Moving away from the explicitly political content of his previous novels, Victor Hugo turns to social commentary in The Man Who Laughs, an 1869 work that was made into a popular film in the 1920s. The plot deals with a band of miscreants who deliberately deform children to make them more effective beggars, as well as the long-lasting emotional and social damage that this abhorrent practice inflicts upon its victims.

The deluxe edition featuring critically acclaimed writer Ed Brubaker's seminal run on the Dark Knight and The Joker. The deluxe edition featuring critically acclaimed writer Ed Brubaker's seminal run on the Dark Knight and The Joker. Witness Batman's first encounter with The Joker in this volume collecting the graphic novel BATMAN: THE MAN WHO LAUGHS by Ed Brubaker and Doug Mahnke! This collection also includes DETECTIVE COMICS #784-786, a murder mystery tale guest-starring Green Lantern Alan Scott.

Superstar writer Ed Brubaker (CATWOMAN, GOTHAM CENTRAL) teams with artist Doug Mahnke (FINAL CRISIS, GREEN LANTERN) to tell the tale of Batman's first battle against his greatest enemy: The Joker!

As the events of DARK NIGHTS: METAL rock the DC Universe, the creatures of the Dark Multiverse stand ready to invade our world! How can the WorldÕs Greatest Heroes stop a horde of deadly beings that appear to be powerful nightmare versions of familiar figures?

True happiness begins in the heart. Our memories and emotions can play tricks on us, though, and divert oneÕs reality into something completely different. The Batman Who Laughs has based his entire worldview on this very concept, and it is in this moment that he must finally confront the one man who stands in his way, the one man who could complete or halt his planÉthe last Bruce Wayne. It is here, on the home turf of Wayne Manor, that Bruce relives the happiest moment of his lifeÑthe moment he became the Batman Who Laughs. Will Batman be able to outthink the Dark Multiverse version of himself and stop his most sinister end? Or will the original Dark Knight succumb fully and let go of his morality? While good almost always wins, this issue is the start of something moreÉsetting up a larger plan based in the ultimate betrayal of infection, loyalty and true happiness. This is not the endÉitÕs only the beginning.

All the pieces are starting to fit together as the Batman Who Laughs acquires another key element in his plan—one that is linked to the founding fathers of Gotham City and to a legacy started by the Wayne family and protected by none other than Oswald Cobblepot. While the Penguin goes head-to-head with the darkest version of his mortal enemy, Batman is forced to compromise his principles and purge the serum that protects his heart from the deadly Joker Toxin! It’s a no-win situation as writer Scott Snyder and artist Jock return to the sociopath they created in “Black Mirror”: James Gordon Jr.

Batman is on a desperate hunt through Gotham City, tracking down the dark version of himself known as the Grim Knight. But the serum BatmanÕs been self-administering has started to transform his mind, making him into something much darker...something amoralÉsomething like the Batman Who LaughsÑand heÕs starting to lose his grip on reality. Toeing the line between vengeance and justice, Batman must struggle to keep his moral code as the Grim Knight gains control of the Batcave, sending all of his vehicles and weapons on a collision course with Gotham City. The Grim Knight, the Batman Who Laughs, even allies like Jim Gordon and his son force Batman to pull the triggerÉand activate the Last Laugh. Will Batman be the savior of Gotham City once more? Or is he the kill shot?