“Maybe it’s the Gotham City in me, we just have a bad history with freaks dressed like clowns…”
THE STORY
Prologue | “Non Serviam”
In 1981, Thomas and Martha Wayne are gunned down in front of their son Bruce by Joe Chill during the Gotham Clown Riots lead by the first Joker, the Comedian, Arthur Fleck.
Chapter 1 | “Heavy Lies the Crown”
In the present day, Chill hires a gang of criminals to rob a mob bank owned by the second Joker, the Clown. He hires Deadshot to ensure that the robbery is successful, but later dismisses him after Deadshot demands for more money. The criminals start murdering each other for a higher share until only one remains, a third Joker, the Criminal; he escapes with the money and burns his share. In Midway City, Batman tracks down Deadshot and seizes him. After a brief fight, Deadshot surrenders. Back in Gotham, Bruce learns about a man named Anatoli Knyazev who has ties to Chill.
Chapter 2 | “We’re Going for a Drive”
Through surveillance cameras, the Clown watches Chill’s gang buy a case of specialized microprocessors and crates of cocaine from the Chinese mob. They are later chased down by Batman in his Batmobile. During the chase, Batman encounters the Criminal, the Clown and Harley Quinn; the latter pair attempt to thwart Chill by causing one of his goons to collide with a petrol truck. Chill manages to escape, but Batman is able to apprehend the Criminal and Harley.
Chapter 3 | “Are You the Devil?”
At the Gotham City Police Department, Batman interrogates the Criminal but gets no information off him. Returning to the Batcave, he attempts to locate the other crates by tapping into the signal of an active microprocessor but discovers that it’s coming from inside the GCPD. The Criminal triggers the microprocessor to explode and escapes with a distraught Harley. They later break the Comedian, Arthur Fleck, out of Arkham Asylum.
Chapter 4 | “Tryouts”
At Gotham General Hospital, Arthur entertains a group of children dressed as a clown doctor. Meanwhile, Gotham City News receives a video from the Criminal who threatens to blow up a hospital. Gotham General is evacuated, but the Criminal, dressed as a nurse, manages to kill a policeman before destroying it. At Wayne Enterprises, Bruce receives a letter from one of the Jokers, taunting him.
Chapter 5 | “How Many Are There?”
Later, a paranoid Chill and his goons transfer the crates of cocaine that they’ve hidden at Ace Chemicals. However, the Clown arrives in a helicopter and starts a shootout, but Chill manages to escape inside the Ace Chemicals building. Batman arrives in his Batwing and takes out Chill’s goons and the Clown’s helicopter. Chill is then shot by Arthur and falls into a vat of chemicals.
Batman locates the Criminal in a nearby warehouse and neutralizes his henchmen with the help of the Clown who survived the helicopter explosion. He throws the Criminal out of the building, but catches him with his grapple gun at the last second. The Criminal watches as Harley drives a petrol truck into Ace Chemicals, causing the facility to explode and presumably killing the Criminal.
Epilogue | “They Were Hunters”
Sometime after the “Joker War”, Harley joins Deadshot as a member of Task Force X, Arthur resumes operating as the Joker, and the Clown forms the Injustice Gang with Deathstroke and Lex Luthor. Alfred confronts Bruce inside a ruined Wayne Manor and tells him that he can’t win the “war”. A solemn Bruce replies that it’s the only thing he does that matters. He leaves an anxious Alfred and continues his hunt for the remaining Jokers.
Meanwhile, Joe Chill, sporting a Joker-like appearance, had survived the Ace Chemicals explosion. Under his breath, he warns Gotham City and says, “Wait ‘til they get a load of me.”
Timestamps:
00:00 Prologue | “Non Serviam”
01:06 Chapter 1 | “Heavy Lies the Crown”
06:27 Chapter 2 | “We’re Going for a Drive”
12:06 Chapter 3 | “Are You the Devil?”
17:18 Chapter 4 | “Tryouts”
19:26 Chapter 5 | “How Many Are There?”
23:44 Epilogue | “They Were Hunters”
25:15 Credits
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