Description

Batman: Lovers & Madmen                          Sealed Hardcover
Introduction by: Brad Meltzer
Writer: Michael Green
Artist: Denys Cowan
Inker: John Floyd
Colorist: I.L.L.
Letterers: Ken Lopez & Travis Lanham
Editors: Mike Carlin & Tom Palmer Jr.
Cover by: Denys Cowan & John Floyd

A tale set early in the career of the Dark Knight that sheds light on who the Joker was before he became the Clown Prince of Crime. In this volume discover how Batman first crossed paths with the punk who was destined to become his deadliest foe and see just how far he’ll go in order to bring down the new criminal insanity that’s inspiring Gotham City’s underworld.

Story/Spoilers
In part #1, After operating as the Batman for nearly a year, Bruce Wayne has nearly perfected his crime fighting technique. He has cultivated a reputation for himself and the crime rate in Gotham City has dropped significantly. As Bruce Wayne, he attends a special exhibition of Picasso’s “Harlequins” at the Gotham Museum of Modern Art. There he meets curator Lorna Shore. That evening, Batman consults with Captain Gordon about a bizarre break-in at Kirsch’s Diamonds. Jack drowns his sorrows out at a local pub where he strikes up a conversation with Leena. His current line of work doesn’t yield him the amount of excitement that he feels it should. He tells Leena he’s a securities broker, but in reality, Jack is a bank robber. That night, Jack and his crew break into a bank, killing several guards. Batman bursts into the room and begins subduing the criminals. Jack smiles, finding Batman “ridiculous.”

Next in part #2, Batman finds the body of a dead guard. A note is pinned to his chest, thanking Batman for “making his day”. Batman is frustrated with the new enemy that has been cutting a bloody swathe across the city. All the work Batman has accomplished is slowly unraveling. The gangster Maletesta tells Batman that he met “Jack” when he was a shooter for the Berlanti crime family. Maletesta wants to see him eliminated just as much as Batman and offers to finish the job if he needs help taking Jack out of the picture. Batman returns home to the Batcave where Alfred has been laboring to put together an elaborate computer network. As the computer is not yet ready, he advises Bruce to pay a visit to Lorna Shore. After a dinner date, Bruce brings Lorna back to Wayne Manor, and she spends the night with him. Days later, Bruce returns to the Batcave and finds that Alfred has finished hooking up the new computer. After feeding information into the system, they extrapolate what Jack’s most likely target will be: the Gotham Museum of Art.

Next in part #3, Jack gathers his thugs together and goes over their next big robbery. He gives them all masks to disguise their features and tells them make a lot of noise and shoot a lot of bullets. He wants to attract as much attention as possible. The gang then proceeds to raid a costume charity ball. Jack succeeds in meeting his objective – attracting the attention of the Batman. Batman takes down Jack’s goons with his experimental weaponry, but in the chaos Jack grabs partier Lorna Shore as a hostage. With little recourse, Batman picks up a discarded pistol and uses it to disarm Jack. Jack counters by viciously stabbing Lorna Shore. Batman rushes to Lorna’s fallen body as Jack runs away. To let him know that their business is far from over, Batman hurls a batarang that slices across Jack’s face, splitting his mouth. Jack still manages to escape however. Batman takes Lorna to the hospital where he keeps a silent vigil over her. Later, Batman decides that in order to capture Jack, he needs to understand his mania. He consults with the reputed neurochemist Dr. Jonathan Crane. After providing Crane with a rudimentary description of Jack’s behavior, Crane deduces that there is no point in trying to understand him. Jack is not a criminal. He is the ultimate in insanity. He is evil. Back at his hideout, Jack cleans up his face. The cut is deep however and requires medical attention. At the Batcave, Bruce continues to track Jack’s whereabouts. Alfred fields a telephone call from the hospital. Lorna’s condition is worsening. They don’t expect her to survive the night. In a rage, Batman smashes his “bat-computer” Dupin. Driven to an act of desperation, Batman telephones the gangster Maletesta. He tells him where to find Jack and instructs him to “do what you will”.

Next in part #4, Maletesta, his assistant Tubby, and several other henchmen take the bound Jack to the old Green Pharmaceutical plant. They sit him in a chair and beat him mercilessly with pipes and brass knuckles. Maletesta thinks that Jack is unconscious, but in truth, he is merely sifting through the various sensations. He finally speaks up, telling them that they are using ineffective methods for sound torture. Maletesta gets tired of Jack’s prattling and suspends him by a chain over a vat of chemicals. Jack tells the goons that he is going to kill them, but affords Tubby the chance to get away, as he was the only one who offered Jack a quick and relatively painless death. As the chain is released, the Joker swings his body up to a scaffold and frees himself. He wraps the chain around one thug’s neck, killing him. He then tackles Maletesta and the two fall over the scaffolding. They both land hard, but Jack is the first to rise. Maletesta squeezes off a shot, and a bullet nicks Jack’s ear. The bullet also strikes a control switch on the wall that activates a mixing vat above their heads. Batman meanwhile, regrets calling upon Maletesta’s resources and races down to the pharmaceutical plant. He enters the facility just as a chemical mixing vat dumps its contents all over Jack. The current sweeps Jack away into the underbelly of the plant. He holds his breath, but he knows that death is coming. His luck improves however, as he discovers a drainage pipe that leads outside the plant. When Jack finally emerges, he finds that the chemicals have turned his hair green and his skin white. Batman races outside and finds the transformed Jack several yards away. He thinks to himself, “What have I done?” as Jack runs off into the night.

Next in part #5, After fruitlessly searching the woods for signs of the Joker, Batman returns home to Wayne Manor. Alfred tells him that he refurbished the Batcave’s computer system, but Batman seems unimpressed. Moments later, Alfred receives a phone call. He tells Batman that the hospital called and that Lorna Shore is still alive. Bruce goes to the hospital to visit her. Later that day, the Joker sends a blimp flying towards Gotham’s Twin Towers. James Gordon has a police helicopter pursue the vessel, but it explodes raining poisonous gas and shards of etched glass down on the crowds below. People begin falling over to the pavement, their lips pulled back in a ghoulish grin. Alfred goes to the hospital and tells Bruce what has been happening. He gives him a briefcase containing his costume and equipment. Batman tracks the Joker to the roof of police headquarters. The Joker is impressed that the Batman finally cared enough to come after him. To show his appreciation, he lunges at Batman with a knife.

Finally in part #6, The Joker and Batman simultaneously stab each other as they both fall. Once they land, the Joker starts shooting at the ropes keeping his hostages dangling in the air. Batman saves as many as he can, only for the Joker to blow up the building. Batman asks why the Joker killed them, and the Joker asks why he saved them. He jumps. Batman considers letting him fall to his death, but decides life matters and catches him. The Joker is arrested. Jim Gordon tells Batman Lorna Shore survived her injuries. He goes to visit her as Bruce Wayne and breaks up with her. Though upset, Lorna tells him she plans to leave Gotham anyway–she doesn’t want to live in a city where madmen like Batman are running around. The Wayne Foundation’s generous donation allows Arkham Asylum to open ahead of schedule. The Joker becomes the first prisoner incarcerated there.

Hardcover reprints/collects: Batman Confidential (2007) Issues #7-12.  DC Comics

Sealed Hardcover is bagged and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

First printing
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: 2008
Format: FC, 144 pages, HC, 7″ x 10.5″
ISBN-10: 1401216838
ISBN-13: 9781401216832

Collectible Entertainment note: Hardcover is Brand New & Factory Sealed.  Very Fine + condition.  Beautiful!  Please see scans!!  A must have for any serious Batman and/or Joker collector / enthusiast.  A fun & entertaining read.  Recommended.

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