View source for The Batman Who Laughs

{{short description|Fictional character in DC Comics}}
{{distinguish|Batman: The Man Who Laughs}}
{{all plot|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox comics character
| character_name     = The Batman Who Laughs
| image              = TheBatmanWhoLaughs.jpeg
| imagesize          = 
| image_size         = 
| alt                = 
| caption            = The Batman Who Laughs and his Robins as depicted in ''The Batman Who Laughs'' #1 (January 2018).
| publisher          = [[DC Comics]]
| debut              = ''Dark Days: The Casting #1'' (May 7th 2017)
| creators           = [[Scott Snyder]] (writer)<br>[[Greg Capullo]] (artist)
| alter ego          = Bruce Wayne
| species            = [[Metahuman]]
| homeworld          = Earth -22 (Dark Multiverse)
| alliances          = Dark Knights of the Dark Multiverse<br>[[Legion of Doom]]<br>[[Secret Six (comics)|Secret Six]]<br>Justice League (Formerly)
| supports           = 
| aliases            = [[Batman]], Darkest Knight
| powers             = 
* [[Genius]]-level intellect
* Peak human physical condition
* Master [[martial arts|martial artist]] and hand-to-hand combatant
* Utilizes high-tech equipment and weapons
After gaining Doctor Manhattan's powers: {{collapsible list
| titlestyle     = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;
| title = ''See list''
|
* Nigh-omnipotence
* Nigh-omniscience
* Nigh-omnipresence
* Reality warping
* Subatomic perception and control
* Science manipulation
* Disintegration
* Chronokinesis
* Time travel
* Cosmic awareness
* Shapeshifting
* Size alteration
* Flight and levitation
* Near-invulnerability
* Self-regeneration
* Self-sustenance
* Intangibility
* Immortality
* Telekinesis
* Telepathy
* Teleportation
* Dimensional travel
* Precognition
* Clairvoyance
* Superhuman strength, speed, senses, and intelligence
* Energy projection
* Matter and energy manipulation
}}
| hero               = 
| villain            = y
}}
'''The Batman Who Laughs''' ('''Bruce Wayne''') is a <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; supervillains (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->[[supervillain]] appearing in [[American comic books]] published by [[DC Comics]]. Created by writer [[Scott Snyder]] and artist [[Greg Capullo]], he is an evil counterpart and alternate version of [[Batman]] within the [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|Dark Multiverse]].

He is depicted as a hybrid of both Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Batman's arch enemy [[Joker (character)|Joker]], and is a member of the Dark Knights and the overarching antagonist of the [[Multiverse (DC Comics)#Dark Multiverse|Dark Multiverse Saga]], alongside cosmic deities [[List of DC Comics characters: P#Perpetua|Perpetua]] and Barbatos, from 2017 to 2021, following [[DC Rebirth]]. His first appearance was in the crossover storyline ''[[Dark Nights: Metal]]'', before receiving his own series and serving as the main antagonist in ''[[Batman/Superman]]'' in 2019 and DC Comics' ''[[Year of the Villain]]'' alongside [[Lex Luthor]].

His name is an allusion to the original Batman’s seriousness and to the 1928 film ''[[The Man Who Laughs (1928 film)|The Man Who Laughs]]'' featuring [[Conrad Veidt]], whose performance inspired the creation of the Joker.

==Publication history==
The Batman Who Laughs was created by [[Scott Snyder]] and [[Greg Capullo]] first appearing in the comic book ''Dark Days: The Casting''. The character was depicted as an alternate universe [[Batman]] who does not have a code against killing. Snyder explained his intent on the character in an interview by ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'': "He's basically Batman's worst nightmare come to life: Batman, if he was infected by the Joker toxin and lost all sense of ethics. What he wants to do in Gotham is bring Bruce’s worst nightmares to life".<ref name="HR">{{cite web |first=Graeme|last=McMillan|title='Batman Who Laughs' Reveals Dark Knight's Worst Fears (Exclusive Preview) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/batman-who-laughs-read-an-preview-1165514 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|publisher=[[Valence Media]]|location=Los Angeles, California|date=December 3, 2018|access-date=March 26, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Snyder's hope was that his character would be popular enough to get his own comic book series, and Snyder believed that "[[Jock (cartoonist)|Jock]] would be the perfect person to do it".<ref name="HR"/>

==Fictional character biography==
The Batman Who Laughs is an alternate universe variant of Batman from Earth -22 in the Dark Multiverse who was transformed into a Joker-like form as part of the original Joker's dying scheme. He then takes over Earth, killing most of his allies and turning his son [[Damian Wayne]] into a mini-Joker.<ref name="Batman Who Laughs">{{cite comic|artist=[[Jason Fabok]]<br>[[Brad Anderson (cartoonist)|Brad Anderson]]|writer=[[James Tynion IV]]|inker=[[Riley Rossmo]]|letterer=Tom Napolitano|editor=[[Eddie Berganza]]|story=The Batman Who Laughs|title=The Batman Who Laughs|date=January 2018|volume=1|issue=1|publisher=[[DC Comics]]|location=New York City}}</ref>

After arriving on [[DC Universe|Prime-Earth]], the Batman Who Laughs attempts to destroy reality using the [[Anti-Monitor]]'s brain, but is defeated and imprisoned in the Hall of Justice.<ref>''Dark Knights: Metal'' #6. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 4) #7. DC Comics.</ref>

In ''[[Dark Nights: Death Metal]]'', The Batman Who Laughs becomes Perpetua's lieutenant, aided by an army of evil alternate Batmen called the Dark Knights. [[Wonder Woman]] kills him, but the Dark Knights preserve his brain and transfer it to the body of "Batmanhattan", a variant of Batman who possesses [[Doctor Manhattan]]'s reality-warping abilities.<ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #1. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal: Legends of the Dark Knights'' (2020). DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #2. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #3. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal: Speed Metal'' #1. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #4. DC Comics.</ref> Now known as the "Darkest Knight", he attempts to remake the universe before Wonder Woman destroys him by pushing him into the sun.<ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #5. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #6. DC Comics.</ref><ref>''Dark Nights: Death Metal'' #7. DC Comics.</ref>

==Collected editions==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Title
!Material collected
!Published date
!ISBN
|-
|''Dark Nights: Metal — Dark Knights Rising''
|''Batman: The Red Death'' #1, ''Batman: The Devastator'' #1, ''Batman: The Merciless'' #1, ''Batman: The Murder Machine'' #1, ''Batman: The Drowned'' #1, ''Batman: The Dawnbreaker'' #1, ''The Batman Who Laughs'' (vol. 1) #1, ''Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt'' #1
|June 2018
|{{ISBNT|978-1401289072}}
|-
|''The Batman Who Laughs''
|''The Batman Who Laughs'' (vol. 2) #1–7, ''The Batman Who Laughs: The Grim Knight'' #1
|September 2019
|{{ISBNT|978-1401294038}}
|-
|}

==Powers and abilities==
The Batman Who Laughs is depicted as having the same abilities as Batman, combined with the twisted nihilism of the Joker. Furthermore, he has a futuristic visor made out of "Dark Metal" that gives him a form of precognition, and wields various weapons, including machine guns, knives, and a bladed chain.

The Batman Who Laughs also uses batarangs made of "Dark Metal" that can bring out the worst version of the victim.

In ''Dark Knights: Death Metal'', The Batman Who Laughs gains the powers of Doctor Manhattan by having Dr. Arkham surgically integrate his mind into that of a Bruce Wayne with Manhattan’s powers, granting him nigh-omnipotence, flight, and teleportation among other powers.

Like other inhabitants of the Dark Multiverse, The Batman Who Laughs is vulnerable to [[Nth Metal]].

==Reception==

The Batman Who Laughs has been commonly described as "horrifying" by website authors.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Polo |first1=Susana |title=The Batman Who Laughs is back, and he brought a new Nightmare Batman |url=https://www.polygon.com/comics/2018/12/11/18134539/batman-who-laughs-comic-grim-knight-punisher-scott-snyder-dc-comics |website=Polygon |access-date=26 March 2019 |date=11 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Pulliam-Moore |first1=Charles |title=The Nightmarish, Joker-esque Batman From Metal Has an Amazing, Horrifying Origin Story |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-nightmarish-joker-esque-batman-from-metal-has-an-a-1819227241 |website=io9 |date=8 October 2017|access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Jim|last=Johnson|title=There's a New Batman Who Laughs, and He Just Might Be a Good Guy |url=https://www.cbr.com/second-batman-who-laughs/ |website=CBR |access-date=26 March 2019 |date=17 February 2019}}</ref> [[Comic Book Resources]] describes The Batman Who Laughs as comprising all the "best" parts of Batman and the "worst" parts of the Joker.<ref>{{cite web |last1=LaPointe |first1=Sarah |title=Dark Knight's Mettle: 15 Things That Make The Batman Who Laughs the Best (and Worst) Batman |url=https://www.cbr.com/dark-knights-mettle-15-things-that-make-the-batman-who-laughs-the-best-and-worst-batman/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources]]|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|location=Quebec, Ontario, Canada |access-date=26 March 2019 |date=7 December 2018}}</ref>

The character has been compared to [[Judge Death]] in design.<ref>{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Brown|title=Brown: The Batman Who Laughs seems inspired by Judge Death|newspaper=[[The London Free Press]] |publisher=[[Postmedia]]|location=London, Ontario, Canada|url=https://lfpress.com/entertainment/books/brown-the-batman-who-laughs-seems-inspired-by-judge-death |access-date=26 March 2019 |language=en |date=15 March 2019}}</ref> The character's creator, [[Scott Snyder]], noted that the two characters have a similar aesthetic.<ref>{{cite web |first=Ross|last=Burlingame|title=Scott Snyder and Jock On Their "Terrifyingly Expansive" Series, 'The Batman Who Laughs' |url=https://comicbook.com/dc/2018/12/07/scott-snyder-jock-batman-who-laughs-interview/ |website=Comicbook.com|date=July 12, 2018|access-date=March 26, 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="bleedingcool">{{cite web |first=Jeremy|last=Konrad|title=Batman Who Laughs Gets a Ridiculously Awesome Statue From Prime 1 Studio |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/08/02/batman-who-laughs-statue-prime-1-studio/ |website=[[Bleeding Cool]]|date=August 2, 2018}}</ref>

==In other media==
===Video games===
* The Batman Who Laughs appears in ''[[DC Universe Online]]''.
* The Batman Who Laughs appears as a playable character in ''[[Fortnite Battle Royale|Fortnite]]''.
* The Batman Who Laughs appears as a DLC skin for [[Noob Saibot]] in ''[[Mortal Kombat 11]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 January 2020 |title=Mortal Kombat 11's New DC Comics Skins: Where Each of Them is from |url=https://studiocgames.com/reviews/mortal-kombat-11s-new-dc-comics-skins-where-each-of-them-is-from/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201025427/https://studiocgames.com/reviews/mortal-kombat-11s-new-dc-comics-skins-where-each-of-them-is-from/ |archive-date=1 December 2023 |access-date=20 September 2021}}</ref>
* The Batman Who Laughs appears as a skin for the Joker in ''[[MultiVersus]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Stewart |first=Marcus |date=2024-05-28 |title=Check Out The Joker's MultiVersus Gameplay And The Batman Who Laughs Alternate Costume |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2024/05/13/check-out-the-jokers-multiversus-gameplay-and-the-batman-who-laughs-alternate-costume |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240513215642/https://www.gameinformer.com/2024/05/13/check-out-the-jokers-multiversus-gameplay-and-the-batman-who-laughs-alternate-costume |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 13, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-15 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en}}</ref>
* The Batman Who Laughs will appear in ''DC: Dark Legion''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Makuch|first=Eddie|date=July 13, 2023|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-dc-strategy-game-announced-coming-next-year/1100-6515914/|title=New DC Strategy Game Announced, Coming Next Year|publisher=[[IGN]]|accessdate=July 14, 2023}}</ref>

=== Board games ===
[https://theop.games/products/game/the-batman-who-laughs-rising/ The Batman Who Laughs Rising] is a 2020 cooperative strategy dice game from The Op.

The character appeared as an expansion for the second edition of the board game [[Zombicide]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/369890/zombicide-2nd-edition-dark-nights-metal-pack-1 | title=Zombicide: 2nd Edition – Dark Nights Metal: Pack #1 }}</ref>

===Merchandise===
Knight Models has a line of gaming miniatures based on the DC comics run. [[Funko]] has released action figures of the character.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fallon |first1=Sean |title=The Batman Who Laughs Previews Exclusive Funko Pop is Almost Here |url=https://comicbook.com/dc/2019/01/15/the-batman-who-laughs-previews-exclusive-funko-pop-figure/ |website=comicbook.com |date=January 15, 2019|access-date=March 27, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Various figures from companies such as [[Diamond Select Toys]] and Prime 1 Studios have produced figures as well.<ref name=bleedingcool/> [[McFarlane Toys]] has also made a version of The Batman Who Laughs for their new [[DC Multiverse (toy line)|DC Multiverse]] line of 7-inch figures. McFarlane Toys also made a 5-inch [[Super Powers Collection|Super Powers]] figure of The Batman Who Laughs in 2022..

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Bruce_Wayne_(Earth_-22) The Batman Who Laughs] at DC Comics Wiki

{{Batman characters}}
{{The Joker}}
{{Justice League Dark}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Batman Who Laughs}}
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