Over the years, Batman's gadgets have ranged from incredibly useful to completely ridiculous. The Caped Crusader will be getting a new gadget in the upcoming Batman: Three Jokers arc, and it's hard to tell whether it's one of his best or worst yet.
Batman: Three Jokers by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok has been slowly teased by DC Comics over the past couple of years. The three-issue series will feature three different Jokers and will further explore the classic stories Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland and A Death in The Family by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo. The arc is set to change the Batman villain forever and will co-star Jason Todd's Red Hood and Barbara Gordon's Batgirl, two characters whose histories were dramatically altered by the Joker. While there's been little revealed about Batman: Three Jokers, a new preview showcases Batman's newest gadget.
In two of the textless preview pages released by DC Comics, Batman, Red Hood, and Batgirl take a trip to the Gotham Aquarium.
When the group arrives, Batman decides to use a seemingly new gadget, as the symbol on his chest becomes a light. The feature gives the Caped Crusader a new twist on his classic Bat-Signal. After he turns the light on, Batgirl shoots a look at Red Hood. It's easy to imagine Barbara telling him "is he serious with this thing?"
It's hard to say whether the new Batsuit light is one of his best or dumbest inventions to date. If it's just a flashlight, then it's incredibly silly. But, without full context it's difficult to guess whether it has another function as a scanner or something else.
So, why do the fish in the aquarium all have Joker smiles? That might be part of Joker's grander scheme in the book. In two more preview pages, the Joker can be seen driving a truck with the Ace Chemical branding on the side. It's also leaking - which is sure to be a huge mess for Batman and his crew.
The previews are a promising new look at Batman: Three Jokers. With multiple Jokers on the loose, Batman, Red Hood, and Batgirl are going to have their hands full. Thankfully, they have a light-up Batsuit on their side. Surely, that will help them defeat the trio of insane clowns, right?
Batman: Three Jokers is in stores on August 25, 2020.