Batman: The Smile Killer

Batman One-Shots

by Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino (Penciller), Jordie Bellaire (Colorist)

It wouldn’t be a Joker story without a surprise…and right on cue, here’s an unexpected one-shot epilogue to Joker: Killer Smile! Young Bruce Wayne grew up watching The Mr. Smiles Show-and the show might have been watching him back! And not only was young Bruce watching, he was listening…listening as Mr. Smiles spoke across the airwaves only to him…

The Eisner Award-winning creative team of writer Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino land one last gut-punch-turning the mythos of the Batman on its head in the most devastating trick The Joker has ever devised!

Genres: Comics, Batman, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

34 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2020

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino provide a coda to their miniseries Joker: Killer Smile with Batman: The Smile Killer. And it’s unnecessary, kinda stupid and undermines the story its following!

This one is more Batman-centric than Killer Smile was. It’s another “Batman is Bruce Wayne’s hallucination and Bruce is an inmate in Arkham” story (there have been lots of these stories over the years, the most recent being the first part of Last Knight on Earth). I’m not opposed to this type of story - I actually like the idea and think there’s a lot of potential there - but Lemire’s take on it is really poor.

Basically he makes Joker so absurdly powerful in what he can make Batman think, as well as the traps he sets for him, that he comes off almost like a supernatural figure. And it undermines Killer Smile because that was a story about a cunning man - emphasis on “man” - psychologically manipulating another man. But Batman is no ordinary man and the way he winds up in Arkham is not convincing, nor does it make any sense. It’s a combination of shock value for shock value’s sake and contrived storytelling.

The concept of Bruce being a crazy guy does appeal to me, so I was never bored reading this, and Sorrentino’s art is really cool too and looks great on the large-sized paper, but Lemire’s execution is lacking and half-baked. Like its predecessor, The Smile Killer is another weak Joker story.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series and Joker: Killer Smile are one of the few times I've been disappointed by Jeff Lemire. The story was left so vague as far as what was real or not that it lost any potential impact with me. There's very little to indicate if certain things actually happened or were just hallucinations. Then it ends feeling like this was the first issue of a longer story when it's just a one shot.

[Mindi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just OK for me. I like the psychological storylines, but this one wasn't really for me. The dark art is interesting, and I enjoy it and find it to be a nice change, but as far as the story goes, this one is sort of weak. I also like it when a writer leaves a story open for interpretation, but I don't feel like this story had enough substance. I think this type of psychological mind bender would work better in a longer format.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a cryptic first issue, just like issue one of Joker killer smile. Really hard to judge this book until I see where is goes. Does the cryptic nature unravel into something great, or does it stay cryptic and end on a confusing note? There is enough intrigue here however for me to get the next book.

[Vikas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well considering it was the first issue, it's natural that there would be some confusion but over here that's just the norm. Well so OK start let's see how this pans out.

I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to bit, may comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.

[Wesley Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a little confused about this comic. I thought the three-issue series about Arnell and the Joker was excellent. Lemire is one of my favourite comic writers, and the artwork was so crisp and beautiful. While the art continues to be gorgeous in this issue, it feels redundant. I was surprised when my local comic bookstore handed this to me. I thought the series was over. But I loved the series so much that it didn’t seem like a bad thing to have another one to read.

They tried to put a creative twist on the Batman story, and I suppose it is something that the Joker would attempt to do. Still, I would have preferred if it had ended after the trilogy. Batman: The Killer Smile is probably one of the lower-rated Lemire comics I will handout. I love his work, but this just felt unnecessary, unfortunately.

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Well, we can't have that, can we? If we aren't careful, we know what you'll become, don't we?.....Mr. Pouts."
A good follow on from Joker Killer Smile, which I felt had a weak ending. I am in two minds if I'd like this to carry on, I want to know where the story goes, but I also like the intrigue left. Art so so, but story good...

[Oneirosophos · Rating 2 out of 5]

And thus, the universe where Brucie killed his dad and went to the asylum, ends (?).

Interesting concept, nice artwork, but one of Lemire's weakest scripts...

[eliseinwanderbook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quando ho terminato i tre volumi di “Joker: Il sorriso che uccide”, non vedevo l’ora di leggere anche questo fumetto conclusivo. Sinceramente sono un po’ delusa: l’elemento dark rimane e forse addirittura migliore, ma la storia qui è caotica e poco consistente.
Non sono mai stata una grande fan del fumetto americano, ma la trilogia mi aveva conquistata. Questo qui… meh.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

?

Did not care for this story. It was confusing and the dark art didn't help. Killer Smile was much better. So much of it seemed random. Also this comic was too expensive for this content.

[Kahraman Eskidemir · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an another canon universe that has some similarities with a few Batman stories written before. The point where it differs that it adds a fresh approach with horror setting rather than purely action-adventure narrative. On the other hand for a starting point, it lacks a strong integration for a follow-up that makes you feel you how you ended up here. Another unsettling point, I hope this concept won't be overshadowed by previous attempts with this storytelling. It excels at recreating this Batman story with its art but loses focus off of the Joker story. The configuration of panels and noir style art is wonderful and I think they are significant improvements to the first part. Sadly, I can't say the same for the story for now.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Coda a la miniserie Joker: Killer Smile donde Jeff Lemire y Andrea Sorretino siguen intentando hacer destacable un ejercicio de terror psicológico muy derivativo para muchas muestras previas en la historia editorial y audiovisual de los personajes. En el caso de este one shot dedicado a Batman, no será difícil que el lector recuerde cierto episodio de la serie animada de Batman de los años 90. Si bien es cierto que el ambiente más opresivo y "real" del binomio Lemire-Sorretino aún podría hacer distanciarse de esa propuesta argumental ya asentada en el imaginario Batmaníaco, el vano interés de querer reconectar con ciertos elementos "de identidad" de la miniserie del Joker, hacen perder mucho tiempo y espacio argumental para algo que se queda en lo que sugiere la última página.

Todo lo referente a Killer Smile ejemplifica lo peor de cómo se ha desperdiciado creativamente el confuso de entrada, sello Black Label.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 on the higher end? Overall, I liked it and I enjoyed the the reverse tie-in to Killer Smile. It is ambiguous, but I think that's the point. My gripe is the fact that we still have comic and graphic novel publishers who don't factor in the center margin. And then we get two page spreads with the center inch essentially cut out. DC is cheapening their Black Label titles with this type of short and expensive-for-what-you-get release. I'm less inclined to snatch up the next prestige format Black Label just because it's Batman. Despite the fact that I liked it, it feels like a cash grab on DC's part. It could have, and should have, been better both in terms of story and physical production.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm left with mixed feelings about this one. I did enjoy The Joker: Killer Smile series, but this was just..weird. It really read more like an "Elseworlds" story than anything else. I suppose it's a bit of a spoiler, but from this story are we supposed to assume Bruce Wayne is just nuts and Batman doesn't exist? Or?

The reason I gave it three stars is because the art wasn't bad and the story did hold my interest, but then it just sorta ends and you're left scratching your head. Also, I didn't quite get the tie in to Killer Smile?

I had the same issue with the Batman: Damned series in that it looked cool, was pretty cool to read, but then it just loses me.

So overall, I found this okay, but basically superfluous.

[Ángel Javier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un timo de los gordos. Lemire ya se ríe del lector porque él lo vale. Sorrentino intenta salvar los trastos como puede. Como mucho, esto es una idea para una historia, una tontería mayúscula que se lee en dos minutos y que no se entiende ni en tres años, básicamente porque no hay nada que entender. ¿Se trata de un complot para que Bruce Wayne se vuelva loco (si es que no lo está ya solo por vestirse murciélago? ¿O estamos ante una realidad alternativa en la que desde pequeño Bruce estaba como una chota y se cargó a su padre? Pues no lo vamos a saber, al menos no en este cómic. ¡Santos bat-timos!

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly hell!! What a surprise! I had no idea Jeff Lemire was coming with what is a sequel to the Joker The Killer Smile short series. Like its predecessor, we find ourselves in a weird psychological comic, with a darker illustrations style and some incredible intrigue. This one made my day! What a release! Read the Joker one first, it's only three issues and totally worth it and you will appreciate this one better I think. A must read if you like Batman, the Joker and are looking for something dark, psychological and original don't hesitate a second!

[Steven Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a well written head scratcher that Jeff Lemire has come up with in this series. Is Bruce Batman or is he something else? The Smile Killer just throws the three issue Killer Smile on their heads and I love it. Is this an Elseworlds book or is it in continuity? I don't know and that is fine because this is the first time that I don't know where a writer and artist are going with a character and I am liking it! I am hoping their is another edition of the Smile Killer soon so I can see where Lemire and Sorrentino are going with this story.

[Ethan Speiser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this was better than Joker: Killer Smile imo, It still wasn’t that great. The main thing I liked was the twist at the end. I liked that it included all of the things that made Bruce Wayne Batman, however made it so he was just crazy and thought all of these things. The reason I like this so much is because this could’ve really happened. Bruce Wayne could be some psycho who murdered his dad, and thinks he’s a hero and a survivor.

[Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seriously? Is that it?

I don’t mean to be a dick but what the hell was that? I’ve never felt so cheated in all my years as a Batman fan.

Zero resolution or explanation was offered or even attempted. This had all the makings of a classic Batman tale and then it just went KAPUT.

Ugh. I love this creative team but thanks for nothing DC.

[Nacho Pena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Punto y aparte del universo Batman de Jeff Lemire y Andrea Sorrentino. Un thriller psicológico tan turbio como las tres entregas de Joker: Sonrisa Asesina. Quizá a Lemire le hacía falta alguna entrega más para profundizar de forma satisfactoria en la psique de su Bruce Wayne pero es un cómic que atrapa desde el principio al lector. Sorrentino impresionante, como siempre.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the art and story very much, I felt this book needed more room. It is not a complete tale, but seems like the beginnings of one. Is Bruce Wayne insane? Is this all a trap by an unseen villain? Does Batman exist outside of his head? How does Jim Gordon and the Joker fit into all of this? These questions are asked but not answered. And I really want to know the answers.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading it so long after Killer Smile it feels too familiar to be really enjoyable, a sense of deja vu keeps one from immersing in the story. Why they didn't wait and bundle the two together...who knows.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so, so... scary? Creepy? Disturbing?

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adore the artist... this is some fucked up, quality shit. My favorite kind of Batman story.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't groaned out loud as I finished a comic in a long while...
"The End?"

Yeah, of me finishing this series.

[Shawn Ingle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 stars. Not quite as good as the prior series.

[José Luis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorrebtino y Lemire haciendo lo que daben, un buen comic de super heroes llevando a Batman a la locura. Sí, todavía más.

[Hector · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tan o casi mas decepcionante que el final de Killer Smile.

[moltodarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanta el equipo Lemire / Sorrentino... pero es tannn corto! XD

[Bel Hernández · Rating 4 out of 5]

Te odio pero te amo pero te odio...