Warning: spoilers for Batman: Three Jokers #1!
Despite his superior intelligence, detective and combat skills, Batman is still a human being. He can be cut, broken, paralyzed or even killed, and his wounds and broken bones have to heal the old-fashioned way. Batman has always relied on his faithful butler and confidant Alfred Pennyworth, whose military training helped sew up and repair many wounds on not only Bruce but also other members of the Bat Family.
In Batman: Three Jokers, as Alfred prepares to fix another of Batman's injuries from the battlefield, we see the tapestry that is Bruce Wayne's body, a living monument to the cost of his crusade.
Ever since Bruce Wayne decided to dedicate years of training to becoming Batman, he has faced more threats and dangers than any one individual could hope to withstand. Training constantly to keep his body in peak physical condition, Bruce Wayne uses his disguise as a millionaire playboy philanthropist to explain the multiple bruises, injuries and scars which have decorated his body over the years. Despite the mythological status Batman has within the superhuman community, Batman is not invulnerable nor does he have any sort of healing factor. Fans have witnessed him being shot, stabbed, beaten, broken, and killed for any number of reasons, which include his numerous enemies and sometimes those he calls friends and allies. Despite these conditions that require days of rest and relaxation to heal, Batman continues to push forward because he's Batman and you truly wouldn't expect him to do anything less.
In the record-shattering Batman: Three Jokers, Bruce has returned to the Batcave, dizzy and bleeding severely from a wound that he got from his latest skirmish with the Penguin. As Alfred prepares his tools and cuts away at Bruce's uniform, he asks, "What was it this time?" as he must have countless times before. With every scar, there is a flashback to how Batman received it and from whom. Classic Batman foes such as Bane, Catwoman, Scarecrow, Riddler, Killer Croc, and others are seen inflicting injury and pain upon the Dark Knight without any dialogue necessary. Writer Geoff Johns' script showcases artist Jason Fabok's attention to detail with three pages displaying the sacrifice Bruce Wayne makes every night he patrols as Batman.
However there is one individual who has credit for more of the scars than any other, and his iconic laughter breaks the silence of this flashback montage as Alfred continues to do his work and Bruce finds solace in his memories. Batman: Three Jokers reminds us that every night that Batman dons his iconic cape and cowl, he agrees to sacrifice his body and mind, both of which may someday break for good.
Batman: Three Jokers #1 by Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson, and Rob Leigh is available now.