BATMAN WHO LAUGHS
The Batman Who Laughs (Bruce Wayne of Earth -22) is a terrifying supervillain created by writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo for DC Comics. Originating from the Dark Multiverse, he is a dark hybrid possessing the tactical intellect of Batman paired with the unhinged psychopathy of the Joker. Wearing a visor forged from Dark Metal, he stands as one of the most dangerous threats in DC history.
Cronologia
Biografia
The Batman Who Laughs is the horrifying result of Bruce Wayne's absolute corruption.
Hailing from Earth -22 in the Dark Multiverse, this variant retains all of Batman's tactical genius, martial arts prowess, and strategic foresight, but lacks any trace of moral restraint or empathy.
Driven by pure unadulterated nihilism, he views existence as a twisted game and seeks to drag the entire Multiverse into cosmic darkness. First emerging as the field commander for the bat-god Barbatos, he led the Dark Knights—corrupted Batman variants from across the Dark Multiverse—in an invasion of Prime Earth. He later manipulated cosmic entities such as Perpetua, escalating his ambitions from planetary conqueror to reality-destroying deity. His unique mind makes him completely unpredictable, capable of outmaneuvering both heroes and villains alike.
Storia
The tragedy of Earth -22 began when the Joker learned he was dying and unleashed an unspeakable wave of slaughter across Gotham City.
After executing Batman's entire rogues' gallery and murdering parents in front of their children, the Joker forced Batman past his absolute breaking point, leading Bruce to snap the Joker's neck.
Upon his death, the Joker released a concentrated, airborne strain of nanotoxin Joker Toxin directly from his heart. Over several days, the toxin rewired Bruce's brain. While retaining his supreme genius intellect and physical capabilities, his morality vanished. Bruce corrupted his son Damian, transformed infected children into rabid 'Crow Robins', brutally slaughtered the Bat-Family and the Justice League, and conquered Earth -22 before Barbatos recruited him into his multiversal army.
I PEZZI DI BATMAN WHO LAUGHS
Poteri & Abilità
• Genius-Level Intellect & Tactical Mastery: Retains Batman's unmatched strategic mind and combat planning without moral boundaries. • Master Martial Artist: Possesses peak human physical conditioning and hand-to-hand combat skills. • Dark Metal Visor: Wears a spiked visor crafted from Dark Metal that enables him to perceive the darkest desires and fears of others.
• Dark Metal Batarangs: Specialized projectile weapons capable of infecting individuals with Dark Multiverse energy to corrupt them. • Command of Crow Robins: Commands a pack of infected children converted into feral attack hounds that respond to commands like 'Crow' and 'Bar'. • Quantum Cosmic Manipulation (as The Darkest Knight): After transplanting his brain into 'Final Bruce Wayne', gained Doctor Manhattan's reality-warping quantum powers.
Apparizioni
• Dark Days: The Casting #1 (2017): First cameo appearance in DC Comics. • Dark Nights: Metal (2017): Official full debut comic series where he commands the Dark Knights for Barbatos. • The Batman Who Laughs (2018): Standalone miniseries featuring his invasion of Gotham alongside The Grim Knight. • Injustice: Gods Among Us Mobile (2018): First video game appearance as an unlockable Nth Metal card character. • Mortal Kombat 11 (2019): Featured as an official DLC cosmetic skin for Noob Saibot. • Batman/Superman: The Secret Six (2019): Comic arc where he corrupts six mainstream heroes with Dark Metal Batarangs.
• Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen (2019): Comic miniseries depicting his war against Apex Lex Luthor. • DC Universe Online (2020): Primary antagonist in Metal Part I, Metal Part II, and World of Flashpoint game expansions. • Dark Nights: Death Metal (2020): Event where he ascends into the cosmic deity known as The Darkest Knight. • Injustice 2 Mobile (2021): Added as a playable character in roster updates. • Fortnite (2021): Playable outfit released in the Batman/Fortnite: Foundation crossover event. • MultiVersus (2024): Playable legendary variant skin for the Joker, voiced by Roger Craig Smith. • DC: Dark Legion (2024): Featured character in the mobile strategy game, voiced by Roger Craig Smith. • LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (2026): Unlockable alternate Batman skin and character.
Relazioni
• Barbatos: The bat-god of the Dark Multiverse who recruited him as his field commander. • Perpetua: The creator of the original Multiverse whom he allied with before betraying and killing her. • The Rabid / Crow Robins: Feral children infected with Joker Toxin kept on chains as his attack dogs. • The Grim Knight: An alternate military Bruce Wayne who served as his top tactical partner in Gotham.
• The Dark Knights: Team of corrupted alternate Batmen he led (Red Death, Murder Machine, Dawnbreaker, The Drowned, The Merciless, The Devastator). • The Robin King: A sadistic young Bruce Wayne variant who became his ruthless ally during Death Metal. • Batman (Earth 0): Mainstream counterpart and rival, who defeated him by teaming up unpredictably with the Joker. • Joker (Earth 0): Prime arch-nemesis who unexpectedly fought alongside Batman to bring him down. • Apex Lex Luthor: Chief rival lieutenant for Perpetua's favor during the Hell Arisen conflict.
Evoluzione
The Batman Who Laughs underwent one of the most dramatic power escalations in comic history. Introduced in 2017's Dark Nights: Metal as the terrifying lieutenant of the Dark Multiverse god Barbatos, he initially relied on squad tactics, leading the Dark Knights in an invasion of Prime Earth. Following Barbatos' fall, he evolved into a standalone mastermind in his 2018 miniseries and Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen.
Instead of serving others, he played Apex Lex Luthor and Perpetua against each other, positioning himself as Perpetua's supreme lieutenant. His ultimate transformation occurred in Dark Nights: Death Metal (2020). After Wonder Woman slew his physical body, his disciples transplanted his brain into 'Final Bruce Wayne'—a body imbued with Doctor Manhattan's godlike quantum abilities. Ascending as 'The Darkest Knight', he slew Perpetua and sought to forge 52 Dark Universes before his ultimate destruction at the Forge of the Multiverse.
Da Collezione
For figure collectors and statue enthusiasts, The Batman Who Laughs quickly became a modern grail character due to his striking aesthetic and spiked Dark Metal visor. High-end statue makers and physical collectible brands produce detailed representations of his sinister design, alongside digital NFT drops released on platforms like VeVe.
Unique entries in his merchandising catalogue include a 2020 action figure by DC Collectibles, designed by Ty Templeton to imagine how the character would appear in the iconic Batman: The Animated Series style. For comic collectors, key physical grails include his early appearances in Dark Days: The Casting #1 and Dark Nights: Metal #2, alongside the 2023 Deluxe Edition hardcover and omnibus collections of the Metal saga.
Curiosità
• His signature Dark Metal visor allows him to see directly into the darkest fears and desires of anyone he looks at.
• DC Collectibles released an official action figure styled after Batman: The Animated Series, designed by Ty Templeton. • In Mortal Kombat 11, he appears as a playable DLC skin for the character Noob Saibot. • His infected, rabid 'Crow Robins' respond exclusively to the verbal commands 'Crow' and 'Bar'.
