Mike Eakins
As if we needed more reasons to celebrate 80 years of the Dark Knight, DC just released some extraordinary news that two of their recently best-selling graphic novels; BATMAN: DAMNED, and The Batman Who Laughs debuted on the re-established graphic novel bestsellers list.
BATMAN: DAMNED, which debuted at # 9, originally a three-part mini-series is a horror story of sorts that deals with the death of the Joker at the hands of Batman. The catch…Batman has no recollection of what he has done. So he hires John Constantine and they tackle Gotham’s underworld in hopes of answers. On the other end of the spectrum is The Batman Who Laughs, which debuted at #11, collects issues 1-7 and tells the tale of a psychopath from Earth-22 who is a result of Batman and the Joker scuffling and Batman becoming in-contact with chemicals that in a sense turn him into a hybrid of himself and Joker, who finds his way to Earth-0 and wages pure hell.
Both books were well received in their own right so hearing the news that they debuted on the bestseller list is absolutely no surprise. Both books were rife with stellar storytelling and art to go with it. You can read DC’s full press release on the books below, and make sure you stay tuned to Comic-Watch for all your comic news and reviews.
DC is making its debut on the re-established New York Times’ Graphic Novel Bestseller List for the week of October 13. With critically acclaimed Batman titles, BATMAN: DAMNED and THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS debuting on the coveted list, the news marks yet another celebration of the Caped Crusader’s 80th anniversary this year.
Debuting at #9, BATMAN: DAMNED is created by Eisner Award-winning writer Brian Azzarello with art by award-winning artist Lee Bermejo. A visceral thrill-ride and supernatural horror story, BATMAN: DAMNED follows Batman as he searches for The Joker’s killer. But what happens when the person he is searching for is the man staring back at him in the mirror? With no memory of the events of the previous night, Batman is going to need some help. So who better to set him straight than John Constantine? The problem with that is as much as John loves a good mystery, he loves messing with people’s heads even more. So with John’s “help,” the pair will delve into the sordid underbelly of Gotham as they race toward the mind-blowing truth of who murdered The Joker.
Released in August, the sinister tale of THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS is debuting at #11. Written by Eisner Award-winning Scott Snyder with art by National Comics Award-winning artist Jock follows the Batman Who Laughs as he enacts a grim plan across the Multiverse — something both terrifying and oddly familiar. When Bruce Wayne realizes the only way to stop this madman is to kill him, he must consider violating the very rule Batman can’t ever break… the rule that created the Batman Who Laughs! As Bruce begins to realize that all the mistakes he’s made are somehow connected, the Batman Who Laughs unleashes a brand new evil.
Fans can continue their celebration of Batman’s 80th anniversary with these New York Times Best-Selling titles, BATMAN: DAMNED and THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS, which can be found in their local comic stores, traditional booksellers, and on digital book platforms.