The Comprehensive Evolution of American Comics

The Joker was very sad. Not long ago, he decided to give Batman a firework display, specially robbing money from the Penguin to buy explosives. He didn't expect the Bat to be so unappreciative, inviting others to join their game.

He had deliberately set the bomb's explosion time to be very generous, but he didn't expect that lunatic to have no sense of fun.

A disappointed Joker wandered aimlessly through the streets of Gotham. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone committing a crime in an alleyway.

A man with a fierce look but a cowardly heart, a handgun, a panicked woman, a bag—a truly uninspired crime.

The Joker smiled slightly. He felt that perhaps he had been too gentle lately, and Batman had forgotten the excitement between them. He couldn't accept a seven-year itch with the Bat.

The saying 'art imitates life' is really true. Perhaps it's time to let the Bat try a little more exciting gameplay.

Thinking this, the Joker's mood improved a lot. He casually snatched a cane from a Joker gang goon beside him and walked towards the alley with the gentlemanly dance steps favored by suited actors in the silent film era.

The purple cane spun constantly in his hand. The whooshing sound, coupled with the laughter squeezed from the corner of the Joker's mouth, attracted the attention of the two people in the alley.

At that moment, both the robber and the victim showed horrified expressions. Green hair, a pale face, a purple suit—in all of Gotham, even the whole world, only one person would dress like this.

"Hahaha!" The Joker came to the man and woman, who were already hugging each other for warmth, with light steps, and extended his right hand to them.

"Thank you both for contributing to art. Please allow me to offer the most sublime greetings to you two artists. Let's shake hands."

The man looked at the electroshock device openly displayed on the Joker's palm. Just as he was wondering whether to take a gamble and maybe find a way out, he discovered a dark shadow standing behind the Joker at some point.

"Hmm?" The Joker seemed to sense something. He turned his head and saw a thick bat expanding in his vision.

"Bang!"

A crisp sound. The Joker fell down in response, like a broken doll on the damp floor of Gotham.

"Take him away."

The black shadow stepped forward and walked from the shadows into the alley's already meager light. The man and woman then realized that the person was not Batman, but a tall man wearing an ice hockey mask.

Several people walked out of the shadows. Because of the man's burly figure, the man and woman hadn't noticed that there were several people behind him. These people were wearing uniform attire, indicating that they came from the same organization.

"Get rid of these two as well." The athlete retracted the bat and left the alley without looking back. Behind him followed those carrying the Joker in a sack, and two muffled gunshots.

And the Joker gang guarding the entrance of the alley had long disappeared, not knowing whether they were eliminated or had fled.

...

"Splash!"

Icy water splashed on his face, and the Joker immediately opened his eyes. The first thing he felt upon waking up was the pain coming from his forehead, as well as the dizziness from his brain.

Wiping his face and rubbing his injured forehead, the Joker staggered to his feet and found himself in a dark space.

"Kidnapping? Escape room?" The Joker's tone was a bit disgusted. "There's no originality at all. Is the next step going to be a sudden flash of white light, and then a mysterious person with only a black silhouette appearing?"

"Bang!"

Just like the Joker said, the dark room suddenly lit up. The Joker turned around and found that the light was not emitted by any light bulb, but by several projection screens.

"Oh, okay." The Joker waved his hand dismissively. "One mysterious person has become six, which is even more disgusting."

"Joker." The screen in the front spoke first, it was a man. "We need you to do a favor. You can choose not to help, and then we will kill you."

"There's no bargaining at all." The Joker chuckled. "Sounds like I have no reason to refuse."

"You really don't." The screen on the left opened, it was a woman's voice.

"We need you to attract the attention of the Justice League." The person in the main seat continued.

"Of course, we know this is not an easy task, so we have arranged manpower for you. All you have to do is try to make some noise."

The Joker's expression gradually changed from excitement to disappointment as the man spoke. Finally, he sighed and said.

"Boring, really boring. Why do so many people think that only big scenes can create a big stir?"

The Joker shrugged and shook his head, looking like everyone else was drunk while he was the only one sober, but no one was angry at his appearance.

"I can understand, do you mean to refuse?"

Along with the man's words, a person walked out from the corner of the room, it was the athlete who had kidnapped the Joker. The other party took out the bat from the bag behind him, and tapped his palm with malicious intent, while walking towards the Joker.

"I mean I agree." The Joker still had that smiling look, as if it wasn't him who had just walked through the gates of hell, but someone he didn't know.

"A wise decision." The man said. "The athlete will give you the detailed information later. Remember, your task is to attract attention, don't do anything outside the task."

It can be seen that even though the man looked like he had everything under control, he was still afraid of the Joker's uncontrollability, after all, no one knew what the Joker would do next.

"Formulaic performance?" The Joker pouted. "I don't like it, but who made you the employer, Savage."

The Joker revealed the man's hidden identity in one word, which made the scene return to silence again. After a while, Savage, who was in the main seat, took the initiative to tear off the concealment.

"How did you find out?" Savage's expression remained unchanged, he was not afraid of his identity being exposed, but he was still very curious about how he was exposed.

"There is only one person in the world who speaks in that condescending tone." The Joker took out a pull ring from his arms, and colorful ribbons sprayed out after pulling it open. He was celebrating that he answered the question correctly.

Savage was silent. This was also the reason why he didn't want to choose the Joker. Although he was a mental patient, he was really too smart, but precisely because of this reason, the Justice League would never let go of the Joker's every action.

The Joker was a double-edged sword to him, but Savage believed that he would not hurt himself.

The Joker was still smiling and was taken away by the athlete. Before leaving, he waved goodbye to everyone in the room, which made the people in the room who claimed to be elites feel uneasy.