It’s lucky we’re not trying to keep count of the number of Batman vs The Joker books there are coming out at the moment, as we’d surely lose count. Lovers & Madmen looks interesting though, not least because it’s written by Michael Green, one of the writers responsible for Heroes.
The book is a new take on the origin of The Joker, darker than most previous versions. Prior to The Joker’s appearance on the scene, Batman seems to be making a difference to life in Gotham, cutting crime and protecting the innocent. But his costumed capers help encourage an ambitious young criminal known only as Jack to don a costume of his own and become The Joker. As Gotham begins to question whether they might have been safer without Batman, Bruce Wayne tackles his own demons, as he begins to understand that there’s no room left in his life for the billionaire playboy to settle down with the shadow of the bat lurking in the basement.