The Caped Crusader confronts the Clown Prince of Crime after he’s shot up a church wedding. With dead people all around, will Joker find a new hostage to take? Or will Batman punch him in the face?

Batman 48
Written by Tom KingĀ 
Pencils and Inks by Mikel Janin
Colors by June Chung

There are times when I have trouble getting into Tom King’s writing on Batman, like during the WAR OF JOKES AND RIDDLES. But there are others where I breeze through it and wish there was more, because it was so much fun. The latest issue of Batman is definitely in the latter category.

With Batman’s wedding to Catwoman just two issues away (plus some specials), it seems like the Bat has to deal with an unwanted guest first. Set up in the DC NATION special last month, The Joker REALLY wants to be invited to the wedding, and he’s literally willing to kill to get in to the wedding of the century.

All Joker wants is to be loved, or at least appreciated, by Batman! He certainly doesn’t want to be punched in the face! He even manages to take Batman hostage!

That’s the problem with his hostages. He keeps shooting them. He did manage to not pull the trigger when he took himself hostage, so that’s progress.

I still want to know how Joker even found out that Batman and Catwoman were getting married, but somehow I think I’m just going to have to suspend my disbelief here. And that’s fine. This issue was an absolute blast, and I’m looking forward to part two in two weeks, as Catwoman comes in to save the day.