Out of every version of us across the universe, you're the most miserable. The least accomplished. You don't understand why yet, but you will. See, to me, to us, you're the nightmare Batman. The bad joke. 
The Batman Who Laughs (Volume 2) #2 is an issue of the series The Batman Who Laughs (Volume 2) with a cover date of March, 2019. It was published on January 16, 2019.
Synopsis for "The Laughing House, Part 2"
In the Batcave, Alfred is trying to save Joker from dying after he shot himself to transform Batman in this reality's Batman Who Laughs. Alfred hints at letting the villain die, but Batman, who's injecting himself with every Joker antidote they have to stop the transformation, refuses. Even though the transformation is being slowed down, Batman shows clear signs of instability.
Later, Commissioner Jim Gordon investigates the death of another Bruce Wayne from a different reality (this time, he's mayor of Gotham City) with Batman, disguised as Harvey Bullock, who's actually out of town. Batman hints at the idea that maybe The Batman Who Laughs teleports Waynes from their realities straight to this one, which would explain how the body fell from such a height without anything to fall from. He also notices that Who Laughs has already been there, and took a sample of blood from this "Mayor Wayne", possibly to make some kind of serum. When one of the officers on the scene remind "Harvey" of the bet they have on who will prevail between Batman and Who Laughs, Batman loses his composure and attacks him, almost blowing his cover. As Gordon calms him down, Batman tells him he needs to show him a map of Gotham.
Batman explains that in the XVIII century, following a devastating plague, the founding families of Gotham vowed to create a system to protect the citizens should another catastrophe like that happen, called the "Last Laugh": it would consist in blowing the entryways of the city, vaccinating everyone through airships and using reservoirs of food and water hidden deep below the streets. Batman learned about all this when he fought the Owls, and after the most recent Joker attack, he started creating a "Last Laugh" of his own, having its central hub on the top of Wayne Tower. Unfortunately, as they speak, The Batman Who Laughs reaches said hub and enters it, having the same DNA code as this Earth's Bruce Wayne. Upon entrance, he slashes through the guards, killing all of them. Batman promptly enters through the window and attacks Who Laughs. He notices the villain is faster, but that he's stronger than him. Since Who Laughs knows every fighting technique they both learned, Batman overcomes him with a new one he recently made up. Who Laughs, on the ground, tells Batman that this was his plan too, as the Grim Knight shoots him with a sniper rifle from the window. Who Laughs gets back on his feet and proceeds to activate a "special protocol" devised to take down any record of Batman if needed. As Who Laughs shows Batman that he has thought of everything to prevent him from stopping the activation of the protocol, he jumps off the window laughing maniacally and Wayne Tower starts collapsing on itself. Batman jumps out too.
Back in the Cave, Bruce assaults the comatose Joker, asking him what is Who Laughs planning. Joker wakes up and answers that only one person knows Who Laughs's plan.
Following the Joker's hint, James Gordon asks for the help of the one person who appears to understand what's going on: his own son (and infamous criminal) James Gordon Jr.
Appearing in "The Laughing House, Part 2"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
Other Characters:
- James Gordon, Jr.
- Mayor Wayne (Single appearance; dies)
- The Joker
- Wayne Enterprises
- Bill
- Bruce Wayne (Mentioned only)
- Court of Owls (Mentioned only)
- Detective Bullock (Mentioned only)
- Jason Todd (Mentioned only)
- Joe Chill (Mentioned only)
- Martha Wayne (Mentioned only)
- Scarecrow (Mentioned only)
- Thomas Wayne (Mentioned only)
- Thomas Wayne (Earth -22) (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Multiverse
- Gotham City
- Batcave
- Wayne Tower (Destroyed)
- Park Row (Mentioned only)
- Gotham City
- Dark Multiverse (Mentioned only)
- Earth -22 (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Joker Venom (Mentioned only)
See Also