Talk:Batman: The Man Who Laughs

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Contents 1 Displacement 2 Legends of the Dark Knight-Not Canon 3 Batman Begins 4 Makes no sense

[edit] Displacement

It should be noted that this one-shot displaces the earlier Legends of the Dark Knight#50, which also featured a telling of the first encounter between the two. In this early published story, the Joker's cousin, Melvin Reipan, an idiot savant, created the venom. The Joker publicly announced he would kill a millionaire named Heny Haight at midnight. Despite a thorough police guard, Haight died. However, the Batman soon realizes the Joker's ploy; the Joker had actually poisoned Haight before he made his announcement that he would kill him; Haight was given a delayed action version of the poison. The whole event was staged to send a message to the Joker's next extortion victims that nothing could save them from the grotesque death that Haight suffered. The Joker contacted his next victims secretly; reading up in the news, the Batman discovers that many members of Gotham's high society have started to sell of valuables suddenly and for relatively low prices. He realizes that they are raising money to pay the Joker's extortion.

Doing some investigation, Wayne discovers Melvin Reipan's research into poisons. Finding Reipan through a magazine subscription he had, he finds he has moved to trailer park in Gotham. Seeing Reipan leaving with the Joker, Wayne pursues them. The car containing the two crashes off a bridge. A body presumed to be the Joker's is found. However, Wayne had struck the Joker in the face earlier, and examining his glove, found no trace of paint on it. He realizes that the body is really that of Reipan disguised with make-up.

Later, Wayne contacts one of the Joker's intended victims, who had a sold valuable necklace suddenly to raise money to pay the extortion. The Batman follows this man to his arranged rendez-vous with the Joker. The man is instructed to throw a briefcase full of money into the back of a pick-up truck. Immediately after the pick-up truck passes by an alley, a mack truck pulls out and starts to follow it; in this way, the Joker prevents anyone from trying to tail the pick-up truck. He is, however, still defeated.

The Legends of the Dark Knight series is not part of the Batman Continuity. There are only 2 issues in the series that are an exception to this rule which took place during the 'KnightQuest' storyline. -Unknown

[edit] Legends of the Dark Knight-Not Canon

The Legends of the Dark Knight series is not part of the Batman Continuity. There are only 2 issues in the series that are an exception to this rule which took place during the 'KnightQuest' storyline. -Unknown

Sorry to contradict, but the staff at DC have stated several times that it is part of continuity, only not in keeping with current events like Infinite Crisis and One Year Later. They do tales of a Year One Batman, hence why they chose to do them without Robin. -Unknown

To be honest, LOTDK seems to be in continuity, except... when it isn't. On the one hand there's stories about an elderly Julie Madison who knew Batman in the forties, and a robot Batman in the future, which clearly don't fit into continuit. On the other, there's the introduction of Venom, Jim and Sarah's wedding, and other essential continuity things. I've added a note about #50, since I think it was intended to be one of the stories that did fit. Daibhid C 21:24, 2 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Batman Begins

This story was not an inspiration to Batman Begins. The story was published in February of 2005, well into Batman Begins' production. It is also not an inspiration due to the absence of the key character, The Joker -Unknown

[edit] Makes no sense

Near the beginning of the plot summary: Batman enters and converses with Gordon. Bruce Wayne, meanwhile, is at a social event talking to fellow millionaire Henry Cladridge. Haven't read this story (surfed in from The Joker page), but this is a pretty glaring error. Optimus Sledge 00:48, 19 June 2007 (UTC)