The Joker was disrupting the DC Universe at the beginning of the noughties. He was first accidentally given nigh-unlimited reality-shaping powers by Mr. Mxyzptlk and reshaped the universe in his image in Superman: Emperor Joker. Not long after that, the Joker was at it again, spreading chaos in the way less received event The Joker’s Last Laugh (also known as The Joker: Last Laugh), written by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty with art by Pete Woods.
What The Joker’s Last Laugh is about? Joker is a prisoner at the Slabside Penitentiary when a prison doctor informs them they found a malignant tumor after a brain scan. The Joker is going to die. Facing this news, The Joker decides he wants to go out with a bang. He concocts a scheme to carry on his legacy by transforming his fellow villains into “jokerized” versions of themselves.
Published in 2001, this storyline comprises a six-issue miniseries and 25 tie-ins, covering almost everything that was published at the time, from the Batman titles to the Superman family, and more.
The Joker’s Last Laugh Reading Order: Collected Editions
To this day, there is not a trade paperback compiling the Joker’s Last Laugh story as the only collection released by DC is missing an issue (Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files and Origins #1). You can find the whole main series collected in the DC Heroes & Villains Collection published by Hachette, as the trade published by DC is missing an issue (thanks Derder in the comments for the information!). Also, no companion piece has been released for all the tie-ins, so they have to be tracked down if you want them all.
- Batman: The Joker’s Last Laugh
Collects The Joker: Last Laugh #1-6. Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files and Origins #1 is missing in this trade.
Or the Hachette edition:
- DC Heroes & Villains Collection Vol. 68: Joker – Last Laugh
Collects Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files and Origins #1; The Joker: Last Laugh #1-6
The Joker’s Last Laugh Reading Order: Issue by Issue
The Joker’s Last Laugh is not an event full of compelling tie-ins, on the contrary. For a better experience, we advise reading only the main story or the main story with the issues related to the Bat-Family. We put in bold what could enhance the reading, following canaryfarmer’s order. It’s also difficult to establish a good chronology, as the issues don’t always give us enough information to know where the events take place, or worse, the story contradicts what is happening in the main series. Don’t hesitate to make suggestions in the comment section!
- Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files and Origins #1
- Joker: Last Laugh #1
- Azrael: Agent of the Bat #83
- Nightwing (Volume 2) #62
- Joker: Last Laugh #2
- Birds of Prey #36
- Detective Comics #763
- Batgirl #21
- Batman: Gotham Knights #22
- Young Justice #38
- Orion #19
- Superman (Volume 2) #175
- Impulse #79
- Joker: Last Laugh #3
- JSA #29
- Harley Quinn #13
- Spectre (Volume 4) #10
- Adventures of Superman #597
- Joker: Last Laugh #4
- Action Comics #784
- Superboy (Volume 4) #93
- Batman #596
- The Flash (Volume 2) #179
- Superman: The Man of Steel #119
- Supergirl (Volume 4) #63
- Green Lantern (Volume 3) #143
- Wonder Woman (Volume 2) #175
- Joker: Last Laugh #5
- JLA #59
- Robin (Volume 2) #95
- Titans #34
- Joker: Last Laugh #6
Aftermath
- Robin #96
- Birds of Prey #37
- Nightwing #63
After The Joker’s Last Laugh
Joker takes a back seat as Bruce Wayne is accused of murder in the next event, Bruce Wayne: Murderer?/Fugitive. He’s back, as part of an elaborate and sinister scheme to destroy the Dark Knight, once and for all in Batman: Hush.
We don’t have a Joker Reading order yet, but you can consult our Batman: Modern Age reading order for more stories during that period.
