Continuity Questions

[KReader]

Hi All,

I'm new to Batman comics and to the forums - enjoying both!

First and foremost can somebody clarify which TPB's or comics Jim Gordon is promoted to his various ranks?

* In Batman: Year One he joins G.C.P.D as a lieutenant (so far, so good)
* In The Man Who Laughs he then holds the rank of Captain
* In Batman: Year Two he now holds the rank of commissioner (#575-#578)

Whilst I appreciate these ranks are in correct order I've not been able to find any storyline about his promotions.The Wikipedia article linked from the main Batman sticky and other sources recommend the reading order above; suffice to say I'm confused.

Second questions is in relation to the TPB - The Man Who Laughs:

* The story hints on the Joker having previously used the alias "The Red Hood" - any truth/back story to this?

* In the latter part of the story Bruce Wayne poisons himself with the Jokers poison to evade the Gotham police but where does he get it from in the first place?!

* Aside from being a psychopath what's Jokers motivation for poisoning the whole city?

Sorry for these questions being quite specific, they're fresh in my mind!

[FHIZ]

With the man who laughs questions:

the most accepted origin of Joker is that he was under the identity of the Red Hood (I interchangeable front for a “master criminal” by the mob,) ran into Batman, fell in to vatt of chemicals, Joker. The Killing Joke has more on that.

I think he synthesized it or something. Been a while since I’ve read it.

He’s the friggen Joker, that’s why.

[KReader]

With the man who laughs questions:

He’s the friggen Joker, that’s why.

Thanks for the swift reply FHIZ - love the line above, perhaps I was looking too deep on that one!

I've just picked up The Killing Joke today so hopefully that'll clear some of that up.

Is The Red Hood stuff any good, or is it an older/outdated story?

[Mat001]

Hi All,

I'm new to Batman comics and to the forums - enjoying both!

First and foremost can somebody clarify which TPB's or comics Jim Gordon is promoted to his various ranks?

* In Batman: Year One he joins G.C.P.D as a lieutenant (so far, so good)
* In The Man Who Laughs he then holds the rank of Captain
* In Batman: Year Two he now holds the rank of commissioner (#575-#578)

Whilst I appreciate these ranks are in correct order I've not been able to find any storyline about his promotions.The Wikipedia article linked from the main Batman sticky and other sources recommend the reading order above; suffice to say I'm confused.

Jim's promotion is mentioned at the end of "Year One", during his narration about what happened following the attempted kidnapping of his son. No other story shows his promotion from Captain to Commissioner. It's just generally accepted that Jim is promoted after Dick has become Robin.


Second questions is in relation to the TPB - The Man Who Laughs:

* The story hints on the Joker having previously used the alias "The Red Hood" - any truth/back story to this?

Read "The Killing Joke".


* In the latter part of the story Bruce Wayne poisons himself with the Jokers poison to evade the Gotham police but where does he get it from in the first place?!

I've only read it once, so I cannot recall.


* Aside from being a psychopath what's Jokers motivation for poisoning the whole city?

No other motvation than that.

[jgiannantoni05]

* The story hints on the Joker having previously used the alias "The Red Hood" - any truth/back story to this?
Yes. This is basically the only thing we know for certain about Pre-Joker, that he was the Red Hood. Killing Joke or Dini's Case Study short story elaborate on the Red Hood crimes. BUT....remember, all we know is that he was the Red Hood...we don't certainly know what truly happened in Joker's life to put him in that Red Hood costume. Joker's says his memory of his old life is "multiple choice," sometimes he remembers it one way, sometimes another.

(Don't read either Killing Joke or Case Study as the true origin past of the Joker...Joker's "multiple choice" comment in Killing Joke trumps it all, meaning we don't know his origin for certain, other than he was Red Hood)


* In the latter part of the story Bruce Wayne poisons himself with the Jokers poison to evade the Gotham police but where does he get it from in the first place?!
The victims Joker killed.


* Aside from being a psychopath what's Jokers motivation for poisoning the whole city?
MWL kinda talks about how Joker's mind sorta blames all of Gotham for his "fall" in to the chemicals. He killed those guys rich outta revenge. And his mind extended it all to Gotham too. So it's part revenge. But..Joker basically believes life is cruel, random, and meaningless...and just in general likes to visit such cruel random acts on people.