In this review of Absolute Batman #15, Scott Snyder teams up with artist Jock as they give us the origin of Absolute Joker.
Absolute Batman #15 main cover by Nick Dragotta (DC Comics)
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #15
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art by JOCK
Main Cover: NICK DRAGOTTA
Variant Covers: JOCK, BEN OLIVER, BRIAN BOLLAND, SANFORD GREENE
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 12/10/25
This review contains spoilers
As Absolute Batman #15 begins, Alfred is telling Bruce about the man who never laughs who owns hundreds of tiny islands that he visits only a few times a year.
We get Joker’s backstory and his real name is Jack Grimm V. Jack’s ancestors made their money in production companies and television while Jack V is the smartest of the bunch who is approaching trillionaire status and made that money through online gaming.
However the Grimms have always played both sides. Funding right leaning news and left leaning news. Playing the clown for everyone else while making everyone be the clown secretly. Alfred talks about his research and how he discovered the family has used a laughing gas to kill people. And that he thinks those islands are where Grimm hunts his enemies.
Alfred is telling this to Bruce as we see Jack Grimm turn into a heinous clown monster and eat a man that he had been stalking on one of the islands. Jack has been funding Ark M. Alfred also believes that there has only ever been one Jack Grimm. That this one man has been tormenting the world for centuries but Alfred can’t explain how.
Absolute Batman #15 ends with Grimm returning to Gotham. To a stately manor. A butler asks him if he needs anything. He says no and turns the hands on a grandfather clock and enters a cave to do some work.
Analysis
Once again I am conflicted. There are some ideas that I really like in Absolute Batman #15. I love that in this universe that Joker is rich with a big house and a cave. This dark reflection of the Batman that we know. I hope he has a sick car and a bunch of gadgets.
On the flip side, some of this feels like a reused idea by Scott Snyder. I’m pretty sure we’ve seen the idea of the Joker being immortal and menace throughout history in the Endgame story arc by Snyder. I also feel like Snyder audibled at some point about how Absolute Joker was going to be in this universe. My memory might be playing tricks on me but at the end of the first issue we saw a glimpse of Joker being taken away by some law enforcement. Now he’s a monster and rich and maybe 100 years old.
I know there’s a Wonder Woman crossover coming up but feels too soon for Batman to go from fighting Super Giant Bane to Super Monster Joker. It feels like too much of the same and a bit too repetitive for me.
Jock drew Super Monster Joker really well. Jock and Snyder are a legendary team. Horror is where Jock thrives. Seeing Snyder and Jock back together made me want The Black Mirror again.
