Trauma is a weapon. One bad day can twist a person into an unspeakable monster, I know that better than anyone. 
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:
Other Characters:
- Batman Villains (Flashback only)
- Batman/Thomas Wayne (Flashpoint Timeline) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Clayface (Basil Karlo) (Impersonates Joker) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Gotham Girl (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Hugo Strange (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Mister Zsasz (Cameo)
- Psycho-Pirate (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- The Riddler (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- The Ventriloquist (Flashback only) (Cameo)
- Alfred Pennyworth (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
- Batman (Bruce Wayne) (Mentioned only)
- Robin (Damian Wayne) (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Arkham Asylum (Flashback and main story)
Items:
- Batsuit
- Scarface Puppet (Flashback only)
- Venom (Mentioned only)
Concepts:
- "The Broken Bat" (Mentioned only)
- Jason Todd's Murder (Mentioned only)
Synopsis for "Family Ties"
Appearing in "Family Ties"
Featured Characters:
- Lucius Fox (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Joker Gang
- Punchline (Flashback only) (Cameo)
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:
- Batsuit
- Joker Venom (Flashback only)
Synopsis for "The Symbol"
Appearing in "The Symbol"
Featured Characters:
- Batgirls (First appearance)
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)
Synopsis for "Ashes of Eden"
Appearing in "Ashes of Eden"
Featured Characters:
- Queen Ivy/Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley) (First appearance as Queen Ivy)
Antagonists:
- Punchline (Behind the scenes)
- Joker Gang
Other Characters:
- Harley Quinn (Mentioned only)
- The Joker (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Eden
- Eden
Synopsis for "Clown Hunt"
Appearing in "Clown Hunt"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Joker
- Joker Gang
- Big Ed (Single appearance; dies)
- Krackle (Single appearance; dies)
- Pop (Single appearance; dies)
- Snap (Single appearance; dies)
- Punchline
- Joker Gang
Other Characters:
- Bat-Family (Mentioned only)
- Circus of Strange (Mentioned only)
- Clownhunter's parents (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
- False Face Society (Mentioned only)
- Whisper Gang (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Gotham Narrows
- Ace Chemical Processing Plant (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Batarang
- Clownhunter's Bat (Unnamed)
Notes
- The entire issue is reprinted in The Joker War Saga.
- "Family Ties" is reprinted in Batman by John Ridley: The Deluxe Edition.
- "Clown Hunt" is reprinted in Ghost-Maker/Clownhunter by James Tynion IV.
- "A Serious House" is reprinted in The Joker by James Tynion IV Compendium.
See Also