Gotham Knights, the forthcoming superhero title from WB Games Montreal, is the Bat Family’s big opportunity to step out from Batman’s shadow. With decades of their own dedicated comic book lore, Red Hood, Batgirl, Robin, and Nightwing deserve the opportunity to show off as heroes in their own right. But that presents WB Montreal with a dilemma in Gotham Knights. Is it better to fall back on Batman’s greatest foe to show how powerful the team is, or would a Joker appearance do more harm than good?
First off, it is important to note that Gotham Knights is not the latest entry in the extremely popular Arkham-verse. As a result, the door is open for the Clown Prince of Crime to put in an appearance, or even act as a lead antagonist. Batman has a huge selection of rogues who could appear in Gotham Knights, however, and while the Joker is by far the most iconic, the Arkham series handled him masterfully, and a change may be in order.
Mishandled, a Joker appearance could be reductive and straightforward. Stepping away from Batman is a brilliant move, but including his arch-nemesis could make the gesture feel half-hearted. Handled deftly, however, with a less-is-more approach, WB Games Montreal could use the character as an interesting vehicle for exploring the Bat-family’s personalities.
Joker is widely considered Batman’s most iconic foe, and one of the most dangerous individuals in the DC universe. If the character is dealt with too easily, it could tarnish his dastardly legacy. One of the worst things that could come out of a Joker appearance, however, is the implication that it takes four members of the Bat-Family to accomplish what Batman could do on his own, as players will feel like they are playing knockoffs of the original and best. Just as a Batman appearance in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League could be a narrative crutch, using Joker as a hype button raise the stakes could be perceived as lazy or derivative.
But there are various ways Joker could feature prominently in the game, showcase the Bat-Family’s skills, and respect the character’s notorious reputation. Rather than serving as a conventional, villainous threat, WB Games Montreal could pit the Bat-Family against a pluralized version of the character, like the Jokerz gang from Batman Beyond—which, incidentally, deserves a better videogame outing than the disastrous Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Punchline, the Joker’s lieutenant, could put in an appearance as the Joker gang’s field marshal.
Even more interesting would be to feature Joker as a sort of Hannibal Lecter character. An imprisoned Joker could be forced to provide the Bat-Family with criminal profiling insights on a new villain (or prior associate) while attacking them psychologically. This would place the emphasis on the Joker’s personality, rather than his capacity for physical destruction, further distinguish his role in the Gotham series from the Arkham series, and also put the detective and intellectual abilities of the Bat-Family at center stage. After all, Bruce didn’t only train his proteges in combat, but forensics, profiling, and mental acuity as well.
It is worth noting that some members of the Bat-Family have had traumatic run-ins with the Joker before. In Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke, the Joker infamously assaulted and paralyzed Barbara Gordon, and in Death in the Family, he savagely beat Jason to death with a tire iron. Again, using the Joker as a platform to provide character development for the lead characters is the best possible use of the character. It would be interesting to see the characters struggle with PTSD and anger while dealing with one of their most dangerous foes.
Ultimately, the immediate physical threat the Joker poses, and that of his henchmen, is extremely conventional compared to many other potential rogues—including Poison Ivy, who is rumored to feature in Gotham Knights prominently. Therefore, employing Joker as a psychological threat, even if it is just for a mission or two, would be the best use of the character.
Gotham Knights is currently in development to be released in 2021. A precise launch date has yet to be announced.
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