Just finished this story yesterday and came to check out your review. I agree, this was a great reimagining of the original Batman/Joker encounter and the stylistic artwork by Mitch Gerads was phenomenal. In general I think I have always disagreed with Tom King’s idea of what Batman is, and he sort of touches on that at the end of this story which I didn’t care for. But as a whole, I really enjoyed this modern retelling of Batman #1. I think it’s a great place for new readers to start.
Loved this story, mate. King and Gerads are always a buy for me. Only found about this US exclusive last week, so now I find myself paying triple for what I paid for the paperback. Oh well, worth it!
Yeah I think this is exclusive to Target stores! I wouldn’t have heard about it if other buddies hadn’t pointed it out to me. Very happy to have read it. A very dark, brooding story I thought and that art from Gerads is something else 😱🦇
Hey man! Thanks for stopping by. Yeah this was fun-very dark, but solid. I’ll admit this collection would have completely missed my radar if it were not for some comic UA-camr friends. This hardcover specifically I believe is a Target store exclusive, though I’ve seen paperback collections on Amazon and things. For fans of this team of creators or the Joker this is a great read! 🦇
What a wonderful question! I’m happy you asked it. I’ve had longer to sit with The Man Who Laughs, this was a newer read for me so I’m curious how this story will settle in my evaluations of it over time. I will say this, right this moment I still give the edge to The Man Who Laughs-it was a rich story with that dark edge. Winning Card was still fantastic and I enjoyed the way King and Gerads adapted this early Joker interaction. I will say Winning Card’s Joker was also a lot more creepy/sinister to me. King’s Bats was also more brutal. Still a fantastic story but I’m giving my initial vote to Man Who Laughs. What about you? Have you read both?
@@TheComicBookReport I just finished the winning card and out of the two stories I got to say my favorite is the winning card. Look I admit if someone asks me what is best story to start reading Joker I am going with the man who laughs, but there are certain aspects about this book I just love. For one I like how it pays homage to the first comic joker was in. Second joker is supposed to be a turning point in Batman’s career which was showed off more here than the first book. Third I give it the edge for feeling like it shows Joker off as the unpredictable force of nature and monster than the man who laughs does. Like I said the Man Who Laughs isn’t a bad story, but this one just fits more with the joker of today than the one in the man who laughs and feels like a good retelling and makes this one of my favorite Tom King Batman books. Although I gotta admit I am a bit annoyed it made the poison the water thing no longer cannon. It ruins a plot point in Death of The Family which is a Batman story still being felt to this day unlike most of the other new 52 Batman books.
@@spencerolson7045 thank you for reporting back! I’m so happy you enjoyed it :) Yeah I’m not entirely clear on the cannon nature of Winning Card. I did definitely enjoy it and I love what you bring up about The Joker of Today, that’s an angle I hadn’t quite considered
@@MarvelKnight-tw9hb that’s a fun one to thing about. Ledger’s Joker to me was frightening because of how chaotic he was. This joker probably scared me a tad more just because he’s depicted so terrifyingly ha 😂 like the artist really frames him to be a creepy monster of a person
That book is considered a classic, impeccable art and a gripping story. I have other Batman books I typically recommend starting with like Batman Year One by Frank Miller or Batman the Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. By all means though picking a Bat book that looks interesting to you should do the trick
I'm so happy I picked this collection up! It's limited to 6000 copies, speaking to a Target employee, each store only received 3 copies each unless the store was in a huge market like Los Angeles or New York. It pairs so well with the One Bad Day: Riddler story. I'm still kind of annoyed that this technically now replaces The Man Who Laughs, but both are great stories in their own right and you can just pick what's canon to you as a reader.
I have yet to read that series though I am interested. Initially I was drawn to it by the writer but didn’t ultimately feel I wanted to invest on a Joker heavy series, but then a commenter mentioned it also Heavily Involved Gordon and I’m right back to interested again ha So no I haven’t read that series but I hope to!
I recently picked up this and Supercorp at my local Target and I can say that while I enjoyed it, I definitely prefer The Man Who Laughs. I feel like some of the risks The Winning Card takes don’t truly pay off, especially with Batman’s character. He doesn’t really act like he did in any other early year Batman story that I’ve read. Meanwhile with The Man Who Laughs, it feels like I’m going into right after Year One.
Yeah I preferred Man Who Laughs as well but still enjoyed this for sure! And I just finished Supercorp this past week! I’m hoping to review it on here in the next few weeks 💪 Have you had a chance to read that one yet? 📚
@@TheComicBookReport I've just started it. I've really enjoyed Joshua Williamson's work on the Flash and I see much of what I liked in that series present here.
I’ve read nova in things like Annihilation but not much of his solo stuff. I first read Warlock in the pages of infinity gauntlet. But, really got to know that character in the Adam Warlock Omnibus which I did read and review: Adam Warlock Omnibus Review | Jim Starlin | Roy Thomas ua-cam.com/video/XxCTHWBV2QM/v-deo.html
This is an exclusive edition? Because i recently acquired this book and the only edition availible was a trade paperback edition with another main cover 😅
Yeah I think the standard release for this collected edition was only a paperback and had a different cover. As far as I know this hardcover edition with this title was only available through Target store. Unless of course you pick up from a secondary market or reseller?
@@TheComicBookReport heard it is in Batman by Tom King and Lee Weeks deluxe edition though I don’t think you want to spend $30 on a single issue as the rest of the content in the book is there work in Batman rebirth
Gotcha. Well it looks absolutely gorgeous! And I’m a big fan of that creative team. Tom King has always been hit or miss with me but the ones he hits he knocks out of the park. So I can’t help but always want to check out his work.
Have you read Batman: The Winning Card? 🦇
😅I haven't tho I would prob check it out also have you read Death of Captain Marvel By Jim Starlin?
I have and love it!!!
@@Mexruste10 have not read that one yet. Worth reading?
@@renekuilan5071 💯🦇🃏
@@TheComicBookReport Yes it got og captain marvel by the title you should know what happens
Is it me or what but Mitch Gerads Art of Bruce Wayne in both the Winning Card and One Bad Day Riddler looks like Jon Hamm!!!
Oh I see shades of that for sure 👏
Not for nothing I’d be down for a Hamm Batman 💪🦇
Just finished this story yesterday and came to check out your review. I agree, this was a great reimagining of the original Batman/Joker encounter and the stylistic artwork by Mitch Gerads was phenomenal. In general I think I have always disagreed with Tom King’s idea of what Batman is, and he sort of touches on that at the end of this story which I didn’t care for. But as a whole, I really enjoyed this modern retelling of Batman #1. I think it’s a great place for new readers to start.
That’s definitely fair.
It wasn’t my favorite thing, by either creator but I loved it as a retelling and overall had a lot of fun with it
Definitely Worth Reading.💐
Loved this story, mate. King and Gerads are always a buy for me. Only found about this US exclusive last week, so now I find myself paying triple for what I paid for the paperback. Oh well, worth it!
Yeah this collection really snuck up on me I didn’t even know it existed until a few weeks ago! I had a blast with it. This team is incredible 🦇🃏
I was about to get the paperback, didn’t know there was a hardcover so I’m definitely getting this one now
Yeah I think it’s a target exclusive but very cool edition. Cover is chilling.
Happy reading 🦇
Dang wish I knew about this hardcover! I got the paperback. Read it in singles; absolutely fantastic work by King & Gerads
Yeah I think this is exclusive to Target stores! I wouldn’t have heard about it if other buddies hadn’t pointed it out to me.
Very happy to have read it. A very dark, brooding story I thought and that art from Gerads is something else 😱🦇
Awesome video 👌what a cool looking random collection. Need to find a copy for myself.
Hey man! Thanks for stopping by.
Yeah this was fun-very dark, but solid. I’ll admit this collection would have completely missed my radar if it were not for some comic UA-camr friends. This hardcover specifically I believe is a Target store exclusive, though I’ve seen paperback collections on Amazon and things.
For fans of this team of creators or the Joker this is a great read! 🦇
What is a better introduction to joker story for you? Do you prefer this book or the man who laughs?
What a wonderful question! I’m happy you asked it. I’ve had longer to sit with The Man Who Laughs, this was a newer read for me so I’m curious how this story will settle in my evaluations of it over time.
I will say this, right this moment I still give the edge to The Man Who Laughs-it was a rich story with that dark edge. Winning Card was still fantastic and I enjoyed the way King and Gerads adapted this early Joker interaction. I will say Winning Card’s Joker was also a lot more creepy/sinister to me. King’s Bats was also more brutal.
Still a fantastic story but I’m giving my initial vote to Man Who Laughs.
What about you? Have you read both?
@@TheComicBookReport just bought the winning card yesterday, haven’t had a chance to read it yet but when I do I will get back to you on my answer
@@spencerolson7045 yeah would love to get more feedback on this book! Hope you enjoy 🦇
@@TheComicBookReport I just finished the winning card and out of the two stories I got to say my favorite is the winning card.
Look I admit if someone asks me what is best story to start reading Joker I am going with the man who laughs, but there are certain aspects about this book I just love. For one I like how it pays homage to the first comic joker was in. Second joker is supposed to be a turning point in Batman’s career which was showed off more here than the first book. Third I give it the edge for feeling like it shows Joker off as the unpredictable force of nature and monster than the man who laughs does.
Like I said the Man Who Laughs isn’t a bad story, but this one just fits more with the joker of today than the one in the man who laughs and feels like a good retelling and makes this one of my favorite Tom King Batman books.
Although I gotta admit I am a bit annoyed it made the poison the water thing no longer cannon. It ruins a plot point in Death of The Family which is a Batman story still being felt to this day unlike most of the other new 52 Batman books.
@@spencerolson7045 thank you for reporting back! I’m so happy you enjoyed it :)
Yeah I’m not entirely clear on the cannon nature of Winning Card. I did definitely enjoy it and I love what you bring up about The Joker of Today, that’s an angle I hadn’t quite considered
I really loved this one the joker is an absolute nightmare in this book the moment in the car was so terrifying!
Oh yeah and the porta potty 😱
This was one of the creepiest incarnations of the Joker I’ve ever read
@@TheComicBookReport real quick question: do you think this a scarier joker then Heath ledger's version?
@@MarvelKnight-tw9hb that’s a fun one to thing about. Ledger’s Joker to me was frightening because of how chaotic he was. This joker probably scared me a tad more just because he’s depicted so terrifyingly ha 😂 like the artist really frames him to be a creepy monster of a person
Picked this book up today solely based on this review! Thanks for the tip!!
Sincerely hope you enjoy the journey 🦇🦇🦇
is batman arkham asylum a good beginning for dc
mostly batman
That book is considered a classic, impeccable art and a gripping story.
I have other Batman books I typically recommend starting with like Batman Year One by Frank Miller or Batman the Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.
By all means though picking a Bat book that looks interesting to you should do the trick
I'm so happy I picked this collection up! It's limited to 6000 copies, speaking to a Target employee, each store only received 3 copies each unless the store was in a huge market like Los Angeles or New York. It pairs so well with the One Bad Day: Riddler story. I'm still kind of annoyed that this technically now replaces The Man Who Laughs, but both are great stories in their own right and you can just pick what's canon to you as a reader.
Say have you read James Tynion’s Joker series? They’re doing big compendium collection and I’m on the fence about ordering it 🤔
I have yet to read that series though I am interested. Initially I was drawn to it by the writer but didn’t ultimately feel I wanted to invest on a Joker heavy series, but then a commenter mentioned it also Heavily
Involved Gordon and I’m right back to interested again ha
So no I haven’t read that series but I hope to!
I recently picked up this and Supercorp at my local Target and I can say that while I enjoyed it, I definitely prefer The Man Who Laughs. I feel like some of the risks The Winning Card takes don’t truly pay off, especially with Batman’s character. He doesn’t really act like he did in any other early year Batman story that I’ve read. Meanwhile with The Man Who Laughs, it feels like I’m going into right after Year One.
Yeah I preferred Man Who Laughs as well but still enjoyed this for sure!
And I just finished Supercorp this past week! I’m hoping to review it on here in the next few weeks 💪
Have you had a chance to read that one yet? 📚
@@TheComicBookReport I've just started it. I've really enjoyed Joshua Williamson's work on the Flash and I see much of what I liked in that series present here.
@@thatoneslushieaddict 💯👏
Have you read some of Adam warlock stuff and Nova?
I’ve read nova in things like Annihilation but not much of his solo stuff. I first read Warlock in the pages of infinity gauntlet. But, really got to know that character in the Adam Warlock Omnibus which I did read and review:
Adam Warlock Omnibus Review | Jim Starlin | Roy Thomas
ua-cam.com/video/XxCTHWBV2QM/v-deo.html
This is an exclusive edition? Because i recently acquired this book and the only edition availible was a trade paperback edition with another main cover 😅
Yeah I think the standard release for this collected edition was only a paperback and had a different cover. As far as I know this hardcover edition with this title was only available through Target store. Unless of course you pick up from a secondary market or reseller?
Ever read his Batman/Elmer Fudd team-up story?
No, sadly that DC Looney Tunes crossover collection was one of the few I didn’t collect where it was Tom King Batman
@@TheComicBookReport heard it is in Batman by Tom King and Lee Weeks deluxe edition though I don’t think you want to spend $30 on a single issue as the rest of the content in the book is there work in Batman rebirth
When the heck was this hardcover released?!
Target Exclusive
I believe in the last month or so
@@TheComicBookReport That’s wild. I only see it listed on eBay for like $50. Wish I would have known!
@@zeen2021 yeah I think it was right at $20 in stores
Gotcha. Well it looks absolutely gorgeous! And I’m a big fan of that creative team. Tom King has always been hit or miss with me but the ones he hits he knocks out of the park. So I can’t help but always want to check out his work.
@@zeen2021 thanks! Yeah I love kings stuff that I’ve read! I still need to read Mister Miracle 😱
The cover for this book is PROVOCATIVE!
Oh it’s wild
@@TheComicBookReport well I mean….the scene its like watching a train wreck about to happen! SOMEONE GET THAT KID!!!!!!
@@Theworthlessopinion yeah chilling