Batman: The Joker War Zone Vol 1 1

"A Serious House": Arkham Asylum. The cell of Bane.

"A Serious House"
Part of the "The Joker War" storyline.
Batman: The Joker War Zone
November, 2020
Rated T for Teen (12+)
Executive Editor	Marie Javins
Cover Artists	Ben Oliver
Variant Cover Artists
Cover Variant #1	Derrick Chew
A Serious House
Writers	James Tynion IV
Pencilers	Guillem March
Inkers	Guillem March
Colourists	Tomeu Morey
Letterers	Clayton Cowles
Editors	Ben Abernathy Dave Wielgosz
Family Ties
Writers	John Ridley
Pencilers	Olivier Coipel
Inkers	Olivier Coipel
Colourists	Matt Hollingsworth
Letterers	Deron Bennett
Editors	Ben Abernathy Dave Wielgosz
The Symbol
Writers	Joshua Williamson
Pencilers	David Lafuente
Inkers	David Lafuente
Colourists	Hi-Fi Design
Letterers	Gabriela Downie
Editors	Ben Abernathy Dave Wielgosz
Ashes of Eden
Writers	Sam Johns
Pencilers	Laura Braga
Inkers	Laura Braga
Colourists	Antonio Fabela
Letterers	Tom Napolitano
Editors	Ben Abernathy Dave Wielgosz
Clown Hunt
Writers	James Tynion IV
Pencilers	James Stokoe
Inkers	James Stokoe
Colourists	James Stokoe
Letterers	Clayton Cowles
Editors	Ben Abernathy Dave Wielgosz

Trauma is a weapon. One bad day can twist a person into an unspeakable monster, I know that better than anyone.

— The Joker

Batman: The Joker War Zone #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of November, 2020. It was published on September 29, 2020.

Synopsis for "A Serious House"

Arkham Asylum. The cell of Bane.

Bane is locked in his cage, with a machine absorbing Venom from his blood. He hears the guards whispering about clowns, and he also hears the city rumbling. First the guards get doubled, than they disappear. He knows who's coming to visit: the Joker himself. The clown steps inside the cage, asking Bane how much pain he's feeling thanks to the Venom-absorbing machine. Then, the Joker puts Bane's mask on his head and starts explaining why he had to meet him: he's deeply in anger with him.

Outside, many people say Bane is one of Batman's big baddies, putting him on the same level of the Joker himself. How could they? Bane was smart and cunning, he planned how to conquer the city and did it, gave it to the criminals and the madmen in Gotham. He couldn't be there for the show. Then he waited, with Batman exiled from his home, to deliver the final strike. And in the end, he killed the butler. But he did it in front of Robin! So stupid, and such a waste! The only paternal figure remaining to the Bat, wasted to send little poor Robin in therapy. He had the opportunity to make the strike of his life, to become Batman's greatest baddie of all time: he just had to kill the butler in front of Batman himself!

But he wasted the chance. And the Joker, he's going to make him pay for that. Not now, as he has a war to win, but soon. Bane will have to stay alert. As the Joker leaves, Bane hears the whispers again. The guards are afraid, but not of him anymore. They are afraid of him. A part of Bane wants to scream, but he stays quiet, and he awaits.

Appearing in "A Serious House"

Featured Characters:

• Bane (Flashback and main story)

Antagonists:

• The Joker

Other Characters:

• Batman Villains (Flashback only)
  • Batman (Thomas Wayne) (Flashback only)
  • Clayface (Impersonates the Joker) (Flashback only)
  • Gotham Girl (Flashback only)
  • Hugo Strange (Flashback only)
  • Mister Zsasz
  • Psycho-Pirate (Flashback only)
  • The Riddler (Flashback only)
  • The Ventriloquist (Flashback only)
• Alfred Pennyworth (Mentioned only)
• Batman (Bruce Wayne) (Mentioned only)
• Robin (Damian Wayne) (Mentioned only)

Locations:

• Gotham City
  • Arkham Asylum (Flashback and main story)

Items:

• Scarface Puppet (Flashback only)
• Venom (Mentioned only)
  

Appearing in "Family Ties"

Featured Characters:

• Lucius Fox (Flashback and main story)

Supporting Characters:

• Batwing (Luke Fox)
• Tam Fox
• Tanya Fox
• Tiff Fox

Antagonists:

• Joker's gang
• Punchline (Flashback only)

Other Characters:

• Gotham City Police Department
• Bruce Wayne (Mentioned only)
• Catwoman (Mentioned only)
• The Joker (Mentioned only)
• The Penguin (Mentioned only)
• Tim Fox (Mentioned only)

Locations:

• Gotham City (Flashback and main story)

Items:

• Joker Venom (Flashback only)
  

Appearing in "The Symbol"

Featured Characters:

• Orphan (Flashback and main story)
• Spoiler (Flashback and main story)

Antagonists:

• Hench Master (First appearance)

Other Characters:

• Batman (Mentioned only)
• Cluemaster (Mentioned only)
• The Joker (Mentioned only)
• The Penguin (Mentioned only)
• Punchline (Mentioned only)
• The Riddler (Mentioned only)
• Tim Drake (Mentioned only)
• Two-Face (Mentioned only)

Locations:

• Bludhaven (Flashback only)
• Gotham City
  • Gotham City Rugskor Storage
  • Gotham Clock Tower

Items:

• Bat-Signal (Destroyed)
  

Appearing in "Ashes of Eden"

Featured Characters:

• Poison Ivy

Antagonists:

• Joker's gang

Other Characters:

• Harley Quinn (Mentioned only)
• The Joker (Mentioned only)
• Punchline (Mentioned only)

Locations:

• Gotham City
  

Appearing in "Clown Hunt"

Featured Characters:

• Clownhunter

Antagonists:

• The Joker
• Joker's gang
  • Big Ed (Only appearance; dies)
  • Krackle (Only appearance; dies)
  • Pop (Only appearance; dies)
  • Punchline
  • Snap (Only appearance; dies)

Other Characters:

• Batman Family (Mentioned only)
• Circus of Strange (Mentioned only)
• False Face Society (Mentioned only)
• Whisper Gang (Mentioned only)

Locations:

• Gotham City
  • Ace Chemical Processing Plant (Mentioned only)
  • Gotham Narrows

Items:

• Batarang

Notes

• "Family Ties" is reprinted in Batman by John Ridley: The Deluxe Edition.

See Also

• Images from Batman: The Joker War Zone Vol 1 1