Writer: Matthew Rosenberg, Ryan Cady
Artist: Carmine Di Guandomenico, Will Robson
Cover Price: $5.99
Release Date: April 4, 2023
Not much progresses the overall plot in this issue. That might be a spoiler, but is it? IS IT?!?!?! Filler issues have become par for the course in this series, and you know what they say? If every issue is a filler issue, then… well, then the series must suck! If you disagree with me, why is the only memorable thing from the first six issues a lame joke from a backup story?
So, for almost all of this issue, the Joker is chasing and fighting Kate Spencer, Manhunter. Rosenberg also has Kate Spencer chasing and fighting the Joker to mix things up. And then to mix things up further… You know where this is going. Besides going on for too long, the scenes are filled with one-note, repeated, lame jokes. In the last issue, the jokes were all about LAX Airport and were cringe-worthy, but the shit about Manhunter should be Womanhunter are even cringe-worthier if that is even a thing.
I must remember that this isn’t a mini-series, and I wish it was right now. Because then we would have been done with it last month, and Matthew Rosenberg could stop embarrassing himself. I thought the whole Joker solo series thing might be played out when the previous series ended, and now I know that is the case.
I feel bad for the art team because Carmine Di Guandomenico tries their hardest to give this book some redeeming quality, and really if you buy this, I’m guessing it would be for the art. I say, “if you buy it,” but I’d stay clear of this one at all costs, including the ridiculous $5.99 DC thinks people will spend on this garbage! Either wait for the trade or when it hits the DC App because then this whole lot of nothing will at least be cheaper!
Bits and Pieces:
The Joker: The Man Who Stopped Laughing #7 continues mucking about, content to tell lame jokes while barely inching the overall narrative forward. The art is good but can’t be relied upon to do all the heavy lifting. Maybe this book isn’t for me since I don’t like clowns. The twist is, I’m not talking about the Joker.
