Gotham has always had trouble with clowns, and in the upcoming 'Joker War' storyline, a new brutal anti-hero called Clownhunter will debut to help Batman and his allies with their maniacal circus problem. DC Comics has released the first details for Batman: The Joker War Zone, an anthology issue which will not only feature a collection of short stories about other members of the Bat Family, but also serve as the official debut of Gotham's latest vigilante.
In the wake of losing his long-time confidant and surrogate father figure Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce's plan to build a bigger and better Gotham has been opposed by many obstacles. Under the pen of new Batman writer James Tynion IV, Bruce has had to deal with the likes of enemy-turned-ally Deathstroke, zombified Gotham police officers, and the meddlesome distraction of the Riddler so far. Meanwhile, the Joker and his new girlfriend Punchline continue to plan and amass their army (including Batman's evil little brother Lincoln March). Tynion is slowly amassing all of the important players, with Clownhunter the latest recruit when 'Joker War' begins in Batman #95.
According to DC Comics, Gotham City has become a war zone as the Joker has taken control of Bruce Wayne's fortune and wages a war through the city against Batman and his allies. The 48 page anthology one-shot will feature work by James Tynion IV along with John Ridley, Guillem March, James Stokoe, Joshua Williamson, David Lafuente, and more. Along with the announcement comes the first cover art depicting Clownhunter in combat, which can be seen below:
Tynion first mentioned the anti-hero Clownhunter back in March, but gave few details about the character he co-created with artist Jorge Jimenez, only confirming his extreme excitement about the character who would throw "a brutal wrench" in the machinations of the upcoming story. Advanced preview artwork of Clownhunter showed a tattered and battle worn masked individual with a distinct red mohawk (holding a sturdy baseball bat with an unmistakable Batarang tied to its end). The name Clownhunter implies he's no friend to either Joker or Punchline, and his appearance alongside Batgirl and the Spoiler in Batman: The Joker War Zone cover confirms his alliance with Batman and his allies during this conflict.
Tynion promised 'Joker War' would be an ambitious storyline and every issue and new detail that is published or released only builds the anticipation for this supposed final battle between the Dark Knight and his maniacal nemesis. The immediate success and demand for Joker's new girlfriend Punchline leading up to her official debut shows that well-crafted and unique new characters do have an audience in both the fans and apparently the seller's market. Clownhunter appears to be a mix of punk rock and the kind of low-key dystopian anarchy you'd find in the Mad Max movies but in a battle that is already amassing a great deal of notable DC powerhouses, every little bit helps and nobody should be underestimated. In the streets of Gotham, its about to be hunting season for clowns and Clownhunter will find that business is booming.
Batman: The Joker War Zone #1, a 48-page one-shot anthology comic will be published on September 29 with a cover by Ben Oliver and a card stock variant cover by Derrick Chew.
Source: DC Comics