Batman: White Knight

“Batman: White Knight” is part of the DC Black Label lineup.

DC Black Label is intended as a more gritty, more adult take on some comics.

Here, the roles of Batman and the Joker are reversed. Batman is viewed as the villain of Gotham while the Joker is perceived as the hero.

Essentially, after Batman forces a bunch of meds down the Joker’s throat, the psychoses fueling the Clown Prince of Crime are gone. A medicinal cure has been found. The Joker removes the makeup and is declared reformed.

He announces he will make amends for his past sins by helping Gotham. He even successfully runs for city council.

The Joker platform is essentially: Batman is crazy and Batman is the key cause of Gotham’s crime and corruption. The Joker uncovers an annual fund of $3 billion, paid by taxpayers, he claims, used to clean up the messes caused by Batman’s war on crime throughout Gotham.

Batman doesn’t help matters. The more sane the Joker appears the more Batman’s actions becomes erratic and out of control.

Writer-artist Sean Murphy planned a Batman storyline that would include nudity and more profanity. DC quashed those details but allowed him to turn the Batman-Joker relationship on its head.

The freedom works.

“Batman: White Knight” is an intriguing read, recasting the classic two sides of the same coin rapport between Batman and Joker. As well as offering alternative takes on other relationships in the lives of both characters.

Murphy’s art presents a different look for Batman, setting the tone of the alternative reality of this miniseries. 

The trade paperback released a few weeks ago contains all eight issues of the limited series. There’s already talk of a sequel to be released in 2019.

DC made a smart move toning down the plans for nudity, etc. Had it been allowed, the shock value of a naked Batman would have likely been the focal point rather than the strength of a well-told story.