13 stories in this anthology, so I won’t be reviewing each one individually in this review, but overall, if you’re a fan of the Joker, international comics, and perspective, Joker: The World is a must-read. I can definitely say it’s worth it. , or fascinating art. Or if you’re a big fan of Geoff Johns’ Three Jokers, the first story is an interesting prologue to the tragic tale. If you’re feeling a little tired of DC Comics’ Joker saturation, this anthology probably isn’t for you, but it does allow you to see the Crown Prince in a different light. With gorgeous, unique art and an intriguing story that offers a new perspective on a decades-old villain, Joker: The World explores the impact the Joker has had on the world and how the world has influenced him. It’s a fun adventure to explore what gave you.
‘Joker: The World’ DC’s Most Notorious Villain to Go on Overseas Tour
Joker: The World
Overall, I can definitely say that Joker: The World is worth reading if you’re a fan of the Joker, international comics and perspectives, or captivating art. Or if you’re a big fan of Geoff Johns’ Three Jokers, the first story is an interesting prologue to the tragic tale. If you’re feeling a little tired of DC Comics’ Joker saturation, this anthology probably isn’t for you, but it does allow you to see the Crown Prince in a different light. With gorgeous, unique art and an intriguing story that offers a new perspective on a decades-old villain, Joker: The World explores the impact the Joker has had on the world and how the world has influenced him. It’s a fun adventure to explore what gave you.
The art is absolutely gorgeous and every story is unique in its own way
I actually learned some interesting things about other countries!
The story from Japan was just the first chapter of One Operation Joker.
Unfortunately, this anthology had more misses than hits.
I wish each story had a little blurb about the writer’s vision
